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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
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
As fate would have it the audio signal is not the current. The near light speed refers to the signal not current.

Electric current is flow of electric charge, that moves near light speed in the wire. Electromagnetic wave on the outside of the cable moves at the same rate. In electronics, a signal is an electric current or electromagnetic field used to convey data from one place to another. Speed of both depends on dielectric - it is called "Velocity Factor". Electrons move at very slow rate called "Drift Velocity". Electrons are not always necessary for electric current since in the fluid ions carry electric charge.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
Electric current is a very slow flow of charges, while
energy flows fast

I'm not sure where you got it. Electric current is a flow of charge. Charge
moves in the wire in speed close to speed of light. It has nothing to do with
slow motion of electrons and charges they carry. It works pretty much as
stack of balls (electric charges) - you hit first one and the last one moves
instantly.

http://www.uu.edu/dept/physics/scienceguys/2001Nov.cfm
jea48
4,453 posts
 
Kijanki,

Thank you for responding to my question.


12-18-14: Kijanki
Jea48, I don't know if conductor can be directional but copper oxides are semiconductors. Their orientation might be related to grain orientation - a question for metallurgist.

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.

Dielectric absorption is ability of dielectric to store and return energy. I'm not sure how it affects the sound but it can be shown, that charged and discharged capacitor will start building up the voltage again without any external source - just from the energy stored in dielectric and we're not talking microvolts but rather volts. Especially bad in electrolytic caps.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Jea48, directionality of a metal conductor is produced by the orientation of the crystal structure as it is pulled through the final die. As least that's what I think. The directionality is independent of the velocity of the signal, I.e., the audio signal. I also do not happen to think the dielectric material affects the velocity of the signal. As I already said I think the velocity of the signal is fixed (constant) for a given medium, I.e., copper or whatever. Now if you are asking me how the dielectric material affects the signal,I actually don't know. I bet it's complicated though. Wink, wink.
scvan
99 posts
 
Jea48,

If the signal is altered from one end of the cable to the other it is absolutely able to measured in a scope. That is what scopes excel at, measuring signals.
So we can measure a bunch of different frequencies and see what happens to the signal, flip the cable, repeat and compare. Or we can use a harmonic distortion analyzer and do the same.
For a cable to sound different in different directions there must be more distortion one direction than the other.

At work we do a lot of measurements well below 10dBmicro, tiny tiny amounts of signal strength, nothing near the level of power that would move a driver.

Kijanki is doing a much better job of voicing my concerns than I am. I appreciate that.
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