Curious How These Nordost Speaker Cables Do What They Do

No, that’s not correct, Steve.

First, keep in mind that a voltage must always be defined relative to some point, i.e., it exists between two points. It is not meaningful to simply think that "the neutral rail is always at zero volts."

In the case of a light bulb the terminal that is connected to AC "hot" is at 120 volts relative to the terminal that is connected to AC "neutral," which in turn is at or very close to zero volts relative to earth ground. In the case of a speaker cable the + wire is at some voltage relative to the - wire, depending on the signal at any given instant, and depending on the design of the amp the voltage on the - wire may or may not be at zero volts relative to the amp’s circuit ground, or relative to AC neutral, AC safety ground, and earth ground. For example, "fully balanced" amps and bridged mono amps both have full amplitude signals on both their + and - output terminals, with the voltages on those terminals differing from each other simply in that they have opposite polarities.

The current that is provided to a speaker by an amp, as well as the current that is provided to a light bulb by the incoming AC, both result from a voltage **difference** that is applied between the two conductors. The fact that one conductor may be at zero volts relative to some reference has no relevance to that.

Also, ieales comment above that relates to this ...

If the current were different in each leg of the cable, energy would either be gained or lost.

Apply a steady 1kHz 1V signal to a speaker. Regardless of where an ammeter is inserted in the circuit, the RMS current is the same.

... is absolutely correct.

Best regards,
-- Al

@almarg and @ieales - thanks for taking the time to explain.

Cheers - Steve

Apparently current travels very slowly, the drift velocity of electrons being what, about 80 cm per hour. Thus the net velocity of current back and forth is zero. Also apparently, voltage is an electromagnetic field that has no velocity only direction, alternating with the current. Or maybe is does have velocity, maybe it’s a wave, it does not matter for this argument.

Thus, as regards the argument of fuse or wire directionality in AC circuits, it certainly appears that one should not care about the “relative audibility” of either current/voltage when they are traveling away from the speakers/amplier. One should only care about the relative audibility of current/voltage when they are traveling in the direction toward the speakers/amplifier. This is why the direction of fuses and wire in general is audible in AC circuits as well as DC circuits. In other words, it’s an old wives tale that fuses or cables cannot be “directional” in AC circuits. This also explains why all Audioquest cables AND power cords are “controlled for directionality,” even the tiny strands that comprise the conductors of their new power cords.

@mikey8811

Are you still on your cable search? Did you end up comparing the Audience SX with the Cardas Clear Beyond interconnects? If so, what did you find?

I had the Audience Au24 SX XLRs and the Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 4 XLRs in for comparison against the Cardas Clear Reflection XLRs.

I chose the SR L-4s. I wasn’t able to get the Cardas Clear or Cardas Clear Beyond in on loan for the comparison (and I really wish I had been able to).

Since the OP hasn’t asked about the Audience SX cables or the others I compared, PM me and I’ll be happy to share my impressions.