Directional wires/cables

@retiredaudioguy said:

It would seem to me that the best construction using drawn cable would be that each of the two conductors be a pair of wires, arranged in opposing directions to minimize the grain structure distortion.

Does anyone know of a manufacturer that does this - if not does anyone want to start a business?

.

Bob Crump did.

Posted by rcrump on September 30, 2000 at 06:45:41

Solid core wire is extremely directional so just mark the end with some masking tape as it comes off the spool. Orient the wires so you have piece of masking tape at either end and terminate the wires. Throw it on a MOBIE or whatever overnight and then listen to it noting which way gives the highest image height. This is the correct orientation.

If you run the signal and return wires in the same direction you will end up with hot spots in the stage, normally at or close to the speakers, low image height and have a gaping hole in the middle of the stage...Keep in mind I am referring to the sound of the stage (reflections) not the individual instruments spread across the stage....Interconnects or speaker wires that have pianos wandering all over the stage normally have their signal and return going in the same direction....

https://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=cables&n=12332&highlight=rcrump+wire+direction

.

@retiredaudioguy said;

However, to the dismay of audiophiles, and the profit margin of cable manufacturers, the velocity of the wave along the wire is dependent of the electrical characteristics of the wire - which are dependent on the physical properties of the cable structure - material, coating, size, dielectric properties of the insulation, braiding - AND THE FREQUENCY OF THE DRIVING SOURCE.

So, if the wave velocity is strongly dependent on the frequency then the complex waveform of the audio signal will be more distorted. There will always be some distortion, the magnitude of which depends on cable length, and audiophile manufacturers will attempt to minimize the distortion - or try to make it euphonic.

dielectric properties of the insulation,

The signal travels in the spaces between the conductors. Therein through the dielectric insulation but not confined by the dielectric insulation, (unless the cable is shielded.)

I believe that’s why Teflon, for one, is used instead of cheap PVC insulation.

And I believe it helps control this:

So, if the wave velocity is strongly dependent on the frequency then the complex waveform of the audio signal will be more distorted. There will always be some distortion, the magnitude of which depends on cable length, and audiophile manufacturers will attempt to minimize the distortion - or try to make it euphonic.

Your thoughts.

.

I should have posted this in my post above 02-11-2025 at 01:12pm

The Late Robert Crump.

One example of who he was.

TG Audio Lab SLVR Power Inlet Cords (August 2002)

.

retiredaudioguy

. . . It would seem to me that the best construction using drawn cable would be that each of the two conductors be a pair of wires, arranged in opposing directions to minimize the grain structure distortion.

Does anyone know of a manufacturer that does this . . .

Yes, several cable manufacturers. A type of bucking winding.

Here is a video for the LessLoss C-Marc series. Scroll down this page for more info from the LessLoss website.

- - - -

Here’s another Lessloss video that shows how the C-Marc cable is manufactured. 

Wow, all this technobabble is giving me a splitting headache.  I received my EE in 1976.  Wire directions never came up in any of our studies. Perhaps it wasn’t known at the time?  The school, Roger Williams University had an excellent Electrical Engineering program.  Like I said in the second or third post to this thread, if there are not any arrows on the cable, try it both ways and if you hear a difference to the better, put the cables that way.  Easy Peezy.