[kg21]

I just bought a used Bel Canto Dac1 and on the front it has a switch for "Phase Inversion." Anybody know what it does and the benefits if any for audio? I tried searching the web and head-fi but couldn't find much, thanks.

 

[lini]

kg21: Well, just imagine your typical sine wave graph. Now imagine the same graph mirrored at the x-axis, i.e. with the phase rotated by 180 °. That's exactly what a phase inversion switch does. The same inversion/180 ° phase shift would happen if you connected passive speakers to an amp plus to minus and minus to plus.

And why would one want to have a phase inversion switch? Well, in theory, there should be no audible difference between a signal and its inversion - but for some people it seems to make an audible difference despite all theory, and unfortunately there are quite a few pieces of pro and consumer audio equipment out there that aren't true to the phase and will rather produce inverted output. So, basically, if you don't check and measure both the recording and the playback chain, you cannot be sure, whether the result is inverted or not - however, if you have a toggle switch, you can simply choose what sounds better to you...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Turn&cough]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg21 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just bought a used Bel Canto Dac1 and on the front it has a switch for "Phase Inversion." Anybody know what it does and the benefits if any for audio? I tried searching the web and head-fi but couldn't find much, thanks.

I was asking myself the same question regarding the CIA VDA-2

 

[tot]

Hmm, I don't have a switch to test but in some cases surely inverted signal should be different. Hit on a drum or a pick on a string create strong once-off wave which should be translated to airwave towards your ears to have desired impact. If the phase is inverted the initial impact is to pull air away from you and it does not sound the same.

 

[bigshot]

There are two types of inverted phase...

Inverted ABSOLUTE phase reverses both the left and right channels. Signals are vibrations. It doesn't matter whether it's up or down, it's the same vibration, as long as it's in absolute phase. It isn't a matter of pushing one way and pulling the other, because the signal pushes and pulls with each complete wave.

Inverted RELATIVE phase inverts just one channel. This results in channels working against each other- one up while the other is down- one is always pulling while the other is pushing and vice versa. This causes phase cancellation, which results in thin, small sound.

Phase inversion switches switch absolute phase. It's one of those golden ears hoodoo things. It makes no difference.

See ya
Steve

 

[kg21]

ic, thanks for the responses guys. I just tried switching between them and have to say I can't really tell, maybe slightly but that may be placebo. Turns out its an Absolute phase inversion btw.

 

[underclocker]

I had a phase inversion once but the doctor gave me a shot and it cleared right up.