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Speaker Cable directionality: reversable??

I bought a demo pair of XLO ultra 6 cables which have directional arrows on the ends of them. The specifics of my equipment requires that I would either have to re-terminate them (to take the spades off the amp end) or else hook them up in reverse of the labelled arrows.
Is there any reason why the cable direction matters, or would reversing them just mean I would have to "break-in" the cables again.
Please help me out; I don't want to undermine the quality I paid good money for!

Much thanks for any advice!!
oleander
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Twl .. phasing of speakers is done so that the cones don't move in opposition, causing cancellation. How can wire possibly have a similar effect ?
Bob .. your answer is interesting, but I have yet to hear any difference for myself, so perhaps, even though the crystal structure of the wire might not be completely even due to the drawing process it's probably a third or fourth order effect (after inductance, capacitance, resistance etc etc) and so not really worth worrying about.
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
Power does not travel bidirectionally; it flows from the source (the amp) to the load (speaker). Voltage & current parameters, while in fact altentating, are not in question here - it is the delivery of POWER from one place to another. Same thing happens within AC power lines; the power flows from the generator to the load (admittedly with some small amount of reflections which are academic to this discussion).
I correctly predicted that some naysayers would even argue with the manufacturer/designer; I suppose y'all know more about their products than even they do? Fine - I am not here for that. I do not have to prove anything to anyone; I've heard the effects with my own ears & verified by the designers that's good enough for me. Don't believe it, if you don't want the optimum from your rig, then you don't & you won't get that. But don't come up here disseminating misinformation to someone who wants to know the truth & obscure it with your misinformed opinions. I am only here to help Oleander get a truthful answer to his question & to get the most from his rig. If you don't want that for yourselves then I don't care, but he does. Good day to you all.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Bob .. I think you'll find that most "naysayers" would like a good explanation. I'm a naysayer because

1) I was not able to hear a difference with "directional cables". None whatsoever. I do believe that cables themselves make a big difference, so don't immediately brand me a luddite.
2) Nobody has given me a good explanation. Rather the believers are as much to blame as the naysayers for making this a "religious" argument based on faith in their own listening abilities, and half explained pseudo-science.
3) The cable industry is so full of (dis)information because there's tons of money to be made from gullible people.

I find your argument about power totally unpersuasive. Sure power is dissipated in the speakers ... so what .. how does that make a piece of wire directional ? Give me a good explanation (or an HTTP) and I'll stop disagreeing on this issue.
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