headphones polarity. red dots, blue dots, +, - can someone help to clarify?

[MCH]

From what i gather in the internet, it seems to be a bit of a mess. Red and blue dots can indicate R and L, then you can have only red dots, only blue dots, or both combined. In balanced dongles you have + - .... MMCX, well, there you don't need to worry, unless you are using an adaptor...

Surprisingly, i could not find a clear and definitive table clarifying what is what, what goes to tip, ring or sleeve. If someone knows about one, or is so kind to clarify what is what, i would appreciate it. thanks.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

From what i gather in the internet, it seems to be a bit of a mess. Red and blue dots can indicate R and L, then you can have only red dots, only blue dots, or both combined. In balanced dongles you have + - .... MMCX, well, there you don't need to worry, unless you are using an adaptor...

Surprisingly, i could not find a clear and definitive table clarifying what is what, what goes to tip, ring or sleeve. If someone knows about one, or is so kind to clarify what is what, i would appreciate it. thanks.

Not sure I understand your question.

But for headphones isn’t that the usual way phones are connected (unbalanced).

 

[MCH]

Not sure I understand your question.

But for headphones isn’t that the usual way phones are connected (unbalanced).

View attachment 336477

oh, i refer to the different marks that you find in headphones, IEMs and cables to identify the polarity.
For instance, if you got a 7Hz Zero, you will find a red dot besides one of the pins in both R and L iem. This is just an example:

 

[solderdude]

Here's info found on the most used audio connectors (scroll below the attenuator part)

\\https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter/

The absolute phase (when you can connect something in 2 orientations) does not matter that much as long as it is the same on both ear pieces.

 

[MCH]

Here's info found on the most used audio connectors (scroll below the attenuator part)

\\https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter/

Thanks! there is a lot of information there!

The absolute phase (when you can connect something in 2 orientations) does not matter that much as long as it is the same on both ear pieces.

Do you mean that, for instance in the 7Hz example, it does not matter if the red dot pin goes to tip or sleeve while in the other channel you connect it the same? (that is either red dot: sleeve/sleeve or red dot: tip/ring or red dot +/+ or -/-). It seems a bit moot to put the dot then, as the shape of he headphone is not symmetric and pins are easy to identify, but well, an additional help i guess.

 

[solderdude]

Do you mean that, for instance in the 7Hz example, it does not matter if the red dot pin goes to tip or sleeve while in the other channel you connect it the same? (that is either red dot: sleeve/sleeve or red dot: tip/ring or red dot +/+ or -/-).

Yes, as long as you do it on both ones in the same manner.

 

[MCH]

Yes, as long as you do it on both ones in the same manner.

great, thanks!

 

[Jimbob54]

From what i gather in the internet, it seems to be a bit of a mess. Red and blue dots can indicate R and L, then you can have only red dots, only blue dots, or both combined. In balanced dongles you have + - .... MMCX, well, there you don't need to worry, unless you are using an adaptor...

Surprisingly, i could not find a clear and definitive table clarifying what is what, what goes to tip, ring or sleeve. If someone knows about one, or is so kind to clarify what is what, i would appreciate it. thanks.

You're talking about the markings on the 2 pin end of iem cables I guess?

If there is a stiffened ear hook on the cable this makes life easier as you only really need to find L and R. Then the direction of the cable is obvious. I've never seen a cable that didn't either have blue and red (always L&R) or one of those marked. Sometimes L&R letters are etched somewhere instead. on clear perspex this can be hard to see without glasses and good light.

Sometimes blue dots are used to mark the polarity of the pins on both cables (again, I've only seen this where L&R are marked separately too). The polarity dots I've seen point forwards when the iem are worn (so closer to your nose than your neck and closer to the nozzle of the iem).

 

[MCH]

You're talking about the markings on the 2 pin end of iem cables I guess?

If there is a stiffened ear hook on the cable this makes life easier as you only really need to find L and R. Then the direction of the cable is obvious. I've never seen a cable that didn't either have blue and red (always L&R) or one of those marked. Sometimes L&R letters are etched somewhere instead. on clear perspex this can be hard to see without glasses and good light.

Sometimes blue dots are used to mark the polarity of the pins on both cables (again, I've only seen this where L&R are marked separately too). The polarity dots I've seen point forwards when the iem are worn (so closer to your nose than your neck and closer to the nozzle of the iem).

Thanks Jimbo, yes, my doubts were about polarity, L/R is easier to find out. But as solderdude explained, it seems that there is nothing to worry about while you plug both the same way.

 

[MCH]

Hm, I just came across this conversation in the forum:
Member complains that his iem sound wrong, someone recommends to check if the polarity is right, and after reversing the cables seems that the sound becomes good again. I don't see a way that he had only one of the channels wrong, as the cable is curved and wouldnt fit in his ear. Was his imagination?

Bingo! Thank you for your clever advice enricoclaudio, I had indeed inversed the wiring!
That was my stupid mistake, shame on me for not checking this before and polluting the forum .
Dear fellow ASR members, I am awaiting for my rightful punishment.

I am not in a position to make any advice, but if you read this and you feel like the Zero:2 sound balance is off, "make sure you have the cables plugged in the right way. The R and L signs on the cable have to match with the L and R signs on the IEM's".

taken from here:
Post in thread '7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 IEM Review' https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...crinacle-zero-2-iem-review.50534/post-1819404