Directionality of wire

Geez, somebody didn't get the memo. They're not electrons. Hel-loo!

Al, (almarg) response,

Yes, I see that now, Jim. He does not say, at least in that thread, that cables are directional; he is just addressing the wire itself. Yet it is also true, as we are saying, that the cable configuration he recommends would negate the intrinsic directionality he is attributing to the wire itself.

Yet it is also true, as we are saying, that the cable configuration he recommends would negate the intrinsic directionality he is attributing to the wire itself.

But do we really know that?

I need to search the archives on AA and look for any posts of Bob’s where he may have actually spoke of directionality of ICs using solid core conductors.

Al,
Question.
Does the hot/signal conductor, of an IC, hold any more importance carrying the audio signal from the source to the load than the ground/return conductor?
If yes please explain.
If not please explain.

Jim

almarg
7,423 posts                                                                         08-18-2017 7:59pm

As for the "why" of whatever intrinsic directionality wire may possess, I note that even he says "I don’t want to speculate why wire is directional." Although he also says that "it appears to be an FM distortion." FM distortion, phase distortion, and timing jitter are inter-related concepts. And as you alluded to, and I indicated earlier in the thread, timing jitter resulting from VSWR (reflection) effects figures to be the basis of directionality in digital cables. But I have no idea how at analog audio frequencies a symmetrically designed cable might introduce differing amounts of FM or phase distortion depending on which way it is connected.

I may try contacting John Curl next week and ask him his thoughts on the subject. I believe he still frequents the DIY audio forum.

Jim

Don grounding an interconnect at one end does nothing except possibly turn it into an antenna.

Huh? Not sure what you guys are arguing about. Obviously Bob thinks wire per se is very directional. He actually said extremely directional. The only question is if he’s right the way he places the directional wires in the cable - one wire in one direction and the other wire in the opposite direction. Why would he *intentionally* construct a cable to be non-optimal knowing wire is very directional? He wouldn’t. As I’ve stated previously, both wires should actualy be in the same direction, not opposite directions. You do not (rpt not) have to worry about any signal or current or voltage moving toward the wall outlet. Only the ones moving toward the speakers. That’s why fuses which have only a single wire are directional in AC circuits.

Of the Curl, Thompson, Crump CTC company members Bob had (by far) the best ears. That’s why his primary job at CTC was deciding which capacitors to use, which wire to use, which cables to use for the very advanced CTC Blowtorch preamp and the Bar B Que amplifier, the precursor of the JC 1 amp. Curl was the circuit guy, Thompson the topology guy. I was with Curl and Crump twice at CES, isolating the electronics including the Number Cruncher DAC with my Sub Hertz Nimbus iso platform.