The orientation of magnetic or electric fields. The polarity of the incoming audio signal determines the direction of movement of the loudspeaker cone or microphone diaphragm, i.e., the sign, + or -, of the transducer’s output voltage when a positive sound pressure strikes the microphone, or when the speaker cone is pushing away from the cabinet. Note that on a microphone, by convention, positive sound pressure, which pushes the diaphragm in, makes a positive voltage on mic pin 2 with respect to pin 3. A sound is perceived as being louder if the largest peaks are in positive polarity, that is when the compression portion of the sound wave is pushing the speaker cone outward, toward the listener. Polarity reversal is the same asequal to a 180˚ phase-reversal, or 180˚ of phase-shift.