I wonder if having a preference for wire direction correlates to a sensitivity to absolute polarity.
I don’t think the physics of preferential flow direction are being questioned here. Geometry can create those conditions. Look at the Tesla valve in fluid flow for an analogous example. Diodes aren’t strictly geometry but are definitely have a directional bias. Since the structure of cable is not assumed to be perfect it should logically follow that one direction could have slightly different physical characteristics. I think where most people object is that since audio is composed of AC then the effect of these differences should cancel out.
There are people able to tell if an audio track is phase inverted. I think some entire albums are or only certain tracks. Some components also are phase inverting. I’ve never heard it so I can’t verify it. I believe this is why there is a phase inversion switch on some preamps.
So if the electrons flow more easily in one direction than the other then perhaps those sensitive to absolute phase would be able to detect a difference. Can the same effect of reversing a cable’s direction be achieved by swapping the polarity on one end? My tin ears have never experienced it so I’m genuinely curious. Maybe some of those that have definite preferences in their own system can experiment for the edification of the rest of us.
I don’t think the physics of preferential flow direction are being questioned here. Geometry can create those conditions. Look at the Tesla valve in fluid flow for an analogous example. Diodes aren’t strictly geometry but are definitely have a directional bias. Since the structure of cable is not assumed to be perfect it should logically follow that one direction could have slightly different physical characteristics. I think where most people object is that since audio is composed of AC then the effect of these differences should cancel out.
There are people able to tell if an audio track is phase inverted. I think some entire albums are or only certain tracks. Some components also are phase inverting. I’ve never heard it so I can’t verify it. I believe this is why there is a phase inversion switch on some preamps.
So if the electrons flow more easily in one direction than the other then perhaps those sensitive to absolute phase would be able to detect a difference. Can the same effect of reversing a cable’s direction be achieved by swapping the polarity on one end? My tin ears have never experienced it so I’m genuinely curious. Maybe some of those that have definite preferences in their own system can experiment for the edification of the rest of us.