Flip phase on rca cable?

[olds1959special]

I want to add rear speakers to my setup. Do I need to make custom RCA cables to flip the phase?

 

[Doodski]

Flip the speaker wire if you want to flip the phase but you lose bass response and the sound will be hollow and weird.

 

[olds1959special]

Flip the speaker wire if you want to flip the phase but you lose bass response and the sound will be hollow and weird.

They are active speakers. I could also flip the phase of the XLR cables to the other speakers.

 

[DVDdoug]

You can't flip the phase/polarity of a line-level signal like that. One wire is the signal and one is the shield and ground. You CAN flip the phase/polarity with balanced XLR connections. Or if you have a passive speaker you can swap the + and - connections.

...And you don't want to flip the phase JUST because they are in the rear.

 

[olds1959special]

You can't flip the phase/polarity of a line-level signal like that. One wire is the signal and one is the shield and ground. You CAN flip the phase/polarity with balanced XLR connections. Or if you have a passive speaker you can swap the + and - connections.

...And you don't want to flip the phase JUST because they are in the rear.

So I need custom XLR cables or phase reverser?

 

[Chrispy]

I want to add rear speakers to my setup. Do I need to make custom RCA cables to flip the phase?

Do you have 2 or 4 channel gear?

 

[DVDdoug]

I still doubting that you need to do this...

Most speakers have the "correct" phase polarity in the bass range. Then above the crossover frequency things get unpredictable. If all of the speakers are matched they will all be in-phase with each other. If they are mis-matched (or mixed-and-matched), things can get weird above the crossover frequencies..
Do you have balanced connections on both ends? (It will actually work if only the speaker has a true balanced input.

So I need custom XLR cables or phase reverser?

Inline Phase Inverter

Or yes, you could built a cable or modify one (assuming the ends can be disassembled).

Or if you can open-up the speakers you could reverse the connections to the drivers. (Like modifying cables, that usually requires soldering.)

 

[olds1959special]

Do you have 2 or 4 channel gear?

2 channel. I’m just using using splitters and different outputs from my preamp to plug in multiple active speakers and the subwoofer.

 

[olds1959special]

You can't flip the phase/polarity of a line-level signal like that. One wire is the signal and one is the shield and ground. You CAN flip the phase/polarity with balanced XLR connections. Or if you have a passive speaker you can swap the + and - connections.

...And you don't want to flip the phase JUST because they are in the rear.

If the speakers are in the rear wouldn’t it sound better to flip their phase?

 

[DVDdoug]

If the speakers are in the rear wouldn’t it sound better to flip their phase?

NO! For example, you want all of the woofers pushing-out together to make the positive-half of the soundwave and pulling-in together to make the negative half together.

Front-back is no different from left-right.

 

[Doodski]

If the speakers are in the rear wouldn’t it sound better to flip their phase?

The surround sound speakers have a signal that has been engineered for surround sound. Now you want to flip the phase because you somehow got a idea that this will sound better. By flipping the phase the sound waves will be 180 degrees out of phase with each other and cancel each other out and the bass will suck for that.

 

[sam_adams]

Do I need to make custom RCA cables to flip the phase?

Morbo explains:

 

[Chrispy]

2 channel. I’m just using using splitters and different outputs from my preamp to plug in multiple active speakers and the subwoofer.

I wouldn't call them rears in that case, as they're just dual pairs of 2ch speakers rather than actual 4ch/surround capability with your gear then. Why? Additional volume?

 

[sam_adams]

I could also flip the phase of the XLR cables to the other speakers.

Morbo explains, again:

 

[sam_adams]

You are mistaking signal polarity inversion for phase. That is incorrect. Inverted polarity is a change in the mathematical sign of the signal, plus (+) becomes minus (-) and vice-versa. Phase is essentially a time domain phenomenon between two signals.

 

[DVDdoug]

You are mistaking signal polarity inversion for phase. That is incorrect.

I don't think anybody is confused... The XLR gizmos are sold as "phase inverters" and the switch on a mixer or subwoofer is usually labeled "phase". And when you invert polarity, the phase is also inverted... +90 degrees becomes -90 degrees, etc.

 

[Andysu]

this is few years ago , recent picture is different
behringer DCX 2496 , can flip polarity at the switch , adjust variable phase , time delay , temperature for speed of sound , select crossover types and slopes , limited 9 band parametric Eq , three inputs for can be used typically ABC , A left , B centre , C right ( additional DCX ) for A left centre , B s/w OBE , LFE.1 , C right centre

can set these up in any sort of fashion

adjust the two JBL cinema subs on the floor with variable phase or experiment reverse polarity gives different effect like a bass tapping on the ear membrane/drum , i call that " crazy bass " i can do almost what the DCX will allow

all screen channels are five screen of the classic 70mm SDDS 8ch typically required in some Dolby Atmos screens , here at ( 23 . 2/4/6/8 . 20 ) and few extra modifications as i'm fully aware of real world sound vs fabricated artificial so i add a few wrinkles to take it a bit further

screen channels run as two-way and play very cinematic loud if i wanted , but the sound is scaled for the projection image size for the room

on other hand XLR + - gnd if + was miss-wired soldered then one of the signals will be reversed , don't go cheap get a DCX 2496 do it professionally

 

[sam_adams]

. . . the switch on a mixer or subwoofer is usually labeled "phase" . . .

And that's where the confusion started. Polarity is not phase.

And, again:

"Phase is (broadly speaking) the frequency domain equivalent of time."

 

[Andysu]

if not clue about speakers polarity or wiring to amp , use a 1.5v battery will show + to + , - to - a forward cone motion , reverse the speaker terminals shows cone going inwards

to me seems you are chasing what is set up at a cinema , you need some of the basics and a lot more than besides all that , common misleading on forums manufactures , 5.1 is five speakers is totally misleading , the surrounds have to be made up in arrays and you need to get the AVR or AVP , stormaudio , trinnov as most other AVP won't be capable , need to do a format for Dolby Stereo to duplicate the signature sound ( from picture i guess you missed that boat ) experience of 1970's 80's and little of the 90's

seating rows need a speaker for surround , one placed in front next slightly behind first row seating , and next surround placed behind back row seating and it should continue on the back wall depending on width of the room , rows of seating best results is would be four speaker/surrounds so get uniform surround coverage

another theatre format mode created for Dolby Atmos

oh what if you want to recreate Dolby Digital EX , the professional modified CP45 was a four channel matrix decoder stripped down altered , ( home EX was watered down three channel )

Dolby Atmos here in this THX cinema is one of a kind , i use x3 ( presently ) for height 1 , height 2 , height 3 with real pinpoint overhead of x9 overheads so basically if the overhead stereo signals have decent mix they'll all be used spreading sound uniform (b with extra speakers for matrix below surround )

so switches flipping polarity when used with sound generator REW i open x2 REW set one positive + , the other - negative polarity generates pink noise/sine wave to the below floor surrounds up to x4 zones being used here , wow

get one of those of scratch cards , trinnov alt 32 , has few extra sound theatre formats can be added , best to use it fullest for Dolby Atmos when required and have other formats for Dolby Stereo/digital and add some extra processors in the b-chain , get a THX 3417 and you can be in the club , full on JBL professional cinema 2nd cheaper than buying these small home theatre speakers that cost way too much

 

[olds1959special]

Well, I have the four speakers working now and it sounds okay but I'm going to try the polarity reversing XLR adaptors on the rears just to see if there's an improvement.