Greetings.
First of all, this is long and I repeat myself because some people simply have a hard time understanding me. Hopefully this time, it is spelled out.
I bring this up not only for my understanding but also others that may be enlightened by responses of those in the field. Without any further ado, lets discuss absolute polarity in the audio chain.
Not polarity per speaker but phase as it travels down the chain in absolute terms of staying coherent to the recording event.
This weekend I have studied absolute phase in the chain. To my surprise, I am consistent in my chain all the way through whereas I wonder who actually pays attention to it. This is basic stuff, granted but to verify my results, I would like a few basic questions answered.
Given the above scenarios, we would assume “compression” to the microphone diaphragm (diaphragm being pushed from initial sound event) should produce a positive wave (looking at single cycles) or rarefraction, with the loudspeakers. (outward cone motion)
JBL woofers (4310/4311/4312) have woofers with inverted phase meaning when a PNP transistor bank is pushing them, the cone is in compression mode (moving backwards). or pulling them (A JBL bright idea??)
1. In terms of absolute phase, what is correct here?
Should a compression event to a microphone cause a positive voltage swing to make a driver move outwards or should the JBL model be normal in this?
Most high quality monitors being used today work with compression events on the negative and rarefraction events on the positive. To clarify..... Microphone compressing means positive and loudspeaker moving forward. The signal on the positive.
2. When viewing the extreme zoom of a track, should the first movement of the wave file be in positive terms or negative terms? Can we hear the difference?
Some in the field of audio says it does matter and a difference is apparent in sound quality.
How does absolute phase “travel” from microphone, to recorder, to mixer, to 2 track recorder, to mastering, to pressing plant to consumer CD player to speakers and then to the listener. How much of it is screwed up and that by simply changing the polarity at BOTH loudspeakers make that much of a difference?
In terms of absolute phase (input to output of your chain in mastering), here are some links to ponder. I would like some expounding on my questions if you will based on your experience and study of this.
Should we give a damn actually? It took all day to check my chain out down to the other systems as well. Only with the JBL’s did the events change at the loudspeakers. I have one CD player and one CD burner that inverts polarity. I am happy to have found this for sake of not wasting the day.
Here are my findings.
A. Some equipment inverts phase internally (1 channel) and then re-associates, back at the outputs. From my understanding, this is to put “less strain” on the power supply and or rails
B. Some equipment inverts phase on both channels.
C. Some cables come phase inverted.
D. A mix-down that sounds as though it is “fighting itself” may have one or more channels “out of phase” channels mixed in other channels that are of opposite phase.
E. Some microphones may have phase inversion.
Here are some web links to ponder.
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue1/cjwoodeffect.htmhttp://www.siber-sonic.com/broadcast/polarity.html http://www.econcrisis.homestead.com/MiscEssaysAbsolutePolari ty.html
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/rickerinterview/ricker 9.htm
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/absolutephase.html