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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
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Kijanki wrote,

"AFAIK dielectric affects speed of current. This speed is not a light speed but closer to 60% of it (5ns/m). I believe this speed is inversely proportional to square root of dielectric constant. Teflon dielectric offers the highest speed up to 85% of the light-speed."

As fate would have it the audio signal is not the current. The near light speed refers to the signal not current.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
It is possible, and it has been done!, a cable dielectric and conductor outlay can and will and does direct a signal a particular direction, if the cable is well made, not some cable that is directional but inferior, there is alot of those out there, the difference in sound as said before is not subtle, it is huge!, when I change the direction of my Tara Labs Omega 10 inch jumpers, you can stand out side my house and hear the differnce if I flip the jumpers, very drastic I must say, I am not an engineer, do not ask me to proof it other than come and listen for your self.
jea48
4,424 posts
 
The whole directionality thing really digs at me and does damage to our hobby.
12-18-14: Scvan
I strongly disagree.

.

.
>>>>>>>>>>

Scvan,

Did you miss this earlier post of mine?

12-18-14: Jea48


Sure cables can sound different. Crappy ones sound different from good ones.
12-17-14: Scvan

Scvan,

Can you measure the differences on a scope?
.
Jea48
Post removed 
mceljo
1,357 posts
 
Scvan - I tend to agree with your line of thinking. I think my at people can identify a 0.5 dB volume difference which is a difference of about 5% or less. If volume differences are any indicator for what the human ear can discern, then how does that compare to the tolerances that you can measure? I would guess you can measure a lot of attributes to be different in "identical" cables. I am positive that you would measure a significant difference on any cable that a majority of people could hear a significant difference with.

Ironically, the resistance can impact volume which is not necessarily an indication of quality, but the louder one is almost always the preference. Is it a better cable?

I think that a lot of cable comparisons are mixing apples and oranges because the attributes that can be measured easily are not matched to see if the other attributes make a difference.
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