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Directional cables. Explain??

colasblue said:
It's one of those areas where the science is definitely iffy but the effect is definitely observable.

I make a lot of my own IC's out van Damme speaker cable and find them to be directional. I have a degree in physics but have no ability to explain this observation, but accept that there probably is an explanation.
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How about deep cryogenic treatment, as offered by a certain cable seller? I believe they also said you could improve CD sound by putting them in your freezer for a while, but it seemed too weird to try, even though it was free!
 
colasblue said:
It's one of those areas where the science is definitely iffy but the effect is definitely observable.

I make a lot of my own IC's out van Damme speaker cable and find them to be directional. I have a degree in physics but have no ability to explain this observation, but accept that there probably is an explanation.
Click to expand...

This is the take that is consistent with real scientists as opposed to the binary thinkers who claim to understand 'science.'

For me the jury is out. Directionality is usually explained by which end is grounded. But not always...
 
Steven Toy said:
This is the take that is consistent with real scientists as opposed to the binary thinkers who claim to understand 'science.'

For me the jury is out. Directionality is usually explained by which end is grounded. But not always...
Click to expand...

If I may, directional cables are another silly superstition that makes everyone in the hobby look like fools, excepting of course the vendors. But, who am I to judge, not everyone can tell the difference between foo and science. I assume its like being colour blind, it must be congenital.

Louballoo
 
Steven Toy said:
This is the take that is consistent with real scientists as opposed to the binary thinkers who claim to understand 'science.'

For me the jury is out. Directionality is usually explained by which end is grounded. But not always...
Click to expand...
This is the take that is consistent with those who understand little of science or scientists.
 
Connecting the shield to signal ground at only one end creates an antenna and the effects depend on which end it is and the equipment involved. Voltage between the shield and ground at the open end could be large if one of the boxes has WiFi.

I have never seen any credible evidence of micro-diode behaviour in a copper wire
 
I tend to observe directional arrows in the same way as I take the Christmas tree down before 12th night and address magpies as sir. However last Christmas I decided to experiment with moving my speakers to a radical new position. I only had two lengths of 3.5 m naim cable and the new position required one length of 8m. I did have two 4m lengths of exposure terminated at the 'speaker end' with plugs. So twisted them together with opposite arrows so I had plugs both ends and had a cobbled together 8m length of Exposure one side and 3.5 of Naim the other. The system had never sounded better. Obviously bought I bought 2x8 metres of Van Damme later because I always take care to address a magpie as sir.
 
If you’re taking part in an electron race the participants should face and run in the right direction towards the finishing point . Makes sense.
 
What worries me is what happens at a volume control. I worry that the best sounding electrons may be allowed to go to earth. I'm also worried that the lost electrons might get into the return cable and cause muddiness on the ground conductor. Surely this is jitter?
 
If only some goodwilled member who hears directionality lived within 20-30 minutes travelling and would be willing to extend brief hospitality and open my ears of understanding. I could bring various arrow marked cables to compare notes and a bottle of whisky.

However everytime I have tried to find an open mind by trying such wonders I ended up more cynical and another piece of HiFi accessory to play with or get rid of. The majority of times I have tried something AN Other has raved about it has been not much to shout about or the anithesis of the ravers experience.

Raved about wins, Arkless Phono stage, Raspberry Pi and i2s DAC (look no cables). LP Gear replacement stylus
 
Simple question: how do the cable manufacturers know in which direction to put the arrows? Supplementary question: if they accidentally put the arrows the wrong way round on one cable, would anyone be able to tell from the sound of the system?
 
Try one speaker cable one way and the other the opposite way, I did this in error once and was surprised there was a difference but couldn't put my finger on it it until I realised my mistake and now am convinced there is something in it. These were Chord Oddesy cables I was using at the time.
 
This old chestnut is really frought.

if you are experienced and 'get' cable direction you know not to get involved with someone deaf enough not to understand it.

If you are so deaf as to not 'get' cable direction you think its all a load of old emperors clothes and people are having a laugh.

its a bit like tunefulness. people who are tone deaf think ATC make fantastic speakers and don't understand how some people think they are rubbish.

I'm afraid as soon as some one comes out with 'but its an ac signal' i can see we are living in different worlds.
 
The minute you hook up to a speaker with 2nd order crossover(that'll be most) the 'directionality' goes all to cock because of the polarity switch at the xover point means your cables are 'wrong' for say the tweeter unit.....
 
The Far North said:
How about deep cryogenic treatment, as offered by a certain cable seller? I believe they also said you could improve CD sound by putting them in your freezer for a while, but it seemed too weird to try, even though it was free!
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That's what amuses me about tweakers. They try all sorts of things for which there is no scientific or engineering explanation, then suddenly hit the buffers with something that's 'just too weird' or which 'can't possibly make a difference'.

My own experience with directional cables is that it makes absolutely no difference if you use them the 'wrong way round', but no doubt that's just because I'm deaf.
 
The Far North said:
How about deep cryogenic treatment, as offered by a certain cable seller? I believe they also said you could improve CD sound by putting them in your freezer for a while, but it seemed too weird to try, even though it was free!
Click to expand...

Aren't you mixing two quite separate sellers together there? The CD in the freezer idea is a Peter Belt thing and as far as I'm aware he doesn't sell cables (just magic foils and creams). Personally, the few cryogenically treated cables I've heard didn't seem to benefit particularly from it and as for freezing the few CDs I have.....
 
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