Phase

Audio Components DACs
1

So I recently hooked my pre into my system and it inverses the phase.

Does going phase out with the DS accomplish the same thing as flipping my speaker cable connections?

Are there any advantages of doing it one way vs the other?

In other words - should I really go flip my cables and leave the DS in phase.

I’m not running any other source.

2

Switching speaker connections changes polarity and one speaker will be out of phase with the other, but the absolute phase of the recording and thus playback is something else but related.

See this: https://www.gcaudio.com/tips-tricks/absolute-polarity-a-prerequisite-to-optimum-performance/

3

Wow. This is more complicated than I thought. The manual says reverse the + - on the amp but was still wondering if phase out on the DS accomplishes that.

Thanks for the article.

4
timm said Does going phase out with the DS accomplish the same thing as flipping my speaker cable connections?
Yes
Are there any advantages of doing it one way vs the other?
No, the result is the same. But pushing the button is easier. :)
5

The same question came up for me yesterday. I had to take system apart because a contractor will be in the room. I noticed that I had switched the speaker cables. For years I ran a c-j preamp that inverted polarity and got in the habit of doing this. Then I wondered if I had gotten confused about the BHK pre. Checked the manual and this is not mentioned on p. 3 in the section on connecting the pre to the power amp; a search for ‘polarity’ and ‘phase’ turns up nothing.

So; timm, where did you see that in the manual? If it’s true, it really should be highlighted – the manual for my c-j came with a big red insert pointing this out – since it’s easy for people to get this mixed up.

6

From his post I think timm is using a non PS Audio pre.

7

Looks like I made an assumption I shouldn’t have. (But why would anyone want a preamp other than the BHK?? cool)

So, if someone would help me get this 100% clear in my mind: the BHK pre does not invert polarity, right?

8

That is correct, it does not. And to be clear. Polarity is the proper technical term when discussing speaker +/- and phase is the proper technical term when discussing electronics. Though, they both mean the same thing: the wave inverting or non-inverting.

9

Yes magister. Sacrilege !!! I would have definitely purchased the BHK had it been around five years ago!! :).

I absolutely love this company. Good people=Good product=Good service!!

I’m still wondering if my non psaudio pre is in full working order after service. I have to wait on tubes for the phono stage as when the tubes are in the phono - the power supply fuse blows after 5-20 hrs of play. I pull tubes from phono and everything plays fine. I don’t use phono. My assumption - bad tube. Someone tell me if that is reasonable. I’m asking my online community why?? Well- ‘it was tested and working when we had it!!’ There is more - remote volume no longer works/remote mute does though. ‘Well we can’t prove we did or didn’t do something to cause that…’.

The worst part is they don’t understand that mistakes happen…it’s how you recover from them that matters.

Bless you Paul.