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Interconnect Directionality

Have I lost my mind? I swear that I am hearing differences in the direction I hook up my interconnect cables between my preamp and power amp. These are custom built solid core silver cables with Eichmann bullet plugs. There is no shield so this is not a case where one end of the cable’s shield is grounded and the other isn’t. 

There are four ways ways to hook them up:
Right: Forward. Left: Forward. 
Right: Backward. Left: Backward
Right: Forward. Left: Backward
Right: Backward. Left: Forward. 

There is no difference in construction between forward and backward, but here are my observations:

When they are hooked up forward/backward there appears to be more airy-ness and what appears to be a slight phase difference. When hooked up forward/forward or backward/backward, the image seems more precise like they are more in phase. The difference between forward/forward and backward/backward is that one seems to push the soundstage back a little bit while the other brings it towards you more. 

What could possibly cause this? Does it have something to do with the way the wire is constructed and how the grains are made while drawn through a die? Am I imagining this? Have I completely lost my mind?
mkgus
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geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
That's a very interesting strategy - answer a question by asking the same question.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
jea48
So how does the wire directionality have an effect on the magnetic wave as it travels down the wire from the source to the load at near the speed of light?

>>>>One assumes you mean the electromagnetic wave, not the magnetic wave. 😛

also,

jea48 wrote,

Now the signal energy is traveling down the wire from the source to the load at near the speed of light.

>>>>>Well, actually in the AC circuit you’re referring to the signal energy travels both ways, the signal direction is alternating along with the electron drift velocity direction on the + and - wires. Please keep in mind the “signal energy” is not the audio waveform - it’s the current and voltage. When I refer to the “audio signal” in wires it’s the current and voltage. You don’t get an audio waveform until the speakers generate it.

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geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
jea48 - You might just as well have said the sky is blue. Those wiki links, as authoritative and scientific as they may be, don’t get us any closer to the answer to the question, why is wire direction audible? Quoting Ohm’s Law or Maxwell’s equations don’t win either side of the argument. Now, if you had stated, e=mc2 then I would more inclined to say that’s relevant.

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