SpeakerTalk

[martin]

I hope this isn't in the wrong section but I've noticed lately that quite a few modern speakers have the tweeters connected out of phase i.e. the new KEF LS-50's.

Could any one explain why this would be done and what advantages/disadvantages this might have?

From some little reading I have done I understand this would normally be done on a speaker with a 2nd order x-over due to the phase shift of the filter on both drivers (90 degrees of lead for one driver, and 90 degrees of lag for the other. Together that is 180 degrees out of phase at the crossover frequency)

Some of the arguments I see and read... I'll keep it to KEF's

"The designers did make some remarkable compromises, though. Knowing that the typical male audiophile enjoys female vocals, they made the upper frequencies very seductive and appealing. It probably makes most males swoon over the sound and to the neglect of the lower frequencies.

But then listening to a piano with sweeping glissando's, from lows to highs, will reveal that the speaker will present the piano like it was two different instruments.

The issue with the KEF , like many others including Wilson's as I mentioned , is that the drivers on each cabinet are not in correct polarity relative with each other: So one driver is moving in one direction while the other is moving in the opposite direction."