[Tonto Yoder]

I was experimenting with gear and swapped CDplayers. Tried an older DAC (Assemblage DAC-2)  that decodes HDCD and offers a polarity switch.  Reversing polarity made a noticeable difference on a couple tracks, making me wish there was a polarity switch on the preamp.

Do others have such switches?? Is it useful or just another thing to obsess about??

[Tbadder1]

My Levinson has a polarity switch on the remote, and it as as you say, effective some of the time, not the majority of the time.  When it works it's worth a component upgrade, but usually it's not a factor.  The problem is keeping track of which cuts to reverse the polarity and which not.  Funny thing is I thought it would be applicable to complete Cds, but it appears it's on an individual, song by song basis.

[JuicyMusic]

I've used polarity switches for many years off and on. I generally put then on the output of the amplifier. Changing polarity makes an obvious and audible difference. The problem is, as noted above, how to keep track of polarity settings or preferences!

[Tonto Yoder]

My Levinson has a polarity switch on the remote, and it as as you say, effective some of the time ....

 Seems like THAT would be the best place for it, since its effects are best determined from the listening position: it's  somewhat difficult running back and forth between DAC switch and sweet spot, comparing polarities.

Juicy,
you use something commercially available or just some DIY affair??? (or just a midget behind the amp switching wires??)

[JuicyMusic]

I just wire up a large DPDT toggle as a crossconnect. I once put them in a nice neat aluminum box years ago. But as speaker wire grew increasingly toward the "hose" category I had to add a brick to hold the box down-----

[Mike B.]

Once you have the ability to switch polarity you realize that a number of CD's are recorded out of phase. When you switch to the correct polarity, a defuse sound pops into focus and is much more enjoyable IMO. I have a transformer output on my SACD. I rigged up a pair of toggle switches on the back to switch between + and - phase to the single ended outputs. I took the steering control motor off a $15 remote control car and mounted it to switch the two toggles at the same time. I can do this remotely and you can instantly make a judgment as to which sounds better. I wish more equipment offered this feature. Electronics would need to have balance circuits to offer it.