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Dumbest cable question

I know some cables may be directional or at least have some type of arrow showing where to connect each end. However, most do not. Here you go:

Is there any value to rotate your cables every now and then. In other words, switch the source component end with the “end” end. This way signals have a chance to flow opposite direction within the cable  

If this is a super silly question, my apologies.

aberyclark
chayro
3,045 posts
 

This is very far from the dumbest question I’ve seen here. Very far. I don’t have an answer for you, but Chris Sommivigo (stereovox/black cat cables) believes that speaker cables carry an AC signal, which is constantly varying back and forth 60 times per second, so no matter which way you orient cables, the signal flow will always be “wrong” in one direction. I don’t know if he’s correct, but many here claim to hear differences when the cable direction is reversed. It certainly won’t hurt the cables to reverse them. 

petg60
1,486 posts
 

Nothing wrong in rotation, but whatever you do let it settle for some time.

Listen and evaluate.

 

 

jl35
4,221 posts
 

I've been told by a few manufacturers that a non-directional cable, once hooked up, should be used only in that direction...no idea about the why of all this, but certainly easy enough to do, and no reason for manufacturer to mislead us...

twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,326 posts
 

Audio Envy's speaker cables are interesting.  The Captain states that they can be connected in either direction, but with a difference in the sonic presentation between the two orientations.  Further, that most people prefer the "primary" direction, but some others prefer the alternative (depending, I suppose, on their equipment and their sonic priorities).

ghdprentice
8,017 posts
 

Good question. I have certainly wondered about directionality in cables that do not have network boxes (I see why those are directional). I have some with arrows… there are so many variables… and quite frankly I would rather be listening to music. So I have always just plugged then in in accordance with the markings.

 

However, I have noticed something that does point to an answer for you. When you move cables… they do not sound as good for quite a while. They essentially have to break in again… it takes a couple weeks on my system. So, no, I would not move them or you will be constantly listening to suboptimal sound.

 

Don’t ask me why… this is definitely in the crazy space, but it is repeatable and consistent. Maybe it is a quantum thing… that stuff never makes any intuitive sense either… but is real.

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