The truth about Absolute Polarity

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  • Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024

Комментарии • 101

  • @funny0000000
    @funny0000000 3 месяца назад +31

    For the 50th anniversary I would like to see many pictures over the years of products and people that worked there including many of you. Hearing stories about old products would also be great. I like seeing pictures of old computers and test equipment and anything else. It should be about 50 years of history. Seeing those old RCA tubes in the background is the exact kind of thing I like to see.

  • @happygil4698
    @happygil4698 3 месяца назад +29

    50 years!
    50% off!
    Congratulations 🎉

    • @marcusbrsp
      @marcusbrsp 3 месяца назад +4

      Yes!
      And if you buy 2 products the discount should double.

    • @heinebohmann1566
      @heinebohmann1566 3 месяца назад +2

      ​@@marcusbrspThat's right.Two mono-amplifiers.

  • @Roamany-Jones
    @Roamany-Jones 3 месяца назад

    Love your little videos at just the right length. I very rarely comment on RUclips but felt I needed to on this occasion. About 30 years ago I bought a pair of speakers from a well known UK HiFi retailer and when I played them at home the image was throwing itself one way then the other to such an extent it was making me feel sick. I rang the retailer who told me to connect each one to a 9 volt battery ! I had no idea why but the cone of one of the speakers pushed out much to the shock of the retailers local engineer. He said they were wired 'out of phase' at the factory. I had never heard the expression before then and I was unfortunate enough to be one of the few percentage of the population to be sensitive to phase issues. He rewired them for me and everything sounded fantastic, with the return of the bass and a stable central image. So when some people say it is not possible to hear, I agree, it probably isn't for them as they dont fall into the few percent category. If you can go to the 2025 Ascot show (can't make it this year) I challenge you to set up a blind demo of your speakers both in and out of phase and I will see if I am still prone to phase problems 😁RWJ

  • @davidsicking7514
    @davidsicking7514 3 месяца назад +1

    The ear response goes to maybe 20 Hz. And I had a Phono cartridge that went to DC. But the pressure of a sudden leading base wave also affects the soft tissue and chest. So one might get leading pulse edge info from those sensations. But midrange and higher, other than phase cancellations, no effect.

  • @ryanfitzpatrick3256
    @ryanfitzpatrick3256 3 месяца назад +2

    Cheers to fifty years!! Kudos to you Paul!

  • @hugobloemers4425
    @hugobloemers4425 3 месяца назад

    That answer is spot on. As for the 50 year jubilee, congratulations and well deserved. My suggestion would be a street party with various musicians. It would be something that involves the local community.

  • @tacofortgens3471
    @tacofortgens3471 2 месяца назад

    A Jistory of PS Audio with old videos and photos compilation would be amazing

  • @sudd3660
    @sudd3660 3 месяца назад +1

    a related point: no recoding has absolute phase, relative phase within the recording is more important to keep while mastering and reproducing at home.

  • @lummond
    @lummond 3 месяца назад +1

    The Schiit Yggdrasil has (for some reason) a polarity inversion button on it, and you can absolutely hear a difference. I'd describe it as sounding "upside down" where the snares sound "positional lg higher" than the cymbals. Would I be able to tell if it was inverted without hearing it uninverted first? I doubt it.
    Re: the phase inverted Rotel CD player, wasn't there some theory that Redbook/all CDs were themselves inverted and needed to be inverted again to "sound correct"?

  • @LelandPratt-nw9ix
    @LelandPratt-nw9ix 3 месяца назад

    With all the phase inverting stages involved in recording and playback, it’s hard to tell what phase we are eventually ending up with. It’s easy to flip the phase by reversing your speaker’s terminals. If you hear a difference just go with what sounds best for each song, because they could all be different. I’ve given up trying.

  • @Bisdako2013
    @Bisdako2013 3 месяца назад

    Hi Paul, hope you will discuss about balanced input output of mixers, pre-amp, buffer. Why is really needed for Pro Sounds? Does unbalanced is produced bad sounds or the balanced is just to suppress the noise from the cable? What are the other benefits of balanced? - from Philippines

  • @bradwalker1259
    @bradwalker1259 3 месяца назад

    I think it only matters in live sound and sound reinforcement scenarios. It really does matter then.

  • @philb-ze8sz
    @philb-ze8sz 3 месяца назад +1

    Even recorded music can be out of the absolute phase which is why I never buy a preamp that does not offer that function and a mono switch. My open baffle speakers as well as my Quad ESL easily would tell you about the recording, clues vocals detail, bass dynamics, and imaging. A mono recording will sound dead like it sucked out, reverse the phase and it snaps into the middle of the speaker, presence comes back, etc. I check every recording I play for proper polarity. Speakers make a big difference because some have drivers out of phase within their design. Then there are systems where XLRs are wired pin 2 hot while another piece of gear would be pin 2 cold if so you our of phase then you flip your switch on the preamp or speakers, red to black, black to red on both speakers to bring things back into proper phase, even my Marantz Reference SA10S1 SACD player had a polarity adjustment in its setup know that issue. So many are listening to recordings out of the absolute phase and wondering why they sound bright and lifeless with poor imaging and bottom end. Jazz at the Pawnshop was recorded out of the absolute phase. Some recording are hard to say, but many sound night and day better when you hear it you know it, no even have to listen hard it hits you hard.

  • @BruceCross
    @BruceCross 3 месяца назад

    Whether I can hear it or not, I don't know, but my OCD side could not leave it inverted.

  • @johnj596
    @johnj596 3 месяца назад

    Do a 50th anniversary special edition color option on a dac or speakers.

  • @medonk12rs
    @medonk12rs 3 месяца назад

    As Paul says, it's audible with percussive instruments.
    Other than that... hard. At least for me.
    And no, I didn't do blind tests...
    Now, waiting for the ABX-police to comment. :p

  • @adrianadrianp5305
    @adrianadrianp5305 3 месяца назад

    But when integrating subs and low frequencies phase absolutely matters ?

  • @danab7472
    @danab7472 3 месяца назад

    Fifty years calls for a considerable party.

  • @PATRIK67KALLBACK
    @PATRIK67KALLBACK 3 месяца назад

    Well, our ears and brain don't listen to sound in the time domain, only in the frequency domain. Therefore we don't hear if the sound is phase shifted. If you make a fourier transform of a sound vs phase shifted sound it generates the same spectrum 😊

  • @kautkascitadaks
    @kautkascitadaks 3 месяца назад

    For 50th anniversary could do a smal hifi party, with your newest gear to listen to.

  • @joejoejoejoejoejoe4391
    @joejoejoejoejoejoe4391 3 месяца назад

    What about the doppler effect, the bass wavelength distorting the higher frequencies differently as the bass driver moves in and out?

  • @babubabu12345
    @babubabu12345 3 месяца назад

    very good discussion about absolute polarity.

  • @ThinkingBetter
    @ThinkingBetter 3 месяца назад +5

    I tried to convince myself I could hear absolute phase, but I've failed in actual blind test.

  • @banginghats2
    @banginghats2 3 месяца назад

    I've always thought that it shouldn't make a difference on mid to high frequencies, but at the low end I thought that transients would make a difference if the cone was sucking instead of blowing on the edge of the note.

    • @opporknockitytoots
      @opporknockitytoots 3 месяца назад

      This makes sense intuitively, but in my system with my ears, the difference is in the upper midrange and treble.

    • @banginghats2
      @banginghats2 3 месяца назад

      @@opporknockitytoots That's a good idea too, because phase shifts give spatial information in a stereo system. I honestly don't know if theres a definitive answer to this.

  • @spacemissing
    @spacemissing 3 месяца назад

    The form of the wave, Not its polarity, is what makes it recognizable.

  • @StrangeBrewReviews
    @StrangeBrewReviews 3 месяца назад

    I Have the rotel dt-6000....there is nothing goofy about it I promise you that the sound is phenomenal.

  • @craigellsworth3952
    @craigellsworth3952 3 месяца назад

    Paul, how old were you when you started the company? Like 12 or 13?

  • @Mark-lq3sb
    @Mark-lq3sb 3 месяца назад

    50th celebration...
    Charity raffle for a pair of BHK 600 mono blocks.
    Oh, did I mention they would make an excellent match with my BHK preamp.
    Come-on! You can do it! Tax deductible!

  • @stevenholquin2127
    @stevenholquin2127 3 месяца назад

    Hey Paul I
    Have a Rotelli Absolute
    Zero Phase Button on My DAC That I Have Never Used
    Will This Absolute
    Phase Button Put Me in
    Absolute Zero
    Because i Want To Know ?

  • @tacofortgens3471
    @tacofortgens3471 2 месяца назад

    50th anniversiry limited edition PS Audio Product

  • @NoEgg4u
    @NoEgg4u 3 месяца назад

    Paul, your Aesthetix Calypso pre-amp has a phase button on the console, and also on the remote.
    You can A/B the phase change in real time, from your seated position.
    Also, I doubt that Jim White would include that phase flip feature on his design, if no one could hear songs that were recorded out of phase.

  • @davidrippy1605
    @davidrippy1605 3 месяца назад +1

    Hey Paul, how about a quality 50th year T-shirt and baseball cap?

  • @l.ralphmellon1716
    @l.ralphmellon1716 3 месяца назад

    For PS Audio’s 50th anniversary, maybe a PS Audio speaker setup app (as I wrote to you about a few weeks back) with an Octave Records component.

  • @Rowuk2024
    @Rowuk2024 3 месяца назад

    If you have an inverting DAC and a turntable, reverse the speakers and phono cartridge and your world is saved.

  • @stimpy1226
    @stimpy1226 3 месяца назад

    One less stage is more than likely why they designed it that way. My audible illusions preamp was designed the exact same way to avoid an additional stage that could lessen the musicality that it was capable of. I am writing this before Paul said the same thing.

  • @robertdecrock4038
    @robertdecrock4038 3 месяца назад +1

    Love you man 😅

  • @stevenkoski228
    @stevenkoski228 2 месяца назад

    Play The Beatles Revolution #9 in reverse polarity🔊, & celebrate with a 6pk & a fist fight😳🤣🙈

  • @derekrushe
    @derekrushe 3 месяца назад +1

    You need to stop talking about phase and polarity like they're the same thing. They aren't.

    • @davidstevens7809
      @davidstevens7809 2 месяца назад

      180 out of phase is the same as reverse polarity.. phase can be discussed in degrees.

    • @derekrushe
      @derekrushe 2 месяца назад +1

      @davidstevens7809 that's true, but only in this instance. Phase refers to time while polarity is just the difference between a positive or negative signal.

  • @stimpy1226
    @stimpy1226 3 месяца назад

    Anyone that can’t hear what an inverted phase does to the signal then I think you should not be an audio enthusiast. In almost every case it is so obvious. It’s a ridiculous proposition.

  • @razisn
    @razisn 3 месяца назад +3

    In any case who guarantees that the recording is in the correct polarity? Who even guarantees that all tracks in a multitrack recording are in the same polarity. I'll tell you who, no-one.

    • @InsideOfMyOwnMind
      @InsideOfMyOwnMind 3 месяца назад +1

      With all the phase flipping, multiprocessor, DSP, Alabama methamphetamine holy crap shenanigans that music is put through it's a wonder we can tell when relative phase is correct much less absolute.

    • @hamidrezahabibi8111
      @hamidrezahabibi8111 3 месяца назад +1

      Nobody. That’s always what I have said.

  • @glenncurry3041
    @glenncurry3041 3 месяца назад +5

    I have passed blind (double blind) tests to detect absolute polarity. Naturally depending on how well phasing was maintained in the recording, e.g. some Direct to Disc from Toshiba liked to phase invert the mic on the kick drum to lower groove excursions. And it sounds like it! Yes I hear it as sucking, the sound is sucked away from me rather than projected towards me.
    One test was when I bought my Maggies. I walked into the HiFi store (yes an actual Audio store) and was seated in front of some box speakers. I instantly detected out of absolute phase. The sales guy had no idea who I was or why I was there other than to buy some speakers at that point. I asked him to invert both speakers connections and yes, now in phase. So I told him I was going to leave the room and he should either change them back or not but don't tell me. When I walked back in they were out of phase again. He asked what I was doing and I explained absolute phase. Which he said he did not believe in and yet I just proved it to him. We did two more tests and I was 100%.

    • @thinkIndependent2024
      @thinkIndependent2024 3 месяца назад +1

      U R Correct I can hear phase 100% its why I own multiple systems that can do Crosstalk Cancellation including my Polk SDAs and other units that do delay and phase reversal cancel

  • @geoff37s57
    @geoff37s57 3 месяца назад +5

    The issue is whether all channels are in the same phase or not. Flipping phase on all channels will make no audible difference. However, the flipping of phase in one channel is a very different issue.
    If one of your speakers is wired opposite polarity to the other speaker then you will not hear a solid central image. Test this by playing a mono tone and you should hear a solid central image. Out of phase speakers will sound confused with sound smeared and not appearing to come from a single point. This is basic set up.

  • @gotham61
    @gotham61 3 месяца назад +8

    Most recordings have mixed polarity. Some instruments are reversed from others.
    The late Clark Johnson wrote a book about the subject called The Wood Effect.

    • @craigellsworth3952
      @craigellsworth3952 3 месяца назад

      You answered my question on Clark. I too recall the back and forth in the pages of Stereophile back in the early to mid 90s.

  • @matthewhilty4209
    @matthewhilty4209 3 месяца назад +5

    So I also have a DAC with an absolute phase button. Yes sometimes I can hear some recordings are out of absolute phase in near-field listening but it is very rare. Sometimes the hit of a drum feels a tiny touch weak and I will hit that phase button but it is so rare that I notice that I honestly wouldn't worry about it. If it really bothers you just reverse the positive and negative speaker wires on the back of your amp.

  • @rtflone
    @rtflone 3 месяца назад +4

    Mazel tov on your 50th anniversary Paul. I'll be 74 in three weeks good lord willing. Doubtful I'll be here for your next 50th either. Godspeed amigo..

  • @RichTeer
    @RichTeer 3 месяца назад +3

    Congrats on 50 years, Paul and the entire PS Audio team!

  • @3Cr15w311
    @3Cr15w311 3 месяца назад +1

    If a drum were hit, wouldn't that cause the diaphram to go down and therefore create an initial lessening of air pressure at the microphone, making the speaker needing to go sharply "in" rather than "out" initially? I doubt it really matters as far as being able to hear it differently, though.

    • @infinite1der
      @infinite1der 3 месяца назад

      Interesting thought experiment. I would say that the pressure difference at the mic diaphragm on the initial hit would be negligible (at "standard" pressure), especially when compared to the pressure wave of the entire drum head that's under tension snapping backing to produce the sound.

  • @harrykressl1251
    @harrykressl1251 3 месяца назад +1

    Happy anniversary for your 50th. Your videos and your company are just amazing. Hello from Germany

  • @brrryan2908
    @brrryan2908 3 месяца назад

    It's not an intellectual argument, it's a detectable difference. Granted, it commonly requires comparison to be detectable, and music that has harmonic/phase/frequency complexity. It also requires highly phase-coherent headphones or speakers, since that's where everything is SUPPOSED to reassemble and recreate the original signal, only louder. But I don't lose sleep over it either. LOL!

  • @dvdaudiogleno6540
    @dvdaudiogleno6540 3 месяца назад

    Hey Paul: Interesting comment on "George," at 80% of the time able to hear absolute polarity. Around us recording engineers, it is usually discussed with RIBBON or other Bi-Directional microphones. Rumors that certain engineers could hear if a singer or announcer were singing or talking into the "back" side, or rear lobe of the RIBBON, etc. microphone. I certainly cannot hear this.

  • @joeythedime1838
    @joeythedime1838 3 месяца назад

    Question: Why do the Japanese manufacturers like Luxman & Accuphase, put phase inverter switches on their gear for the XLR balanced connections?

  • @LoaiHaleem
    @LoaiHaleem 3 месяца назад

    I Love music... i have crap setup. But now i saved 1000 usd. What you recommend to buy monitor and interface. Loai from jordan

  • @barrypatterson1154
    @barrypatterson1154 2 месяца назад

    All Conrad Johnson preamps are phase inverted. They tell you to reverse the polarity on your speakers. I do that but I have no idea whether it makes any difference. Congrats on 50 years. Keep the great videos coming.

  • @TWALBEVA
    @TWALBEVA 3 месяца назад +1

    Great answer!
    I've had similar experiences where I notice a change at first but can't feel it after a few days.
    I've learned this helps me decide if I really need new equipment.

  • @lucianb1374
    @lucianb1374 3 месяца назад

    Hi,
    Why not a 50th anniversary color scheme for a chosen product range plus a special edition album with great music. 😉

  • @AnimusInvidious
    @AnimusInvidious 3 месяца назад

    Imagine inverted polarity like winding up to punch. The punch itself is still the same.
    Does causing an amount of air pressure reduction just prior to air pressure increase have an effect on the initial transient, though? Hard to say. If so probably subtle.
    Perhaps the result depends somewhat on room, current air pressure, temperature, space inhabitants/obstructions, and even momentary air flow. Maybe in some situations one way or the other is beneficial.

  • @gilesdavis6345
    @gilesdavis6345 3 месяца назад

    If the mic is above the cymbals or drums the phase is inverted already. Presuming you hit down on them. Oh dear.

  • @markmeridian3360
    @markmeridian3360 3 месяца назад

    It's easy to flip the phase back to normal on a system that outputs inverted phase - just wire both speakers backwards.

  • @mikeeygauthier2959
    @mikeeygauthier2959 3 месяца назад

    Changing the polarity on all your stereo equipment is supposed to improve the sound quality. Is this possible?

  • @howardskeivys4184
    @howardskeivys4184 3 месяца назад

    For the 50th anniversary, how about reducing all prices by 50%?

  • @craigellsworth3952
    @craigellsworth3952 3 месяца назад

    Is Clarke Johnson still around to comment?

  • @larryhoffman7471
    @larryhoffman7471 3 месяца назад

    50 years 👏👏👏👏👏. I'm 77; see you in another 50👍

  • @RichTeer
    @RichTeer 3 месяца назад +1

    Absolute phase is most definitely audible, but not necessarily on all recordings. Just listen to a test CD that has phase tests (e.g., the old HFN/RR Test CD), where in phase and out of phase segments are played back to back. The switch from in phase to out of phase is quite audible and disconcerting!

    • @jaakkolehto1487
      @jaakkolehto1487 Месяц назад

      Don’t those test CD’s flip just one channel by 180°?

    • @RichTeer
      @RichTeer Месяц назад

      @@jaakkolehto1487 I’m not sure but I don’t think so.

    • @jaakkolehto1487
      @jaakkolehto1487 Месяц назад

      @@RichTeer If you know what test CD it was, I can check if I have one and check it with a scope.

  • @stevefisher8323
    @stevefisher8323 3 месяца назад

    If you A-B this scenario, that's the real test.

  • @vinylchallenge5572
    @vinylchallenge5572 2 месяца назад

    a party for all & former employees is a start, i'd say ;)

  • @josephbouley-on4is
    @josephbouley-on4is 3 месяца назад

    How about a 50% off sale? 😉

  • @hilde45
    @hilde45 3 месяца назад

    I have finally realized that if I am worrying about polarity, I am avoiding some larger bottlenecks in my system I should really tackle instead.

  • @vinylrules4838
    @vinylrules4838 3 месяца назад

    Congratulations, Paul! 50 years is a huge milestone. Maybe you could do a free download of a few of your favorite Octave Recordings for the 50th celebration? Love your videos. Keep up the great work.

  • @biketech60
    @biketech60 3 месяца назад

    For your 50th anniversary . Your 1st product in 1974 was a stand-alone phono preamp for $59.95 . Adjusted for inflation in todays Dollar that would be approximately $ 385.00 . I know your current phono preamp is your best , but at three thousand Dollars it's unaffordable to beginners with a $ 800 turntable . How about marketing the best phono preamp under $400.00 ? Draw in customers not able to afford the very best you can do regardless of cost !! Back to the future ?

  • @onnonugteren2935
    @onnonugteren2935 3 месяца назад

    Only make a celebration big if you like to. It's no obligation. Simple as that? No. Your personal. Let it be organised by someone and don't bother to much, just enjoy the ... obligation. 🙂 Onno Nugteren the Netherlands.

  • @janinapalmer8368
    @janinapalmer8368 3 месяца назад

    OMG 😮... this is really getting down to the wire ..!

  • @Rowuk2024
    @Rowuk2024 3 месяца назад

    I do not believe that absolute polarity is audible for musical signals. Bass instruments do not develop the full resonance quick enough to matter. Now with electronic music, it could be possible.

  • @wjklaver
    @wjklaver 3 месяца назад

    Congratulations wit the 50th anniversary! A nice, stylish 50 years PSaudio logo on the equipment and maybe a black Sprout amp 😊

  • @cesarjlisboa7586
    @cesarjlisboa7586 3 месяца назад

    Áudio phase, influenced on auditions fatigue. This is it. It’s barely noticeable.

  • @stephenchen1420
    @stephenchen1420 3 месяца назад

    conrad-johnson had a phase inverting input for CD.
    One of my hi-fi friends claims to be able to hear absolute polarity.

  • @opporknockitytoots
    @opporknockitytoots 3 месяца назад

    My DAC also has a polarity switch, and I can usually hear a noticeable difference between polarities. It’s usually hard to decide which I prefer though, so in practice I rarely bother with it.

  • @Jorge-Fernandez-Lopez
    @Jorge-Fernandez-Lopez 3 месяца назад

    A "Forêt Noire" cake -delicious-, a candle and the workers, would be nice for the 50th anniversary.

  • @JJ-no2ob
    @JJ-no2ob 3 месяца назад

    50 years ! Big congrats to you and the PS. Audio family -past and present.

  • @a.o.424
    @a.o.424 3 месяца назад +1

    Congratulations on 50 years! Consider offering some of your products in a limited edition gold finish, and/or emboss the products with a 50 year decoration.

  • @rick-c6s
    @rick-c6s 3 месяца назад +1

    Congrats on 50 years

  • @alfa0mega74
    @alfa0mega74 3 месяца назад

    can someone help me PLEASE? -HUM/HiSS problem-
    when I pull out speaker cable (3.5mm to 2Rca) from speaker hum disappears.
    when connect to pc and playing any kind of music, hum disappears BUT when I stop the music after 5 seconds, hum instantly comes back.
    when I volume up, hum increases.
    I have been searching for a way to fix it for weeks. For dear God's sake someone help

    • @alfa0mega74
      @alfa0mega74 3 месяца назад

      I tested with 2 laptops and 2 phones.