I have reason to believe that direction may make a small difference, perhaps only on the better cables. Those I've tried didn't have arrows on them though.
Maybe just a favor to the portion of customers unable to make head or fairy tail of them ?
Hi TG,
Absolutely. But be sure, I am NOT going to try to discredit any test with arguments that the cable wasn't reasonably engineered. I am looking forward to this test, and the way it is developing and being organised will mean that it cannot be brushed aside easily, whatever the outcome. You guys are doing something very special and important.
That said, if the outcome is that differences can be heard, there will ALWAYS be someone who will say, yeah, well, with MY cables you WOULD NOT have heard a difference. And vice versa of course. That cannot be avoided, you can't test all cables in the world.
So, my remark was probably a bit thoughtless, but I support your test, and the outcome whatever it is, completely.
jd
Last edited:
To me this suggests that one end of the cable must somehow be different to the other, which reacts differently with the source and the load. The idea that the music wants to go in one direction more than the other is an odd idea as it is going in both directions no matter which way the cable is connected.
On the arrows, if I was making cables and I wanted to cater for those who thought it important, but did not want to alienate people like myself I would mark the ends with dots not arrows.
On those Audioquest cables which are marked with arrows, do you or anyone else know how the direction of the arrows is established?
If I remember well,years ago I've read (don't remember if it was from audioquest)that it has to do with the way metal is melt and drawn.This I've read creates some sort of asymmetrical shape to the metal crystals and that they(manufacturers) prefer one direction to the other.Many also say it has to do with which side the shield is connected,although strangely,audioquest were connecting shield at the end of their interconnects contrary to the majority of others who are connecting the shield at the begining (source)end of the cable.I don't know if they are still connecting shield this way now.Who knows?
No, now you mention it I believe that if the earth is connected differently at one end, then the arrows can indicate this. I was thinking of coax ICs earthed the same at each end. Studio guys will know all about this??
The use of arrows on coax cables may have to do with the story with the crystals?Years ago I bought a cd player-not anything special-and I was laughing for a week when I saw the arrows on the coax IC that came with it.Arrows were pointing in all four RCA's towards the center pin direction of the RCA's
Really.Bi-directional IC ? HahahahaI have seen some balanced IC with RCA's that have shield connected at both ends.Is there any reason for this?
Last edited:
The presence of the arrow on the cable jacket doesn't necessary mean the cable manufacturer is endorsing "cable directionality".
There are cables that are asymmetrically built. A classic example is a RCA balanced to single ended phono cable, where the shield is connected to the ground wire at the TT end only. Without the arrow, it would be very difficult to identify the cable end that is to be connected to the TT.
I feel the same about it, although I've tried my speaker cables a few times in both directions (they are made with shorter leads on one side) I've left them the opposite direction of what I've normally used them. Let me put it this way to prevent WW3, I think I hear better ambience and a little more flesh on the instruments.
You think the dots will sound better than arrows?
No idea.
The IC's I use have arrows because the screen is only connected on one side.
@ Panicos
I made up some coax ICs and I had the drum. So, like the tweaky guy that you know I am, I cut two lengths and laid them side by side and put a ring of heatshrink on each length on the end that came off the drum first, so I could relax knowing that I had both cables matched for direction. I still use them today and those little bands are always together at the source or the load.
A friend saw them and said, "you don't believe in that rubbish do you?"
"Of course not" I said.
"Then why have you marked the cables and matched their direction?"
I said, "the funny thing is, it works whether you believe in it or not."
cheers
I made up some coax ICs and I had the drum. So, like the tweaky guy that you know I am, I cut two lengths and laid them side by side and put a ring of heatshrink on each length on the end that came off the drum first, so I could relax knowing that I had both cables matched for direction. I still use them today and those little bands are always together at the source or the load.
A friend saw them and said, "you don't believe in that rubbish do you?"
"Of course not" I said.
"Then why have you marked the cables and matched their direction?"
I said, "the funny thing is, it works whether you believe in it or not."
cheers
Don't mention the war. Flesh on the instruments.... Crikey mate! Alice Cooper?......Let me put it this way to prevent WW3, I think I hear better ambience and a little more flesh on the instruments.
You would probably think the sound was rounder.You think the dots will sound better than arrows?
Thought so.
Guess not, I was just jumping to erroneous conclusions....not like me at all.
@ Panicos
I made up some coax ICs and I had the drum. So, like the tweaky guy that you know I am, I cut two lengths and laid them side by side and put a ring of heatshrink on each length on the end that came off the drum first, so I could relax knowing that I had both cables matched for direction. I still use them today and those little bands are always together at the source or the load.
A friend saw them and said, "you don't believe in that rubbish do you?"
"Of course not" I said.
"Then why have you marked the cables and matched their direction?"
I said, "the funny thing is, it works whether you believe in it or not."
cheers
At least you know that both point at the same direction........just in caseYes I think that is how it works. I can relax......put on music......ahh a thing of beauty. But I must be careful not to get too tweaky, as with a long list it is very easy to overlook one little detail that could prove fatal, knowing this makes it harder to really relax. I just love this hobby!
Maybe i misinterpret the mentioned special case, but if it is the connection of an ungrounded source (means the pickup coils) to a grounded receiver than the starting point should be to ground the shield (of the twisted pair) at the receiver to minimize common impedance coupling of any shield current.
Wishes
You are right, it's the other way around. The shield and ground are connected together to the pre input.
Nevertheless, this is the kind of connection that justifies the arrow on the cable jacket, and most likely this is where the "cable directionality" urban legend started.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.