cable directionality

I always use the direction of the signal from front end to amps. The most satisfying rule probably should be what sounds best, but some cables don't mind which way you use them but switching them around makes them sound worse at least for a while.

Most preamps in my experience are ungrounded making the star grounding idea impossible.

Recently I have just followed the manufacturer's directions, which are usually one of two: it doesn't matter but don't change or source to load.

I understand that sometimes the arrow indicates the direction the cable came off the cable machine and nothing else.

Nerspellsner, this may be true but the manufacturer may find that all important. Most do not go to the extremes that Mikro Omega does and construct cables with the direction of both the hot and neutral taken into consideration. The way they came out of the wire machine is reversed for the two.

The way they came out of the wire machine is reversed for the two.

This is something the late Bob Crump really extolled; he is the first person I was aware of doing this.

Wire is directional. Making up an IC in this fashion, signal and return running in opposite directions, will give a distinctly differing sound and soundstage height depending on which end is at the source and which is at the load. The correct orientation will have a higher soundstage and more extended HF. Wrong way sounds like there is a ceiling on the soundstage, HF is somewhat MIA, and the bass is overblown. Solid core silver is the easiest to hear the difference with. I myself use this method as do a few other mfg. that I know.

BTW Bill Lowe I believe also makes his cables with directionality of wire in mind, if you go into the tech. part of his site there is a paragraph on it

Chris
Tel Wire