Directional wires/cables

I guess I’m in the "It’s mostly BS" camp and I’ll leave it at that…I like to be proven wrong as it means that I got to learn something. I still question burn in with cables as this suggests that they will change with use. I’m pretty skeptical on that but there are folks who claim to hear them change so, who knows.

As far as my understanding, some interconnects are grounded or shielded on one end so are designed to be used in one direction but could be wrong with that. But one day I inadvertently installed my digital cable backwards and my system sounded totally broken and I was panicked. I fairly quickly realized my mistake and when I reversed that interconnect everything was great again. I don’t know whether it was the cable’s construction or whether it had been burned in that way, but the difference was severe and unmistakable. For whatever reason, ignore directionality at your peril.

As soon as electrons become sentient and can discern differences in metal, then directional cables may be a thing. Until then, even a basic understanding of electricity would tell you it's 100% marketing and makes 0% difference in the sound you hear.

I wouldn’t buy a cable based on whether it  it was directional or not, but if it was, why not follow the manufacturers instructions?

@soix  -  if a cable is shielded, then it should only be grounded on one end, usually on the source side.  If you ground both sides, then you are creating another full circuit and turning it into an antenna.

@billpete  -  I worked for company for 32 years that made speciality metal alloy wire, tubing and machined parts for the medical device market.  I was the 5th employee of what is the world leader in the market.  And I have drawn my share of both.  (FYI, the process of making metal tubing and wire from larger diameters, is to "draw" it, not to extrude it.  Extrusion is usually only done from the cast initial billet of metal by pushing it through a die.  In drawing the metal is pulled through the die.)

In a nutshell, the reason for the directionally of electrical flow is due to what is called the grain structure of the metal.  (Think of it like the cells in a leaf.)  As the material is drawn smaller and smaller, the grains become elongated (smaller and thinner) and pointed in the direction of the drawing force. The surface of the material is also undergoing changes in stresses.   And since electrons move along the surface of the metal, when they hit the grain boundries and jump to the next grain, it affects the electrical flow.  Thus, the electrons will flow smoother in one direction better than the other.

@roadcykler  -  Not to start a war here, but it is physics not sentienticy, and grain configuration/stresses in the metal do affect electron flow.  And that can be tested and measured.  A classic measurement is to take a straight wire and measure the resistance.  Now take that same wire and bend into a tight curve.  The resistance will go up because you are stressing the metal where the electrons flow across.

I use Kimber Silver Streak(s)  all the way through (CDP-pre-amp) and this thread got me curious, and from the searches that I did they were saying that the heat shrinked "Silver Streak" logo around the cable should read so that the 'S' is at the end that the source is on.  I just went and checked and that's the way I have mine; I don't remember if those cables came with directions with them and that's why I had them all pointed that way, or if it was just by coincidence.

And actually I do remember, many many moons ago, hearing or reading that cables are directional, but that over time it would "learn" the other direction.  "I don't think "learn" is the term that was used, but it's the best I can think of at the moment.