Newbie question on Totem

[hee_cm]

Hi,

Some one has told me to reverse the connection from my Amp (CJ Premier Eleven) to my Totem Model 1 Speaker. Meaning Amp LEFT output connects to Speaker RIGHT input and vice versa.

Is it so and what is the reason behind?

Thanks.

CM

[markw]

You might want to ask them why they said that. Sounds silly yo me.

[kexodusc]

Hi,

Some one has told me to reverse the connection from my Amp (CJ Premier Eleven) to my Totem Model 1 Speaker. Meaning Amp LEFT output connects to Speaker RIGHT input and vice versa.

Is it so and what is the reason behind?

Thanks.

CM

Are you sure that's what he asked you to do? I would go back and ask this guy why...if he doesn't tell you that he misspoke or you misheard, then this guy is a goof, or he's messing around with you...either way, I'd punch him in the mouth and quit taking advice from him or he'll have you crossing wires and damaging your equipment next.
And if you double this up as a home theater, everything would be ass-backwards...not good...

Now, I love the Model 1's, but I've never heard your amp...tell us about it....

[Pat D]

Hi,

Some one has told me to reverse the connection from my Amp (CJ Premier Eleven) to my Totem Model 1 Speaker. Meaning Amp LEFT output connects to Speaker RIGHT input and vice versa.

Is it so and what is the reason behind?

Thanks.

CM

The two channels of a stereo amplifier are essentially identical. It won't make a bit of difference which way you hook it up except to reverse the left and right channels. I can't see any other purpose to it and it would be easier to just switch the interconnects to the amplifier inputs--easier to deal with than speaker cables.

A test CD would ordinarily provide tracks to check whether the channels and polarity are set up correctly.

[hee_cm]

Let me clerify, I am not talking about channel.

I am talking about having 'plus or red mark' on the speaker to attach to the 'negative or white mark' on the amplifier. This will make the speaker "out of phase".

I am so confused. Isn't that we all want to make our speakers "in phase"?

BTW Kexodusc, my amp is Conrad Johnson Premier 11A Tube Stereo Amp.

Thanks.

CM

[Rock789]

did he ask you to switch polarity for both speakers or only one?

[hee_cm]

both speakers

[Pat D]

both speakers

It helps to describe clearly what you are after! OK. As far as the operation of your system goes, it doesn't matter whether you hook up the positive terminal of your amplifier to the positive terminal of your speakers or not, as long as you hook up both speakers the same way.

Reversals of polarity are audible with test tones and this has been proven in controlled Double Blind Tests, and here is a link to some results:

http://www.pcavtech.com/abx/abx_pola.htm

It has proved rather more difficult to hear with music in a normally reverberant room. It also doesn't seem to much matter whether the loudspeaker is a phase coherent design or not. If you can find issue no. 22 of The Audio Critic, there is a letter from Prof. R. A. Greiner, a fellow of the Audio Engineering Society, who has done research on this.

It is very difficult for the consumer to know whether their system inverts polarity or not. CDPs, preamps, amps--some invert polarity and some do not. As well, some recordings are one way, some the other way, and many multi-mixed recordings are just have mixed polarity--some instruments or voices one way, some another. Frankly, for the most part, it doesn't seem to be that significant an issue.

I recently heard a system in my dealers with some Lab 47 electronics which included a switch to reverse polarity (it was even on the remote). I could hear no difference on the selections I was using.

Anyway, if you think your system sounds better one way or the other, it doesn't cost anything to hook it up that way.

[markw]

It's an acedemic argument at best. Some claim to be able to hear this. I strongly doubt it. Many units do this and nobody notices until they put it on a scope.

If both channels are inverted, they are still in phase with each other but, if it makes you feel good, go ahead. It won't hurt anything. ...won't improve anything either..