Phase inverting preamps

I guess I agree that a recording with the polarity wrong has no affect on the phase of your system. The + signal (and minus) of DC current going through your hardwired system cannot be reverse solely based on music encoded on a piece of media, whether, CD, LP, or Tape. That would defy the laws of physics.

If you had a recording with multiple microphones, where some microphones were in phase and some out of phase, some sounds may cancel out in part, which is why the recording sounds off. You system won't be feeding post positive and negative current to both speaker terminals at the same time. I hope you agree that is impossible.

Put another way; if a system is phase correct and a recording has sounds out of phase; your system reproduces for your ears to hear, what that out of phase music sounds like. That reproduction of the out of phase sound is in phase. If you reverse your speaker cables that sound is not in phase. You are hearing an out of phase sound, out of phase. It may end up sounding even worse.

Bowbow, I understood what you posted and I agree except for the part about DC current. You are right that it does not feed current in both directions at the same time. The current is AC, it alternates. First it flows in one direction and then the other. The rate at which it changes direction is called the frequency. Polarity has to do with which direction it starts.

However, the statement "If you reverse your speaker cables that sound is not in phase. You are hearing an out of phase sound, out of phase" is an excellent example of the point I was trying to make earlier about the misuse of these terms.

It should read: "If you reverse your speaker cables that signal will have it's polarity inverted. You are hearing an out of phase sound with incorrect polarity." I agree that this may end up sounding worse.

I know that some of you are saying enough already, what difference does it make? Well, it makes a huge difference if you are trying to understand what is going on in your system. If I think the woofer is the little speaker and the tweeter is the big one, then we are going to have a very confused conversation about speakers. If you do not understand what polarity means, then how can you hope to determine if your system polarity is correct? On the bright side, you have a 50/50 chance no matter what you do.

Thanks to all. The intent of my original post was to determine what need be done to account for the "inverse phasing" of a preamp (subsequently clarified to note that what they should REALLY say is reversed polarity). And, I now know that the connections at the speaker posts should be reversed. That being said, I have also appreciated the more in depth discussion of the difference between phasing and polarity. While I knew there was a difference I have enjoyed hearing the nuances of the differences and the reality of inconsistencies within recording mediums.

It never hurts to go into more detail, as long as you know what you're talking about! Those who find it boring or something they already know can easily click to the next topic. :-)

Herman, I think we all including Sugarbrie agree; it is just a matter of terminology. I have a Conrad Johnson preamp and in the owners manual CJ uses the term phase inversion, not polarity to describe reversing the speaker wires. So even the manufacturers interchange the two terms.