BS TO directionality! I RECAL AUDIOHOLICS SAID IT WAS bs
AND THEY TESTED THE AQ cables w/ the battery and they made MORE noise w/a battery installed than not ! AQ cables are proven to be snake oil rip off it's like Bernie Madoff figured out how to scam and not get in legal trouble ! LOL
but you will hear the cult members insist they work reminds me of Scientologists!
cryo ? may work many famous indy car engine builders use it has LONG history of believers i heard of it w/ race engines 50 years ago!
I understand GR research offers it ( cryo ) free if you get cables fr them and theirs are awesome and actually a bargain! & NOT SNAKE OIL! ck them out ! I think I read iF YOU GET THEIR diy CABLE KIT AND MAKE SOME DIY YOU CAN SEND YOURS AND THEY WILL INCLUDE THEM IN A CRYO TREATMENT FREE?
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The brands of interconnects with directionality, as specified by the manufacturer, that I have, have all stated that the reason for the directionality is that the shield is grounded at the source end and is floating at the destination end.
This reason makes sense to me, from an interference shielding reasoning.
None of these brands have claimed that the reason for the directionality is that it is about a specific grain structure.
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@audioman58 -
The nitrogen atmosphere in the drawing process is to prevent the surface of the copper from oxidizing. If the surface is oxidized, it will have a higher hardness level and create smaller grain sizes when drawn. Smaller the grain size, the bigger the impact on the electron flow.
There are a lot of good videos on Youtube about "wire drawing" if interested.
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Matthew,
I've been told the same thing by a different cable company. When reading the writing, the flow is left to right.
As for the "learning" the direction, I've heard that as well. While electron flow over time will affect the grain structure and stresses, It would take a LOT of continous current (high amperage) and building up of heat to completely alter the structure (i.e. annealing the metal). Minor changes (key word being minor), that is dependant on the material, impurities, and initial grain size, but does happen. Thus the infamous cable "break-in" period.
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If dealing with -0 Crystal Copper or 6-9s pure it’s drawn in a specific type procedure in a nitrogen atmosphere , I don’t know the exact procedure ,there are only a handfully of foundries that do this.and drawn in that specific direction , and slightly better they say the cable needs to be first run in , then maybe compare it would not be a huge difference maybe low level detail. I will inquire though for my own curiosity , my WireWorld Eclipse cables have the arrow going from the amplifier to the Loudspeakers ,and many others do this also.
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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.
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@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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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Some cables are shielded in such a way to be directional as well. One end may be grounded and other is floating for instance.
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Interesting that he is not a big advocate but says he has heard the difference. I do understand if they are made in such a way that it's intended to be used one way or the other, that it may be more important. It is also interesting to note that he says wire should be used to coincide with the way it was extruded. Most of us will never know how it was made. His suggestion to listen and see if you can hear a difference, makes some sense. If there is anything to it in those cases (IC's without arrows), maybe we just solved how the wire was extruded. I'd be surprised if I can hear that difference but I'll sure try it. Unlike most people, 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.Thanks for all the comments.
Bill
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Some cables are directional and it isn't BS. If they are made from solid core material and cold extruded through progressive dies, the cold forming alters the grain structure in the material and stretches them. The grain lines up better in the direction of the extrusion and therefore the flow of current.
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Try them both directions and decide which sounds better to use. There is no right or wrong way.
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Thanks
Some interesting reading. As always, some different opinions on the subject. I guess I'm in the "It's mostly BS" camp and I'll leave it at that.
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