I'm told confession is good for the soul !

I've just discovered that when I reinstalled my Excel Pro 81 a week or so ago I had transposed the LH channel wires ( blue and white) on the cartridge.

And the worst part is I hadn't noticed any difference in the sound !!

How can I call myself an audiophile. I'll go sit quietly in the corner.

Do you notice any difference now?

I've lived for weeks with spkr polarity reversed - which is probably why I'm a bit religious about it now

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Haha, I once lived for a while with the polarity reversed on one speaker only and was struggling to figure out why it didn't sound right.

Jun 19, 2017 14:44:33 GMT 12 Owen Y said:

Do you notice any difference now?

I've lived for weeks with spkr polarity reversed - which is probably why I'm a bit religious about it now

Can I come out of the corner now ?

Yes it sound so much better with the correct polarity.

I would describe it as clearer, cleaner sound with vocals dead centre and better definition of individual instruments.

I think I now have clearer/sharper high frequency, ie if the drummer whacks the edge of the drum it is a crack not a thud.

This is now being helped by the fact that I have bought a vintage Ortofon SUT which better suits the low output of the Excel, but that's another story or thread topic.

Indeed, a new thread topic in due course

L-ch may have been cancelling R-ch info - to a signif extent.

Now you can check the Yarland output's phase correctness, properly

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

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AMR-iFi R&D

Haha I almost got myself into hot water one day. I have a secret power, like Spider-Man. I've always been able to hear out of phase systems instantly. One day I was in the CES in Las Vegas and walked into the room with xxxx amplifier and yyyy world famous speakers (they shall remain nameless!) and sat down. It was out of phase. I told the representative so. The glare I got back was unmistakeable and a tirade of verbal torture ensued. You're speaking to the wrong person if you think I can't hear that, buddy, I persisted. I left. The next day I returned to see if they had sorted it. The image was superb and it sounded normal. The rep ushered me in and confessed. It was out of phase on the right channel.

AMR-iFi R&D

out of phase speakers and reversed speaker channels happens more often than you think in equipment and also recordings.

eg. compare the first track of an nz pressed bob dylan desire with a good import copy.

I had done so with mine but could hear it plain. I do have a soft excuse. Quite colorblind.

I am a non-recovering audioholic, and Ivor is my higher power.

That's perfectly ok. I've hooked up mine wrongly before too. But discovered it very shortly thereafter. It's very easy to do, especially if you're attaching speaker cables to an amp in a cabinet where it's dark behind the system and can't see it properly, if at all. I always find it intriguing that some people can't hear out of phase. Doing it on a Bob Dylan record sounds inconceivable!
There is a cafe here in Nelson that I frequent. I try to sit near the corner where one speaker is because I know if I sit in the middle between the speakers I will hear that the system has been hooked up out of phase and it will cause me mild grief. Maybe one day I'll bring a ladder and change the speaker connection myself :-0

AMR-iFi R&D

In my defence, or pathetic excuse, I should point out that the only records played with the wires cocked up were some thrift shop bargains so I naturally figured the loss of fidelity was their fault.
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it !
Am interesting observation in hindsight is that the sound field was not only vague but focused slightly to the right of centre.
Maybe some of the LH signal was being shunted to ground as it was connected to the rca shields instead of the central wire. Maybe, maybe not. Who knows. It sound great now, and the thrift shop specials sound OK too.