When is unequal, equal?

Bob, please read the following and you will understand the reason for the importance of direction in the use of shotgun-type ICs (which is probably 80 or 90 percent these days.)

Though many mfrs. put arrows on their cables (just to look cool, I guess) the original use of them was when Bruce Brisson designed the shotgun IC for Monster Cable (which was made Monster Cable the ONLY cable to use at that particular moment in history.) He eventually left to start MIT, which he still owns. Until the Shotgun, all single ended ICs were coax -- single center (plus) conductor surrounded by a braided shield which also doubled as the (minus) conductor (a lot like TV coax today.) These ICs were susceptable to RFI pickup and ground loop hum. Bruce used two identical signal conductors in the center (double-barreled 'shotgun' - get it?) and a shield around the whole shebang. One conductor (plus) was connected to the RCA pin at each end, and the other conductor (minus) was connected to the RCA ring (ground) at each end, BUT the shield was only connected to the outer ring (ground) of the RCA plug at one end. Thus it could shield the signal conductors, and drain noise to ground, but it couldn't conduct a current and of course didn't have to carry the minus signal either. (A side benefit of the shotgun arrangement is that the two signal-carrying conductors are identical, which helps reduce time smear problems.) Bruce put an arrow on the cable pointing to the end where the shield was connected to ground (this is called a "floating" shield, because one end isn't connected to another ground point, so it, well, floats!). In order to avoid long explanations to electronically challenged audiophiles, he said "you point the arrows in the direction of the signal flow." What he really was trying to do, was make sure that the end of the IC where the shield was connected to ground (the arrowhead end) would wind up at the preamp, (which is the only component that should be grounded to the AC outlet) creating what's called a "star grounding" system, where all the components' ground noise or hum drains to ground through one point -- the preamp, and the protective shields also are all connected to ground at the preamp. WITH ONE EXCEPTION! As you can see, following the "arrow points in the direction of signal flow" rule between amp and preamp won't work! You still want the end of the IC where the shield is connected to ground, to be at the preamp. Thus the arrows on amp-preamp ICs have to point "backwards." A better rule, which I tell everybody, is "all arrows point to the preamp" and I let it go at that! Most mfrs. do use the Brisson design for their single ended ICs now. These include Audioquest, Monster, Straightwire, MIT, Cardas, some Nordost, XLO, and most of the other big names. Some exceptions are Purist and Magnan and I guess a few others, but that's another conversation.
And even though Cardas ICs are "balanced" (they don't like to say "shotgun", because it sounds like they're copying MIT, which they are!) their ICs don't have arrow because they are "double floating shielded" with each shield connected to ground at the opposite end from the other shield. So it really doesn't matter which way you orient them. So point all your arrows to the preamp and you'll get the best performance out of 90% of all SE ICs.

You still have a great deal to learn about the signal carrying characteristics of different alloys, cable construction/stranding etc., but from what you've revealed so far ("signals transmitted over cables IC, speaker etc)are AC, thus flow in both directions not at the same time of course!"), I'd say you have plenty of time ;~))

Nsgarch, are you saying that signals in cables (IC or speaker)are not AC?
I understand perfectly well the concept of using a shield independent of the signal carrying conductors and the need to connect it in a 'star' ground configuration. That was not my point. My point was that some people are actually saying that the 'negative' conductor should be of different material than the 'positive' conductor or that installing cables in a different direction necessitates another break- in period because the material needs to be 're-oriented', since the current is flowing in the opposite direction. That is pseudo-science. They are implying that the signal current flows in only one direction, which is wrong. The voltage signal varies from positive to negative with reference to the 'ground' and thus the current changes strength and direction accordingly. I suggest that you look at some amplifier output configurations. The ground or 0 potential is a reference point and usually at 0 volts. When the potential or Voltage goes negative with reference to the ground the current flows from the 'ground' towards the 'negative'. Now that isn't pseudo-science.
May I respectfully suggest that you look into the basics of electricity and signal conduction before making assumptions as to my age or knowledge?
Bob P.

Bob, Mr. Abelson states "That some audiophiles fall for this cable hoo-hah is evidence that you CAN fool some of the people all of the time. What put Monster on the map was marketing. And that's all the high-end cable business has ever been."

So it seems that you have both taken the position that it's all hoo-haa. I'm good with that. And I hope you'll both be very happy with your hoo-haa systems until you hear something better, ha ha! (or was that hoo ha!)

any more updates?

mang53,
I just delt with this. I had 21 feet on the left speaker and 8 on the right due to a home theater setup and all my equipment in a walk in closet much closer to the right speaker. I had this setup for 6 years till just 2 weeks ago.

I was able to bring the left speaker down to 16 feet and then I made the right the same length at 16 feet.

There is seeming to be better balance now. Before, it always seemed as if the singers voices where more towards the left which has the longer cable. Not sure if it was the odd legth in cable.

I did role the cable up by the right speaker due to its longer lenth