Phase inverting preamps

If the preamp is phase inverting it is merely switching the right and left chanels, so all you have to do to correct that is switch them back again. There are several places where you can do that...you can reverse all of the individual component hookups (plug left into right and right into left), switch the left and right cables between the preamp and amp, or switch the speaker wire hookups at the amp output. Do one of those...not all three. I switched the left and right cables between my preamp and amp...that was the easiest for me.

Thanks, Phild. Does this in any way compromise sound quality? And, why would the maker of a preamp produce a unit that inverts phasing? Is there something specific they are trying to achieve that is negated by reversing the phasing elsewhere? Seems like it would be easier just to make the preamp without inverting the phase. Is it a cost savings measure?

If it's inverting phase, it's inverting push/pull (+/-) signals. To correct this, you need to change your speaker connections.

KP

I don't get it either, but I know someone here will have the answer for you. I've read an explanation before, but I forgot what it was. I vaguely remember someone saying that it was a design choice. I don't think it's a cost saving issue as much as it is a way to keep the circuit simple (but I'm not positive about that). I really don't think there's any adverse effects. It's a clean switch, so you're okay as long as you switch it back. Most people wouldn't even notice the phase problem, but the correct phase should sound noticeably better when you compare the two. It should sound more natural. To confuse things even more...some recordings (or mic'd instruments within a recording) are out of phase. That's out of your control, but you can sleep soundly knowing you did your part to fix your system phase. :-) You may want to ask the manufacturer of your preamp...they should be able to tell you if your's in phase inverting. You could also pick up a test record or CD (Hi-Fi News and Record Reviews, or others) that have a phase test...usually just a voice saying, "Yo...dis be da right chanel" and "Yo...dis be da left". If you're hearing the voices from the wrong speaker, you should check all of your connections and make sure they're correct. If they are, you know that some component is inverting the phase. My CD and LP source were both backward, so I assumed it was my preamp.

Hi Killerpiglet...I won't bet my life on this, but I think that what you're talking about (inverting push/pull) is signal polarity, which isn't the same thing as phase inversion.