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Directionality of wire

I am a fan of Chris Sommovigo's Black Cat and Airwave interconnects. I hope he does not mind me quoting him or naming him on this subject, but Chris does not mark directionality of his IC's. I recently wrote him on the subject and he responded that absent shunting off to ground/dialectric designs, the idea of wire directionality is a complete myth. Same with resistors and fuses. My hunch is that 95% of IC "manufacturers", particularly the one man operations of under $500 IC's mark directionality because they think it lends the appearance of technical sophistication and legitimacy. But even among the "big boys", the myth gets thrown around like so much accepted common knowledge. Thoughts? Someone care to educate me on how a simple IC or PC or speaker cable or fuse without a special shunting scheme can possibly have directionality? It was this comment by Stephen Mejias (then of Audioquest and in the context of Herb Reichert's review of the AQ Niagra 1000) that prompts my question;

Thank you for the excellent question. AudioQuest provided an NRG-10 AC cable for the evaluation. Like all AudioQuest cables, our AC cables use solid conductors that are carefully controlled for low-noise directionality. We see this as a benefit for all applications -- one that becomes especially important when discussing our Niagara units. Because our AC cables use conductors that have been properly controlled for low-noise directionality, they complement the Niagara System’s patented Ground-Noise Dissipation Technology. Other AC cables would work, but may or may not allow the Niagara to reach its full potential. If you'd like more information on our use of directionality to minimize the harmful effects of high-frequency noise, please visit http://www.audioquest.com/directionality-its-all-about-noise/ or the Niagara 1000's owner's manual (available on our website).

Thanks again.

Stephen Mejias
AudioQuest


Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-15-audioquest-niagara-1000-hifiman-he1000-v2-p...


128x128fsonicsmith
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Cable directionality is as old as dirt. At least since Audioquest started marking their cables with arrows. And the debate is almost as old. Welcome to the party!  Better late than never.

😀
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geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
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Even if one wishes to refer to current as the "signal," since current is alternating we only need to worry about the current (signal) when it’s traveling toward the component or, in the case of speaker cables, when the current is traveling toward the speakers. The other half of the time, when the current is traveling in the opposite direction, we can ignore the "signal" since its effects are inaudible. So, obviously fuses located where AC enters the component and where AC enters the speakers, could be directional. As could the cables. If directionality is real. To summarize, the argument that directionality can’t exist in an AC circuit is pure fabrication, a ploy, a nothing burger. 🍔

almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Geoffkait 8-13-2017
Even if one wishes to refer to current as the "signal," since current is alternating we only need to worry about the current (signal) when it’s traveling toward the component or, in the case of speaker cables, when the current is traveling toward the speakers. The other half of the time, when the current is traveling in the opposite direction, we can ignore the "signal" since its effects are inaudible.
When "the current" is traveling away from the component in one of the two conductors it is traveling toward the component in the other of the two conductors.

And it is **always** traveling through the input circuit of the component in one direction or the other, aside from the brief instant during each cycle at which the applied voltage crosses zero, and the direction changes.

I would not press this explanation as being supportive of wire (or fuse) directionality.

Regards,
-- Al


geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
almarg
Geoffkait 8-13-2017
"Even if one wishes to refer to current as the "signal," since current is alternating we only need to worry about the current (signal) when it’s traveling toward the component or, in the case of speaker cables, when the current is traveling toward the speakers. The other half of the time, when the current is traveling in the opposite direction, we can ignore the "signal" since its effects are inaudible."

When "the current" is traveling away from the component in one of the two conductors it is traveling toward the component in the other of the two conductors.

And it is **always** traveling through the input circuit of the component in one direction or the other, aside from the brief instant during each cycle at which the applied voltage crosses zero, and the direction changes.

>>>>That’s precisely my point! That’s why - if wire is directional per se - the cable manufacturer must control the process to ensure that both wires are placed in the cable correctly. You know, since BOTH wires will exhibit directionality. Assuming directionality is real. Which is in fact what manufacturers do, control the process. Hel-loo! Fortunately once you have a process in place the rest is easy. For a fuse it’s even simpler to explain (one can only hope) since there’s only one wire. Thus, you cannot use the example of AC circuits per se to disprove wire or fuse directionality. Please note: I never said this explanation proved or supported wire directionality. What I’m saying is simple but quite different - you cannot use the tired old AC circuits argument to DISPROVE wire directionality. Capish?
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