[rmurray]

  I was wondering how often members use the polarity feature on the Bp 25/26.  I have a few recordings that sound overall fuller when this is applied. somewhere I read that some recordings end up in a reverse phase   

[spinner]

 I find it very effective a certain cds. Paul Simon's " Graceland" is one .

[Elizabeth]

What matters is: Can you hear it?
I find it is easier to notice with dipoles.
And yeah once in awhile if I notice a recording sounds odd, i will flip the polarity switch to see if it improves.. and yeah it does a lot of the time.

[Stu Pitt]

You may also want to reverse the polarity at the speaker end: + on the amp end to - on the speaker end (make sure to do both speakers).  I've heard several speakers where this made a big and very good difference.  I've also heard it make a bad difference, and no difference at all.

The first time I heard it was when auditioning a pair of Revel F12s.  The soundstage sounded too distant and the bass was too full.  The dealer smiled and switched the polarity at the speaker end, and the soundstage came to in front of the speakers and the bass tightened up.  I've tried it with my own speakers and several friends' speakers.  Varying degrees of successfulness/usefulness.  It's easy and free to try out, so why not give it a shot?   My current speakers sound best wired + to +. 

[rmurray]

  Interesting, thanks I may experiment with that ...

[redbook]

 
James could you explain this effect... Thanks

[James Tanner]

Hi Folks

Polarity on the Bryston preamp refers to Absolute Polarity. If I mic a drum the drum outputs a positive pressure wave which the mic pics up and hopefully the speaker driver moves outwards towards the listener when that drum is reproduced by your system.

The major problem is it is difficult to know if a particular recording is in absolute polarity or not. All the gear in the signal chain between the instrument being recorded through the microphone through the mic preamp through the mixing board through the amplifiers etc. may or may not retain absolute phase. By absolute phase I mean a positive input to a specific piece of electronics outputs a positive signal. If the gear has an odd set of amplification circuits then the output with a positive feed will be a negative output. In multi channel/multi mic recordings it is even worse because some instruments may be in absolute phase and others in negative phase within the same recording.

Listen to instruments that have quick transients like drums or horns and sometimes you can detect that the transients sound better if you invert Absolute phase. Recognize though it's a 50 - 50 shot. 

James

[redbook]

  Thanks again....I will listen for those transients.