My tonearm must be wired out of phase

 There are two very different ways in which a stereo system can be wired out of phase. In the first case, one channel is 180° out of phase with the other. This produces some dramatic negative effects, imaging is damaged severely, and it’s just quite noticeable. In the second case, both channels are wired in the same phase with respect to each other, but the phase of the system is 180° different from the phase with which the material was recorded. Frankly, I have never been able to hear that second difference in my system, perhaps because I use dipolar  electrostatic speakers. However, there are golden ears who claim that system phase makes a great deal of difference to them. Nevertheless, this second sort of phase issue is unlikely to have anything to do with your observation because it’s quite subtle, at most..

So please tell us exactly what you mean when you say you “switched cartridge leads”. Thanks.

Thanks for responding, I switched the white and blue leads with the red and green.  Out of phase might not be the correct terminology.

Perhaps as mijostyn suggested the clips are on the wrong wire inverting phase.  Similarly, my CJ preamp inverts phase.  Like you Lewn, I can't tell the difference with phase inversion but for good measure I reverse my speaker connections at the speaker.  I also have a phase inversion switch on my phono preamp but can't really discern a difference either way.

I haven't spent a lot of time on this new discovery yet.  While I can conclude at early stages is what I described above.  Before this new revelation the soundstage was nice and "chunky" from the center, right center and far right with a noticeable hole left center and far left.  

I know what wiring your system or speakers out of phase sounds like and my description above is not that.  That result is as you mention Lewn, extreme sounding.  With the cartridge leads reversed it sounds way better in terms of filling the entire stage between the speakers.  Not change in tonality just equal balance between the channels and speakers........man.....analog.  Of course my digital plays fine.

Perhaps you simply had a poor cartridge pin connection. 

Thought about that testpilot, but wouldn't a loose pin mean signal or no signal?

Yes pops or in and out. People who think they can hear a difference inverting the phase of their entire system simultaneously are chewing too much hemp as you rightfully suggest.

Mike