What direction should Hi Fi tune fuse be installed

"Mapman, basic but ignored."

I'll agree on that and say goodnight.

To all, before we too sidetracked, let's try to focus on what we were talking about for a second. What we were talking about is the electromagnetic wave that is the audio signal. We only mentioned magnetic fields when magnets were brought up. Now, just to set the record straight, the magnetic field induced by current flow through wire or by a transformer is not the same as the electromagnetic field of the signal which, as we already pointed out, travels at the speed of light, or close to it, you know, being that the electromagnetic wave is made up of photons. The magnetic field is a different beast, as Mapman learned in Electricity 101, assuming he remembers anything. (He can always consult Maxwell's equations if he needs a fresher.) So, the question on the table is how a magnet which produces a magnetic field, not an electromagnetic wave, can influence the signal which is composed of photons that, if recall from Electricity 101, have no mass? Or have we kind of come to the conclusion that we actually don't care about how it all works as long as it works. Lol

So, the question on the table is how a magnet which produces a magnetic field, not an electromagnetic wave, can influence the signal which is composed of photons that, if recall from Electricity 101, have no mass? Or have we kind of come to the conclusion that we actually don't care about how it all works as long as it works. Lol

Geoff raises a fair question, and a good one IMO. I believe I can shed some light on the answer, although my answer should not be interpreted as a defense of the efficacy of magnet-based tweaks, or as concurrence with Tom's statement that "magnets enhance the directionality of ac passing thru them much the same as cryo treatment of metals and conductors enhance and unify the direction of their molecules."

While as Geoff has indicated the speed of electron movement is VASTLY slower than the speed of signal/electromagnetic wave propagation, the two are intimately related. I believe the inter-relation will become clearer if it is thought of as follows:

Consider a signal voltage applied to one end of a cable, with the voltage applied to what we'll call the signal conductor being negative at a given instant, relative to the voltage applied at that instant to what we'll call the return conductor.

At that instant the applied voltage can be thought of as causing a VERY slow movement of electrons into the signal conductor, and a VERY slow movement of electrons out of the return conductor (at the source end). A VERY short time later DIFFERENT electrons will be caused to move at that same very slow speed out of the other end of the signal conductor (and into the load), while at that same instant still different electrons will be caused to move at that same very slow speed from the load into the return conductor.

The difference in time between when electrons slowly move into or out of the source end of the cable and when different electrons move into or out of the load end of the cable, in response to application of a given signal voltage, will correspond to the time it takes for the electromagnetic wave to propagate the length of the cable, which it does at a speed corresponding to something like 60% to 95% or so of the speed of light in a vacuum, the exact value depending in part on the dielectric constant of the insulation of the particular cable.

Thought of that way, despite the vast difference in speeds between electron movement and movement of the information-carrying electromagnetic wave, it does seem conceivable that the influence of a magnetic field on those electrons could also have some influence on the electromagnetic wave.

Regards,
-- Al

Al, nice post but I have a few questions. One is if it's true that magnets can affect the electrons in the conductor how would they affect them? Logically, I suppose it's possible that electrons can be attracted by the positive pole of a magnet or repelled by the negative pole, you know, given that electrons have a negative charge. But if what just said is true the what would that mean? If electrons are attracted by the magnet then wouldn't the electrons more or less pool around the location of the magnet? If they are repelled by the magnet which way would they move? If the magnet is circular and attached around the magnet how would that affect the electrons - repel or attract or both? If the electrons are neither attracted to the magnet or repelled by it, how do you think they are being affected? And if the electrons are being attracted and or repelled how does that affect the sound one way or another?

Thanks, Geoff. I have no idea, though, what the answers might be to your questions. All I can say is that it seems conceivable that a magnetic field could affect the signal, although not necessarily to an audible degree.

Regards,
-- Al