Conrad-Johnson ET3 Preamplifier Owner’s Manual
Getting the Most from Your Conrad-Johnson ET3
In a system of commensurate high quality components, the
conrad-johnson ET3 Preamplifier offers a high level of
sophistication and refinement in music reproduction. To get the
best performance out of any audio system, there are a number of
important details that must be attended to.
Absolute Phase
Musical notes are heard through the ear’s response to waves of
alternating rise and fall of air pressure. Musical transients are
almost exclusively positive: that is, the initial effect is a rise in pres-
sure. The ear is capable of distinguishing these positive transients
from the musically unnatural alternative of a negative transient (an
initial fall in air pressure). 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 either preserves the phase of the incoming signal, and is
said to be phase correct, or inverts the phase and is said to be
phase inverting. It is unimportant whether an individual component
is phase correct or phase inverting, as long as the system as a
whole is phase correct. This will be the case if the number of phase
inversions is even (or zero).
The ET3 Preamplifier is phase inverting. If your system has an odd
number of inversions, (for example, if the ET3 is the only phase
inverting unit in the chain) then you must add one phase inversion.
This is conveniently done by reversing the positive 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 more sharply defined. The effect is especially apparent
on plucked string sounds. A final warning - not all recordings are
phase correct (including some “audiophile” recordings), so listen to
several before concluding your investigation of absolute phase.
The Importance of Wires
Interconnect and speaker wires are an important element in your
stereo system. Interconnects are available which will permit a ref-
To Next Page
Loading...