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Directionality of wire

I am a fan of Chris Sommovigo's Black Cat and Airwave interconnects. I hope he does not mind me quoting him or naming him on this subject, but Chris does not mark directionality of his IC's. I recently wrote him on the subject and he responded that absent shunting off to ground/dialectric designs, the idea of wire directionality is a complete myth. Same with resistors and fuses. My hunch is that 95% of IC "manufacturers", particularly the one man operations of under $500 IC's mark directionality because they think it lends the appearance of technical sophistication and legitimacy. But even among the "big boys", the myth gets thrown around like so much accepted common knowledge. Thoughts? Someone care to educate me on how a simple IC or PC or speaker cable or fuse without a special shunting scheme can possibly have directionality? It was this comment by Stephen Mejias (then of Audioquest and in the context of Herb Reichert's review of the AQ Niagra 1000) that prompts my question;

Thank you for the excellent question. AudioQuest provided an NRG-10 AC cable for the evaluation. Like all AudioQuest cables, our AC cables use solid conductors that are carefully controlled for low-noise directionality. We see this as a benefit for all applications -- one that becomes especially important when discussing our Niagara units. Because our AC cables use conductors that have been properly controlled for low-noise directionality, they complement the Niagara System’s patented Ground-Noise Dissipation Technology. Other AC cables would work, but may or may not allow the Niagara to reach its full potential. If you'd like more information on our use of directionality to minimize the harmful effects of high-frequency noise, please visit http://www.audioquest.com/directionality-its-all-about-noise/ or the Niagara 1000's owner's manual (available on our website).

Thanks again.

Stephen Mejias
AudioQuest


Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-15-audioquest-niagara-1000-hifiman-he1000-v2-p...


128x128fsonicsmith
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
I really am sorry you were unable to get good results with wire directionality. Please give my condolences to your ears.

stfoth
435 posts
 
My stone ears and crappy system appreciate the sentiment, but it is unnecessary, as gratuitous as it is.  Already conceded, for various reasons, that my personal inability to have discerned a sonic improvement by flipping cables proves nothing and only serves as one support of personal skepticism.  Others claim they have.  For those with no skin in the game, I have no reason to doubt they believe it or have actually realized a benefit.  The skepticism is on the notion that all cables are inherently and audibly directional.  That some folks hear a change by flipping cables, doesn't prove inherent directionality, and it certainly doesn't disprove that there could be myriad other causes for the perception. 

You tried to take a swipe to demand my test and test results.  I laid bare that, of course, I have no such thing and would be unqualified for such an endeavor, in any event.

Little would please me more in the hobby than to obtain a sonic benefit, even a slight one, and definitely to the extent some have claimed to have realized (on par with upgrading speakers and amps), by something free and as quick as redirecting wire.

My "God" question was somewhat rhetorical--simply to illustrate that it seems some folks on both "sides" of this are so married to their respective positions that nothing, even God (should one assume he exists, is trustworthy, and is indeed all-knowing), might convince them otherwise.  The non-rhetorical intent is just a question about who is more stubborn.  I think I gave you more credit than due by actually re-reading it after you somehow perceived it as "the ultimate naysayer" argument.  There is nothing "naysayer" about it, and it's actually quite neutral.

I don't follow your logic, and it seems you don't follow mine, unless you are being purposefully obtuse.  Which one of us is Vizzini, Westley, or even Vezzik?  Hell, I don't know.

And, dude, what is your fascination with sheep?


georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
And, dude, what is your fascination with sheep?
He maybe a New Zealander? They have a thing with sheep. 

Cheers George
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
782 posts
 
@terry9 

Thank you sir.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
stfroth, 

I feel your pain. Feel free to unload your angst and disappointment here any time. My door is always open. 
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