directional cables?


My IC cables are directional, with arrows pointing the way they should be hooked-up. Q: Should they run with the arrows pointing to my cd player, or to my integrated amp? Thanks.
tbromgard
Simply-q: To understand why I use the term "net," you need to understand why I use it with the term "drift."

"Drift" is used to distinguish from "movement." With no current flowing there is still movement. The electrons in the wire are moving about randomly in all directions near their Fermi velocity. And at any given point, the number of electrons crossing in one direction will generally be the same as the number of electrons crossing in the opposite direction.

However if you apply an electric field, in addition to moving about at their Fermi velocity, the electrons will now take on a small velocity in the direction of the applied field. This is the drift velocity. And as a consequence, the number of electrons crossing that given point in one direction will now be greater than the number of electrons crossing in the opposite direction.

In other words, there is a net drift in that direction.

So, as long as there is current flowing, be it DC or AC, there will always be a net drift of electrons, because even if the direction of current changes alternately from one direction to the other, there will always be more electrons crossing that given point in one direction than the other.

Does this make it more clear where I'm coming from?
Yes, it does. That is an excellent explanation, and as far as I am concerned our positions are now converged.

Best regards,
-- Al

Almarg

Yes, it does. That is an excellent explanation, and as far as I am concerned our positions are now converged.

Thank you. I'm glad were were finally able to uh... converge. Was it good for you *he says lighting up a cigarette*? ;-)
I get it now, you have redefined the word flow to suit your purpose. Everybody else in the world defines it as something that is moving forward, progressing. I would say that energy flowed in an AC circuit but the electrons vibrate about a fixed point never making any progress so they are not flowing. You define it at as any movement so electrons that aren't moving away from a central point but merely vibrate back and forth around that point are "flowing." I apologize for not picking up on that but you must forgive me for not knowing you had a different dictionary than the rest of us. It would have helped the discussion if you had told us early on that you you had your own definition for words that differs from everyone else.

I get it now. Case closed.

To flow…….

# move or progress freely as if in a stream; "The crowd flowed out of the stadium"
# the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
# run: move along, of liquids; "Water flowed into the cave"
# the amount of fluid that flows in a given time
# the act of flowing or streaming; continuous progression
# any uninterrupted stream or discharge
# To move or run smoothly with unbroken continuity, as in the manner characteristic of a fluid.
# To issue in a stream; pour forth: Sap flowed from the gash in the tree.
# To circulate, as the blood in the body.
# To move with a continual shifting of the component particles: wheat flowing into the bin; traffic flowing through the tunnel.
# To proceed steadily and easily: The preparations flowed smoothly.

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Yes,it was surely a Marlboro moment around the campfire as so many are now horizontal and smiling up at the dense grey clouds blowing away in the breeze.Once is never enough with men like you,sincerely,Queen Elizabeth
Herman,

"Most with any experience in the matter agree that it depends on the design of the cable and how the manufacturer decide to label his cables."

And I guess you would consider yourself one of the most with experience or one with the most experience, which is it?

I actually, during the course of this thread, took the time to call a number of cable manufacturers and presented the question regarding arrows and direction. All agreed it would pretty much be considered an industry standard that the arrow markings on cables point in the direction of the signal flow.

For non directional cables it has been recommended by manufacturers for many years and a rule of thumb among audiophiles that the writing on the cable jacket follows the signal flow for the purpose of orienting cables in the same direction as they were broken-in when cables are disconnected from the system.