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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
cleeds
6,078 posts
 
roberttcan
You just assume I have never done these tests. I have, and more ... I am not under any illusion that all the typical measurements done fully characterize an amplifier. It is one of the reasons why I designed a specific piece of test equipment for a customer ... IF the direction of a cable, independent of a shield is as plain as the nose on my face, then surely it is dead easy to replicate this, blind tested?
Here we go again with a call for blind testing, an exercise that is of very limited value - if any at all - to the typical audiophile. I just don’t understand why those who call for such tests don’t conduct their own, and then share results with the group.

I’ve also suggested that the blind testing advocates organize such a test and recruit subjects from Audiogon. It could be interesting to have such a test session at an audio show, for example. (Caution! Results of such tests can be surprising - and even demoralizing!) When I’ve offered such suggestions in the past, I’m met with orders to do it myself, or required to put up money in a wager, or have an agreement with lawyers regarding the test.

To be clear, I think the results of these tests are not always what they seem, and I question the ability of these tests to correspond to what we actually experience as listeners and audiophiles. But they have their place.

Perhaps the problem is that it is not a simple matter to conduct such a scientifically valid, controlled double-blind listening test. And if it’s not properly conducted, a test obviously has no value at all.
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geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I’m a fan of LIGO, have been for twenty years. Why else to you think I would post so much on LIGO? I corresponded with Kip Thorne back then. By no mere coincidence I am the designer of the first 6 degree of freedom Sub-Hertz isolation platform for audio applications which, if you can believe if, used a single 5 inch tall airspring. The rest of your pseudo skeptic ramblings I choose to ignore.
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
THE ACTUAL PROFESSIONALS .... you know, the ones that make 100GHz cables, that ones that put gigabits through twisted pairs, the ones that developed the HDMI standard, the people who make measurements systems, all the ones where real bits, real SNR, real waveform shape = money, the ones whose customers have sophisticated test and measurement equipment, etc. etc. would never ever claim, except where a directional shield is concerned, or there is an intentional passive element built a cable, that, within the framework of audio, that directionality of an interconnect has any detectable difference in the sound.


as to that, I know a person who took their physics degree in transmission lines and the like. Basically their masters in the physics of conduction.

they ended up, in part of their resume, running a coast to coast telecommunications system as the head engineer.

And when it comes to audio and the signals involved and what is done in audio, this person quickly came to understand that people connected to and invested in things like the above quote...really don’t know the difference between their backside and a hole in the ground.
clearthink
1,421 posts
 
roberttcan"I seem to have a harassment issue"

I find it highly unlikely, remote, and dubious that the moderators hear would harass you in any way. As one "contributor" hear is fond of saying:

"That which is submitted with out evidence can be dismissed with out evidence."

I have always found the moderators of this group to be polite, intelligent, and fair in they're treatment of those in this group and if you're experience is otherwise I heartily suggest that the problem may be with you and not with them!
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