Reversing Polarity -- Voodoo or Easy Tweak?

Unlike most audiophile tweeks, the absolute polarity effect, at least superficially, seems to make scientific sense. Also, unlike most tweeks, it is easy and cheap. However, I do suspect that the science might fall apart on closer examination, and the real world usefulness of the tweek is minimal because of what you describe as "recording engineer indifference".

I guess I would say that in the past when I had the capability on digital easily compare that about 1 disk in 10 made a difference. I should say that Clark Johnsen also once visited when I had the capability on vinyl and digital. He heard it on more recordings, and when he pointed out what differences he was hearing, others did indeed also hear them.

I found a Sheffield Lab-5 vinyl LP of Dave Grusin, "Discovered Again" 1976, I had not listened to for years. I cleaned both sides put it on the TT platter for a listen. I first played both sides of the Lp to warm up the cartridge. Then I sat down for a listen. For 1976 it still sounds very good. I listened to both sides of the Lp and then focused in on Grusin's piano mainly. I then reversed the speaker cables at the speakers. Their was a difference in sound, but not overwhelming. Imo Grusin's piano did sound cleaner and more open, with a tad more air.

Jim

So what do you conclude?

Herman posted,
"Phase has to do with time, polarity has to do with whether a signal is going positive or negative. If a speaker is wired with the wrong polarity it will be going out when it should be going in, and vice versa. I have friend who claims he can tell when it is reversed because a vocalist will sound like they are gulping air instead of exhaling."

Herman puts it into words better than I can. I also agree with every thing he has said in this thread.

Recorded music is converted to electrical signal and that signal has polarity. With no signal being a base line with positive signal above the base line and negative signal below the base line. Positive signal will cause the coil of the speaker to move foward from a no signal state and negative signal will cause the speaker coil to pull back from a no signal state. So imo if the source signal for a given time is positive then the speaker, if the polarity is the same as the signal for the same given time, should move forward. Sorry if I do not say it as eloquent as Herman.

I was talking with my son the other day and I mentioned this thread. My son was the one that reminded me I had the Grusin LP. He told me that Frank Zappa recorded his music with reverse signal polarity.

Question why would any one record music reversing the signal polarity deliberately?