There is a genuine engineering reason to put arrows on cables, especially balanced cables. To avoid ground loops, you should not connect the screen to signal ground at both sides, but only at the sending side. Since you can't really see on the outside at which end the screen is connected, manufacturers started to put arrows on the cable indicating which end should be a the send end and vice versa.
As so often happens in areas where the public doesn't really understand the technology, savvy businessmen hitched on the idea and started selling 'directional' cables that were total nonsense like speaker cables and non-balanced and single-screened cables.
Also predictably, users started to report significant sound differences between directional and non-directional cables, where the only difference was an arrow label on the outside.
And so it goes ....
Jan
As so often happens in areas where the public doesn't really understand the technology, savvy businessmen hitched on the idea and started selling 'directional' cables that were total nonsense like speaker cables and non-balanced and single-screened cables.
Also predictably, users started to report significant sound differences between directional and non-directional cables, where the only difference was an arrow label on the outside.
And so it goes ....
Jan
Mate, what part of the fact that AC moves in both directions you do not understand?
Even if you can speculate about cables to have a specific/preferred direction, let's put it this way......
In a complete AC cycle, half the cycle Current flows "forward" and half the cycle current flows "backwards", (this is not up for debate).
Now let's assume that you put the cable in the "correct", arrow showing way, it will be "correct" let's say for the "forward" half cycle and "wrong" for "backwards" half cycle, so overall it will be 50% correct.....
Now let's turn the same cable the other way around...
it will be "correct" for the "backwards" half cycle and "wrong" for "forward" half cycle, so overall it will be 50% correct..... AGAIN...
What's the difference?
What you said is not "directivity". It's "ground shielding". For example, speaker cables has no "balance". I don't recall a "balance" speaker cable.
More of your pure and idiotic crap Jan.
I have yet to see pro balanced XLR cable with shield NOT connected at both ends, I dare you to try it with a dynamic mic and see how much hum/buzz you get, and a phantom powered mic plain won't work.
Just where do you come up with this moronic kind of tripe ?.
Dan.
Don't take the tone of the message personally Jan, it's just intended as an example of how you sound all too often and how threads are allowed to degenerated generally around here, often with your encouragement.
First off I'm not your mate, especially after the tone of your post.
AC 'current flow' is not the same as energy flow, ie energy flow is directional from source to load regardless of current direction or conductors direction.
IME there is audibly different energy transfer according to cable assy direction and one will sound more acceptable than the other direction.
Like I suggest wire interconnect or speaker cable directions opposite for L & R channels and take a listen.
It might take you a few tracks to 'get' the sound difference but once you do hear the difference you will form a preference.
Try this experiment instead of arguing about it, you may learn something new !.
Dan.
In XLR and PA world you don't get the opportunity to swap cable directions so you wouldn't know if there was any difference.
Once again agreement without experiment, no wonder there is so much confusion in the audio world.
Dan.
Sorry if you're offended about my tone, English is not my native language, it's a work in progress and haven't learned to put the correct tone into words yet.
I've tried your proposed experiment numerous times in the local hi-fi group, I even placed a 1000euros as reward to ANYONE who can hear differences due to cable direction, ANY cable, still got the money in my pocket.
I know we are worlds apart but you're free to try your luck too....
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Ohh, here and there. Dean Jensen from Jensen transformer, Bill Whitlock, Rane corporation, my own author Hans Polak. No big names. Just people who try it, test it, and find out what works best and sounds best. Neil Muncy. The AES Standards Study Group. Amateurs really compared by you I'm afraid.
Can't seem to find a snake oil salesman when you need 'm ;-)
Jan
I understand your misgivings about "directivity". How do you measure it? How do you quantify "directivity"?
Do human being hearing can even listen or tell the difference about "directivity"? I mean does it even matter? If a tree fell in a forest and you didn't see it, then does it exist?
But since you bought the cables and seen to like then, it's moot.
I think we should separate between "cable shielding" and intrinsic "directivity". I am not saying "directivity" exists, but at least we should separate these two issues.
Ok, apology accepted, let's move on.
Ok, you are pro audio production guy, you ought to be sensitive to fine pan positional changes and final tonal changes.
Next time you try the experiment do as I suggest and you ought to find that center image shifts sideways a little and balance/pan control does not fix this issue.
Also the channels will be subtly different tonally and timbre.....more to do with noise floor changes than the full amplitude sounds and of course eq will also not fix this situation.
Like I said once you 'get it' don't tell your friends at your local hi-fi group what to listen for or you will be sure to part with your money......next time I am in Greece I should pop in for a listen and claim your reward.
Dan.
Deal, one condition, you fail to find it, beers and pizza on you...
(Don't want to ruin the ancient Greek concept of hospitality by taking your money.
)Homemade cables can have similar quality to expensive bought cables. To get better cables you may have to come down in price to the market region where engineering is still done, rather than story writing.andy2 said:
Max H has his own private version of physics and information theory; this needs to be taken into account when reading his posts.
There are some pro experts (Bill Whitlock, past co-chair of the AES, EMI/RFI committee) that make a strong case for only connecting the balanced shield at the send end. There are other pro experts that make a strong case for connecting the shield at both ends.
The one end only people often use a hybrid shield connection at the receive end. It's a small RF capacitor.
Note that a microphone cable for a phantom powered mic, requires the shield be connected at both ends.
What do physics have to do with hearing? I've made my own cables and they sound just as good. I don't recall learning anything about "hearing" and "musicality" or "transparency" in physics.
As everyone is aware, there are many forums that do not allow cable threads. We also remind you how easily they come off the rails. First member to cross the line will close the thread and ride the pine for an extended period.
The Mod team trusts you understand this.
Back to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress.
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