No one actually knows how to lculate what speaker cable they need

conradnash30 posts12-10-2018 3:35pm@geoffkait

Regarding directionality, while I’m skeptical, I hope I’ve shown that I’m always willing to experiment and to find out for myself. If I’ve understood you correctly, all wire is directional and the difference between the "right" way and the "wrong" way (or maybe "most appropriate" and "least appropriate" ways) should be audible.

My questions to you are:
- do I need to get all cables the "right" way around to hear the benefit, so will it only work if I have the power cable, the interconnect, and the speaker cable all the "right" way around? Or will just the speaker cable be enough?

>>>>All cables, fuses in the system do not have to be in the correct direction to hear effects of one test but the more cables and fuses that are correct the easier it will be to hear the effect of reversing one cable or fuse. Some wire obviously cannot be reversed, e.g., transformer wire, capacitor, internal wiring of electronics or speaker. Not sure how you can have a power cord reversed since plugs prevent experimenting. Audioquest controls direction during manufacturer but I think they’re the only one.

- would you expect a difference on only the positive leg of the speaker cable? Given that the negative leg is returning to the amplifier, this should be less audible, right? In the same way that the return path of an AC signal is heading back towards the amp and is therefore less audible/important.

>>>>>I am pretty sure the plus and minus on each speaker operate push/pull AC, so both legs are directional. That’s why if you reverse the legs the speakers still play music but the music is in reverse Polarity.

- should the change be immediately obvious or do I need a burn in for the directional crystals to settle or something?

>>>>>The change should be immediate. If unsure if better or worse, repeat. The more cables and fuses that are correct the easier it will be to hear the next one you reverse, and so on.

I’m asking as this is a very easy experiment for me to try. Given my new 0AWG cables I can flip the positive, negative, or both cables with reasonable ease. If I only need to get the positive "right" then I only have one cable to flip. If I have to get both "right" then one of the four combinations should sound better than the others. I guess one combination would sound worst (both "wrong"), two would sound similar (one "right" and one "wrong") and one should sound best (both "right").

>>>>>>If cables are brand new I’d give them a while to break in before making any judgements regarding direction. Or save them for last. The issue I foresee when you have two cables involved like ICs is one could be the opposite direction of the other, especially if you cut them yourself. The odds for any cable being “right” by accident is 50%. So, it makes it tricky to test, as you rightly assume. I have no idea if all conductor strands in your thick cable are in the same direction, they probably are - it would make things pretty impossible if they weren’t. If there is any writing on the thick cable jackets you can use that to keep the cables consistent since the jacket was most likely put on as the bare twisted wires came off the assembly line, but that’s a guess. You have to make some assumptions.

Am I right there? If so, I’ll try it when I get home and let you know. My guess is it should only take 10 minutes.

>>>>>I think that for interconnects or fuse it should take ten minutes. Speaker cables might be trickier.

Good stuff, thanks for the info. I'll do some tests.

b4icu,
I try to follow the steps given without success, I am using a iPhone. Thanks 

Mr. khiak,
Can't you get access to a PC?

Never ending audio urban myths.

Are we back big time? (all over again and again). Directional wires, Burn in, purity? Let's add some snake oil, voodoo spelling, deeding in holly water, lay the wire on special wood blocks etc'.

For some reason, the offered DIY needs none of them. They still sounded better than any other cable used before. How do you explain that Mr. geoffkait? What happend to your Hi-end say, that gone with Mr. khiak's and friends sharing? US $33,000.- Hi-end worth of cables back to storage over some US $300.- DIY cables, changed your mind? The Hi end was removed from the table and the directinal BI returned. 

I like the most, when a poor product (speaker cable) is offered for US $12,900.-, sounds bad and you come up with the let it play for a while as it needs a burn in! Mr. geoffkait, it will never sound better. Even if you take it out to your car and give it a jump start with those cables. However, a proper cable, with a good sound from the first time – don't need any burn in (or excuses).

Mr. conradnash

Before you fall to Mr. geoffkait recommendations, I would kindly propose you to fix all your acoustic and other audio issues, that require that room correction process, that you mentioned on one of your previous posts. That is way more significant in getting a better sound, than dancing with a candle around cables and whisper spellings. You missed the option of just light candles and eat some donates, as Hanukah is just over.  

Room correction:

There was a guy who went with his wife to the tailor to get himself a nice jacket. The tailor took measurements and asks him to return in a week. After a week he was back, and the jacket was ready.

He put on the jacket, but one sleeve was a bit short. The tailor asked him to tilt a bit to that side. Problem was fixed. But on the opposite side, the bottom side of the jacket went up and exposed his lower back…After some 20 min. and endless corrections, the jacket was good but the guy had to stand in a very awkward position. As he was standing there, a new couple walked in. The husband looked at this awkward position standing guy and said to his wife: this looks as a good tailor. If he managed to get this poor guy a jacket, he will do a really good one for me.

This is what I think about room correction.  This might explain some of your misunderstanding of why the new DIY cable didn't shine when you replaced the old one. Your RC had done some correction on the old cables (with DF and the relation between the two), as it is part of the loop. Did you run RC SW again with the new DIY? Both ways the RC was involved…Pity you mentioned it only later.

Instead of trying Mr. geoffkait recommendations (a waste of time), try to play your system without RC and with your old cables. Than connect the new DIY cable and listen again. Than be kind to share your impressions.