[Robert C. Schult]

Here's a useful little gadget we developed based on a client's request; an in-line polarity switch. If you have one, three or five components in your system that inverts the music signal polarity, chances are you're not hearing what was originally intended from the studio or from the mastering process. How do you know? Well, you don't usually unless that info is stated in the liner notes and you know your gear. Otherwise, you have to simply listen and compare polarities. When it's correct, one of the most notable things you'll hear is a more realistic presence of the musical performance.

These are for balanced applications and are fabricated here at Ridge Street Audio Designs. They use Neutrik silver plated signal pins, 5 amp/120 VAC silver contact toggle switches for negligible signal loss and our ExLGII Silver leads. I'm not a big fan of adapters but they can serve an important purpose and these are about as transparent as you'll get. Pricing is $185.00. We are also developing an RCA version that will be available soon so keep an eye out here for when they're available.

                 


Also, as previously posted: Winter/Spring 2004 Cabling Sale...

If you're a member of this forum, please deduct an additional 3% on the purchase of two or more items and, as a thank you, we'll include one of two CDs on us to help get ya Dancin'...right Lonewolf?! If you're not a member, then join Dammit! This is a great site! I almost feel like 3% is an insult and I know it's not huge but it's the best I can do. Hope it helps at least a little.

Be sure to mention you're a member when you place your order.

Links are as follows

Pioema!

Midnight Silver Edition Gen.II

[Tonto Yoder]

Robert,
refresh my memory about polarity switches--does one need just ONE gizmo??? (i.e. between preamp and amp).  Or a pair of gizmos (i.e. left and right).

And is there a benefit to putting gizmos on the source components rather than just at the amp??

Thanks,
Tonto
BTW, will there be a tubed version coming out soon???

[infiniti driver]

From the looks of them, you will need two. Absolute polarity is a tricky business because it needs to be tracked down. With this device, you can simply insert a pair of them and using the switches, move both of them one way or another and see which you like the sound of best.

You will need to reverse the polarity of both left and right channels together because using a system with one channel 180 out is not happening. The deal is whether both channels are correct to the source intentions or not. I take CD's and look at them on the wave editor. What gets tricky is when 3 songs are correct, two songs are 180 out both channels and the remaining songs are correct. These switches would certainly make matters very simple to deal with that!

The root cause of this is in the mastering chain. Mastering engineers should always look microscopicly at the first wave shape of each song and determine if it was correct or not.

Some people claim they hear huge differences and others seem to not be able to hear it. YMMV of course. The satisfaction of knowing you can test for this by flipping two switches is worth the price of admission IMO...

(Did I get that right Robert?)

[Tonto Yoder]

Doesn't some GEAR invert polarity??? In that case, even if the mastering was done perfectly, there would still be a need for a polarity switch (or another inverting piece of gear).

Disclaimer: this isn't expert opinion, just a question.  I don't have any specific piece(s) of gear in mind, but seem to recall this matter being posted elsewhere.

[JoshK]

cross your IC's for your gear.  I rec'd getting a test disk to check for absolute polarity.  Once you are setup though polarity can switch back and forth as said based on the material, in which case a polarity switch is useful.

I think absolute polarity can be glaringly obvious or subtle depending on the recording.  I have two polarity tests on one disk using different recordings and one isn't so clear while the other is obvious.

[lonewolfny42]

Robert, Question...If I'm "Dance'in" backwards ....would this change the polarity ? Thanks for a reply.  

[Robert C. Schult]

refresh my memory about polarity switches--does one need just ONE gizmo??? (i.e. between preamp and amp).  Or a pair of gizmos (i.e. left and right).

And is there a benefit to putting gizmos on the source components rather than just at the amp??

Yo, To', You need only one pair in any system; left and right channel. As for where to put them, I have two thoughts; if you know the recording is inverted and you know your system doesn't ultimately invert polarity, I suggest putting them as far ahead of the source as you can in your system. If you're not sure of the recording but you know what gear in your system inverts polarity, put them there. This is assuming you have only one piece that inverts.  If you have two units that invert, I suggest using it in the unit furthest up from the source in the system chain.

Doesn't some GEAR invert polarity??? In that case, even if the mastering was done perfectly, there would still be a need for a polarity switch (or another inverting piece of gear).

This is correct Tonto. Here's the way it works; aside from whatever the recording is, if you have an odd number of gear that is a different polarity form the rest of the gear in your system, i.e. 1, 3, etc. the polarity is inverted either positive going or negative going in relationship to the rest of your gear. If you have even number of gear that inverts, the music signal will be the same polarity throughout the system, either positive or negative.

(Did I get that right Robert?)

Yep! You da man! Thanks for saying that simplier (simplyer, sermplier smilpyer) than I could.


 Josh, here's another useful method for testing polarity I used to use all the time...
Stand facing your system and play your music. Listen. Then play the same music again but this time stand with your back towards the system. Now you're hearing it opposite. Determine which sounds better. If it sounds better with your back facing the system, simply move your system to the opposite end of the room. As Infinity suggested about different cuts on the same CD, you can do this for every song on a CD. Helps if you have a buddy to help and while this method is a little more time and requires a little more effort, it's free!

[Robert C. Schult]

Lonewolf...No! You'll just look like an idiot...DON"T DO IT MAN!

[lonewolfny42]

Lonewolf...No! You'll just look like an idiot...DON"T DO IT MAN!

...Whew !!... woodn't wanna du' phat ! Thanks for ur expert reply !!