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Cable Current Flow Direction

Regarding cables that do not have an arrow indicating the current flow from the source to the next component in the chain:

I consider the labelled or banded end of an interconnect cable to be the source end. Is this the generally accepted norm? Some cables are just plain. But when you purchase cables with a band or label at one end, often this means something, but they rarely tell you what. Somewhere along the way I think someone told me that this is the source end. Thank you!
poetcatullus
tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,484 posts
 
As mentioned most are not directional. If they are new, you should decide on a direction and keep that methodology from then on.

In all honesty, I doubt that only a bat with "Golden Ears" or a highly sensitive piece of measuring equipment would detect a difference!

Happy Listening!
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Its easy enough to find out. What kind of cables are they?
ghasley
2,487 posts
 
LOL...sometimes they will use an odd number of letters in their cable model nomenclature to indicate current flow....or was it even.....hmmm....I'm sure it will sound better if I could just remember the direction. Come on folks, really? Has this hobby come to this?
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
just to complicate things, w/some cable manufacturers, directionality refers to where the shielding is connected, if at all.
tls49's avatar
tls49
1,351 posts
 
If the cable contains multiple conductors (signal & ground) and a shield, the shield is connected to ground on the sending end only. On the receiving end, shield remains open with no connection. Arrows will point in the direction of signal flow toward the receiving component.

With coax type cable, I have no idea why there would be any directionally,
other than “audio fashion.” Company ABC adds arrows to their cables
because Company XYZ has them.
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