G
ETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR PREMIER
TEN
The conrad-johnson Premier Ten offers an unparalleled level of sophis-
tication and refinement in music reproduction, but it cannot transform an
inferior stereo system. Only high quality amplifiers and loudspeaker
systems will be capable of fully revealing the capabilities of this preci-
sion instrument.
Given a system of high quality components, there remain a number of
important details which must be attended to.
ABSOLUTE PHASE
Musical notes are heard through the ear’s response to waves of alter-
nating rise and fall of air pressure. Musical transients are almost exclu-
sively positive: that is, the initial effect is a rise in pressure. The ear is
capable of distinguishing these positive transients from the musically
unnatural alternative of a negative transient (an initial fall in air pres-
sure). In terms of your stereo system, these transients are created by
your loudspeakers. If the speakers respond to musical transients by first
moving out, they are creating a rise in pressure, and the system is said
to be "phase correct". If they respond by moving in, they create a fall in
pressure and the system is said to be phase inverting. Each component
in the stereo system is either phase correct or phase inverting (including
the source and speakers-these are normally phase correct). It is of no
consequence if an individual component is phase inverting, as long as
the system as a whole is phase correct. This will be the case as long as
the number of phase inversions is even (or zero).
THE PREMIER TEN IS PHASE INVERTING. If your system has an odd
number of inversions, then you must add one phase inversion. This will
be the case if the Premier Ten is the only unit in the chain that inverts
phase. THIS IS CONVENIENTLY DONE BY REVERSING THE POSI-
TIVE AND NEGATIVE CONNECTIONS TO YOUR SPEAKERS (be
sure to reverse both channels).
If you are not sure about the phase of every piece in your system, you
can establish correct absolute phase by careful listening. When the
system is in correct phase, transients will be noticeably cleaner and
Premier Ten Owner’s Manual
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