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Directional speaker cables - switching direction

Some time ago I started a thread regarding speaker wire directionality and my inability to understand how it could have any affect on sound quality. The question was inspired by the fact that, after quite a few years using them with my Martin Logan Odysseys, I discovered that the cables (Straightwire Octave 2) had arrows printed on them. Not surprisingly the opinions expressed were pretty strong on both sides of the argument but those supporting directionality were the most vociferous and in greater numbers, one to the point of being downright insulting. In no case, though, was an explanation given by those supporting the importance of cable direction for how this phenomenon occurs except that it should be obvious that when a cable is broken in in one direction only someone with an uneducated ear would be unable to discern the difference.

Even though I still don't get it I'm not taking the position that there is no validity to the directional claim; if there truly is I just don't understand how. This leads me to my two part question. I haven't been using the Octaves for a few years but now, because of cable length issues, I want to put them back in my system partly to avoid the cost of new quality cables.

IF, then, the directionality theory IS valid and I don't recall which way the arrows originally pointed or which direction they were "broken in" do those in support of directionality think I should install them with the arrows pointing toward the speakers
128x128broadstone
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,466 posts
 
Jea48

I have proved it as it is a true fact, this burn in thing that is. I hear the difference, but for folks like you who think we folks are hearing things we want to hear, I now have absolute proof.

My tinnitus is something I live with and the upper frequencies in my system can set it off bad if I am not careful with system synergy, cabling etc. My reference silver cables set off my tinnitus in a big way at first and over time it has dissappaited. Burn in changed and mellowed the cables. No, my tinnitus did not somehow get used to the cable. Anyone with tinnitus knows it is set off by sounds etc...and no amount of time with a problem volume or frequency will cause the tinnitus to go away. It simply worsens unfortunately.

That is proof. However, I doubt unbelievers will believe even when presented with a multitude of proof stories as your minds are made up.
Goodness I wish I could actually trick myself into hearing things that are not really happening. I would hear my wife say things I only dream of! I would hear silence when I go to bed instead of my ringing tinnitus. Seems I can only fool myself into hearing things when it come to audio wire. I am not capable of it in any other life situation. Oh well.
mceljo
1,357 posts
 
Grannyring - what happens if you reverse you cables?

If a cable is reversed when there isn't an audiophile around to know about it, does it really matter? Is this significant enough to recognize a change without knowledge of said change? I can easily tell my receiver from my tube amplifier, but if a gnome ran off with the sort kones under my CD player I would never know unless I noticed the physical loss of height.
jea48
4,412 posts
 

Jea48

I have proved it as it is a true fact, this burn in thing that is. I hear the difference, but for folks like you who think we folks are hearing things we want to hear, I now have absolute proof.
12-04-14: Grannyring
Grannyring,

LOL, folks like me huh, I suggest you check the archives and read some of my posts here on Agon regarding cable burn-in and cable directionality.
Jim
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,466 posts
 
Jea48

Sorry if that is not your position. I have to go by what you just posted here.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
well, well, just yesterday, after setting my system back up friday night, and re- breaking in my speaker cables and speaker cable jumpers that are state of the art, I could hear a small difference in my right speaker compaired to the left, now friday night I was drinking heavy, celebration of 2 years and 8 months of dealing with my amp came to a wonderful close, so hell yea, I am going to drink!, back to yesterday, I was sober, after hearing a difference in the sound, I walked up to both speakers and evaluated the connection's, whoa and behold, only one jumper on the right channel, the negative was turned the wrong direction, instead of the signal going from bottom post to top, it was backwards, shut down everything, flipped the Tara Labs Omega Jumper correctly, bam, the wife says, what did you do now, I said why, she said that the sound now had fuller vocals and way more detail!, that said, over a year ago, we tested all the jumpers at the same time going the other direction, when we did that, I remember the wife thought then that something blew up because the sound was hugely poor, a much more difference then just one jumper out of place., cheers.
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