I need help on directionality of speaker cables

I always place arrows or use another identifying mark to show the direction in which the signal flows [source to preamp to amp to speakers].

In case you ever disconnect your cables, you won't have to worry about another "burn-in". And if you use XLR connections, they will only go one way.

Depends whether you bought the cables new or used. I bought my Nordost SPM cables brand new, and they suggested either way is fine, but after sticking to the direction of flow for a certain period you have to continue running in that direction for best results. I've used mine with the arrows pointing from the speakers to the amp.

If you bought it used, it's best if you find out from the seller which direction he had adopted.

Ryder and Fatparrot, how do you reconcile your statements that the current flows in one direction with the fact that the current actually reverses its flow continuously and variably from 20 to 20000 times a second.
Bob P.

Oh my...the measurists are out in THIS thread.

Do you guys ever LISTEN CAREFULLY to this stuff? And even if you do and hear no difference, do you believe that no difference exists...that is, that NO ONE can hear a difference? (That really is a question.)
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Bob,

Since you've called upon me, I've to do a bit of homework. A quick search got me to an article by Stereophile written by Robert Harley on the effects of cable directionality in digital cables. To summarize, he not only heard a difference in sound directionality but had done measurements to see the RMS jitter drop when he reversed the cable direction. He did the tests five times each on three different cables.

http://www.stereophile.com/features/368/index3.html

The measurements done confirmed the reports of the critical listeners that digital interconnects sound different when connected in different directions. There are many interesting variables mentioned as well in affecting the directionality such as how the two RCA plugs were soldered to the cable, any bumps or discontinuities in the solder that will cause a change in characteristic impedance etc.

I believe this report may apply to all cables and not only to digital cable.

Another note in Nordost webpage on the importance of cable directionality that some of you may treat as a marketing ploy.

http://www.nordost.com/faq/morefaq.cfm?startrow=3&maxrows=2

I would rather not to comment on whether I heard a difference when I changed the directions of my speaker cables as this may be like asking a question of whether you would hear a difference with power cords. I would suggest to try it out yourself and see. IF you can't hear a difference that let that be it.