How to find the phase in a hi-fi system

To blog loyalists Ricable will not be completely new to the concept of phase and out of phase. We had already addressed it when we offered you some tricks, most often free of charge, with which to optimize the performance of the audio chain. In the case of particularly detecting installations, to tell whether they are in phase or in out of phase, the ear may suffice. The difficult thing, however, is to "unearth" which electronics are in phase and which are not. But let's start at the beginning, namely: what are phase and out of phase, and then move on to explain how you can perform tests to find phase in your Hi-Fi system.

What does it mean to fine-tune the power supply phase? What provides power to our systems is the mains current, so a poor power supply to an electronic system can only lead to its lesser performance, which will directly affect the sound. The current comes in at 220 V into three contacts in our homes: ground (in the middle, and we do not care about that in this case), phase and neutral. In reality, an AC-powered appliance will work in one direction as well as the other, especially if we are dealing with electronics that are not very delicate, such as an oven or refrigerator. In some cases, however, it is important to plug in the right way, and putting a Hi-Fi system in phase constitutes just that. This is a problem that affects not only Hi-Fi, but also other contexts, such as boilers. In any case, having one device in out of phase will lead to having the entire system in out of phase. This is no small problem, considering that when the audio chain is all in phase there is greater articulation of the bass range, sharper scene representation, better focus, and more obvious three-dimensionality. Two more premises: most equipment has phase in the right side; first phase should be done with the mains distributor and mains conditioner.

To find phase and out of phase in the wall socket you will have to take a phase-finder screwdriver and insert it alternately into the side holes of the socket. We recommend that you take every precaution before doing this.

You may also consider asking someone more experienced in this field to do it. When the phase-finding screwdriver lights up, it will mean that we have touched the point through which the phase passes. Another more empirical solution is to open the socket; if our installation is quite modern and made according to Italian standards, we will find three different colored cables: one blue (neutral), one yellow or green (ground), and a third of varying color (black, white, brown...) that constitutes precisely the phase one. Now you can connect the power cord to the outlet making sure that the two phases are corresponding.

How to find the phase of the amplifier in one's Hi-Fi system, for example? A necessary condition is that each component should not be connected to the others by any kind of cable or connector, so only the power cable should be plugged in. We once again renew the invitation to carry out these operations with the utmost care, especially if your electrical system is not equipped with a circuit breaker (indeed, if your electrical system is not equipped with a circuit breaker, you should avoid getting your hands on it at all!).

At this point, we can move on to the first useful method for finding the phase in our electronics. First get a phase-finding screwdriver, costing a handful of euros. Connect only the power cord and turn on the device; use rubber insulating shoes so as not to discharge the phase finder reading to the ground, place the phase finder on a spot on the chassis (for example, a screw or a spot not insulated by paint), taking care not to touch anything (otherwise you would discharge everything to the ground and it would be useless to take the measurement). Turn on the phase finder by resting a finger on the top metal part. Having done this, notice the brightness of the phase finder. Now you need to turn the power cord plug over and repeat the procedure, to see whether the light intensity is lower or higher than on the other side.

The appliance is in right phase at the position on the plug where the light intensity of the phase finder is lower. Make a mark on the plug with a marker or something else; the part of the plug you just marked is the part that should be connected in phase with the wall outlet. This measurement is subjective, as the brightness of the phase finder bulb depends on our body's electrical resistance. For some people it might brighten a lot, for others a little, and for still others it might not brighten at all. In the latter case you should switch to the second method to find the phase in your Hi-Fi system.

As for the second method, the first thing you need to make your own is an electronic tester (we are talking about a little over a ten euro expense). Connect the device as described in the first method. Set the tester's measurement value to AC mV. Place the negative-pole test lead on an uninsulated chassis screw with paint and the positive-pole test lead on the hot pin of any RCA connector (preferably an output one) on the rear panel. Read the value on the tester and write it down. Then turn the plug over and repeat the measurement; the lower value between the two measurements will correspond to the correct phase of the device. Make a mark on the plug with a marker or something else; the part of the plug you just marked is the part that should be connected to phase in the wall outlet. You must repeat this operation on each appliance, as long as it is always disconnected to the others.

At this point all the devices are in phase, and you will need to perform this procedure again only in case you want to put new electronics into your audio chain. If you have done everything correctly, you will notice that all the plugs on the devices will have the phase point that you have marked corresponding to the phase marked on the power strip. We again emphasize how an optimal power supply to your electronics cannot fail to contribute effectively to the return of a firm and transparent sound; to learn more, we refer you to this article of ours. To have a solid and effective connection in your Hi-Fi system, on the other hand, we suggest you take a look at our power cords, handmade in Italy with top-quality materials.