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Directional interconnect cables

I see several big-name interconnect vendors mark directional arrows on the outer jacket of the cables. How is it that a wire can be directional? It's a simple electrical conductor, how is it possible for it to be directional, to sound "better" when connected in one direction vs. the other? This does not make sense to me, perhaps someone here can explain how this can possibly be so... Lupinthe3rd  (Threads | Answers | This Thread) 07-26-08

Responses (1-50 of 98)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it. 07-27-08   This has been discussed in previous threads. cheaper cables ...   Carl109 07-27-08: Dcstep Point the arrow toward a common ground (usually the pre-amp or integrated amp). It's not showing the direction of signal, but the ground. You may or may not hear a difference, depending on the freedom from 60-cycle noise in your system. Dave Dcstep  (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread) 07-27-08   Dcstep, is this correct? i thought you always pointed in th ...   Narrod 07-27-08   Dcstep has it correctly. arrows indicate the end of the cabl ...   Tvad 07-27-08   I disagree! on my mit cables, the arrows point to the end w ...   Honest1 07-27-08   Yes, check with your manufacturer. on some the arrrows will ...   Dcstep 07-27-08   I totally agree with narrod. this is the correct orientatio ...   Mofimadness 07-27-08   This topic comes up about every three months, and there has ...   Tvad 07-27-08   07-27-08: mofimadness said: "i totally agree with narro ...   Dcstep 07-27-08   From reading the responses, it seems like the biggest questi ...   Driver 07-27-08   I should say, the common ground comments are only relevent t ...   Dcstep 07-27-08   it's not an issue with balanced and you may connect most eit ...   Audiofeil 07-27-08   "either way", it doesn't matter where the ground i ...   Dcstep 07-27-08   Lupinthe3rd, i think the bottom line is to check the instruc ...   Carl109 07-27-08   Nelson pass, one of the most famous and experienced amp desi ...   Sidssp 07-27-08   Mit and transparent cables have direction due to the network ...   Dave_b 07-27-08   Some "ordinary cables" are indeed directional, but ...   Dcstep 07-27-08   True, no absolutes!   Dave_b 07-28-08   Acoustic zen says the arrow points in the direction of signa ...   Jburidan 07-29-08   I agree with the common ground idea, "star grounding&qu ...   04rdking 07-29-08   It depends totally on the manufacturer. kimber for instance ...   Rodman99999 07-29-08   if the shield is connected at both ends, and the ground is ...   Tvad 07-29-08   Tvad- according to you. many others disagree that cables ar ...   Rodman99999 07-29-08   Fyi: (http://www.russandrews.com/article-truth-or-myth-cable ...   Rodman99999 07-29-08   i made an observation. that's all. if you are stating tha ...   Tvad 07-29-08   Mr t- if that sounded like a "personal affront"- ...   Rodman99999 07-30-08   How does a manufacturer decide directionality? if they get ...   Honest1 07-30-08   07-29-08: rodman99999 it depends totally on the manufacturer ...   04rdking 07-30-08   Apparently- you didn't bother reading anything i submitted. ...   Rodman99999 07-30-08   I am using directional cables from siltech. early summer th ...   James1969 07-30-08   Rodmann, i did read what you submitted. i also noticed that ...   04rdking 07-30-08   That he's a kimber salsman doesn't automatically make him wr ...   Rodman99999 07-30-08   Rodman99999, i spent thirty years with at&t. tell me more a ...   Narrod 07-31-08   The latest were the guys that installed my roadrunner(cablev ...   Rodman99999 07-31-08   Lupinthe3rd - it does not make sense to you because it does ...   Musicnoise 07-31-08   An update and caveat - lupinthe3rd - however, the proper way ...   Musicnoise 07-31-08   Rodman, i'm not attacking kimber, or you for that matter. i ...   04rdking 07-31-08   One needn't be a metallurgist to understand that when copper ...   Rodman99999 07-31-08   Mr 04- i've made an exception, and explained something even ...   Rodman99999 07-31-08   Another explaination of perceived directionality is the diel ...   Dcstep 07-31-08   Mr d: here's something that verifys part of what you said ab ...   Rodman99999 07-31-08   I generally agree with his comment: "reverse a wire an ...   Dcstep 07-31-08   Wire is directional esp. solid core search some of bob crump ...   Cpk 07-31-08   The experiment, performed with new(0 hrs) cables/interconnec ...   Rodman99999 07-31-08   This is really like a bar discussion. everyone a quasi exper ...   Tvad 07-31-08   Buy favorite cable, install per manufacturer, sit back and e ...   Dave_b 08-01-08   Well, i'm convinced now.... i'm going to turn my throttle ca ...   04rdking 08-01-08   Showing my ignorance here, but if analog audio signals are a ...   Carl109 08-01-08   To try to get back to the op's original question. it's not ...   04rdking 08-01-08   I don't understand either but people hear what they hear and ...   Narrod

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