Does It Matter If The Black(negative) and Red(positive) Ends Of RCA to 5-Pin DIN Are Switched?

Posted by: ryder. on 19 July 2018

Just a quick question. The red and black markings on one of my RCA to 5-Pin DIN interconnects have faded so I have no idea which is which. Does it matter if the positive and negative direction on the RCA end is switched? Will it affect sound quality in a negative way? 

The cable is used to connect the CD player to the Naim preamp .

Any information would be appreciated. 

Posted on: 19 July 2018 by steve95775

I think you're saying that the RED (for Right) and BLACK (Left) colouring of the RCA ends have faded, so you can't differentiate the colour. There is no problem if you mix up your left/right, other than you've reversed channels. Minor problem, no physical effect, just your soundstage is reversed.

The outer ring on the RCA plug is the negative, the centre pin is the positive. There is definitely a problem if you mix up the wiring when soldering a RCA plug. Things can go boom.....

Naim promote the DIN for sonic reasons, but two other minor but real benefits are that you can't get your channels mixed up, and the negative couples to the equipment to the end when you're unplugging, so if you've inadvertently left the amp on high volume you don't get a big hum/bang whilst pulling the din plug out.

Posted on: 19 July 2018 by Michael Mccullough

Just plug them in then use the balance to check it. If you turn it all the way to the left and the sound is on the right, just switch them for best soud quality.

Posted on: 19 July 2018 by Richard Dane
Michael Mccullough posted:

Just plug them in then use the balance to check it. If you turn it all the way to the left and the sound is on the right, just switch them for best soud quality.

This won't work though if it's a source to pre-amp interconnect.  

Use a test CD with channel ID tracks or a familiar CD where you know well which instruments or singers should be on which side of the soundstage.

Posted on: 20 July 2018 by David Hendon

Assuming that the DIN is plugged into the Naim preamp and the RCAs into the CD player, another way to tell is to pull out the RCA plug that is connected to the L channel on the CD player and make sure the left speaker is silent.

I would turn the volume down to zero while you plug/unplug though.

best

David

Posted on: 21 July 2018 by ryder.

Thanks for all replies. 

David, I like your suggestion. Just to be sure, if pulling the RCA plug from the Left channel of the CD player, the left speaker as marked below would be the one that will go silent isn't it? (With a Naim amp, the speaker cables are connected differently to the speakers)

 

Posted on: 21 July 2018 by David Hendon

If you look at the back panel of the CD player, the two RCAs will be marked L and R. So I am suggesting to pull out the one marked L and check that the speaker on the left when you are sitting listening to music is the one that goes quiet.

its all quite logical - the CD player manufacturer arranged to send the music intended for the left speaker from the socket marked L. It doesn't matter whether that socket is on the left of the player, the right, the top or the bottom as long as it is marked L!

best

David

Posted on: 22 July 2018 by joerand
ryder. posted:

(With a Naim amp, the speaker cables are connected differently to the speakers)

Perhaps Naim have left and right channels on their amps reversed from convention, but the designations are labelled, left and right, black and red. Facing the front of the amp, the right channel outputs will be to left on your 250. Can't see how this should be all too challenging to an engineer.