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cable directionality

I've always heard that single-ended, directional interconnects (e.g., AudioQuests) should be installed with the arrows pointing away from the source. Is that really true, though? It seems like it actually doesn't have much to do with signal travel, but with grounding: normally, the shield is connected to ground at the end the arrow points toward. Therefore, it seems that the cables should actually be installed with the arrows pointing toward the system ground (normally the preamp). This makes a difference (or does it?) for the cables between the preamp and power amp. What about directional speaker cables? Should the arrows point back toward the preamp, too?
ezside
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Fortunately it rarely makes any differencs!!

I once installed shielded 300 ohm twinlead (not a common wire) for a TV, and was surprised to discover that the "proper" grounding for the shield was not grounded at either end.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
I always use the direction of the signal from front end to amps. The most satisfying rule probably should be what sounds best, but some cables don't mind which way you use them but switching them around makes them sound worse at least for a while.

Most preamps in my experience are ungrounded making the star grounding idea impossible.

Recently I have just followed the manufacturer's directions, which are usually one of two: it doesn't matter but don't change or source to load.
nerspellsner
41 posts
 
I understand that sometimes the arrow indicates the direction the cable came off the cable machine and nothing else.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Nerspellsner, this may be true but the manufacturer may find that all important. Most do not go to the extremes that Mikro Omega does and construct cables with the direction of both the hot and neutral taken into consideration. The way they came out of the wire machine is reversed for the two.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I do know that in the case of Magnan's and Purist Audio Design's single ended IC's, the shields are connected at the arrow TAIL end of the cable.
Nsgarch (System | Threads | Answers)

I know that in my system, connecting the source-to-preamp Purist interconnect with the arrows pointing away from the preamp sounds best, and this seems to coincide with Nsgarch's comment that the arrow head points away from the end with the shield (hence the arrow Tail end of the cable is the end with the shield connected). Do I have this correctly? The Purist arrows point toward the source end? This is so counterintuitive that it's virtually impossible for me to remember.
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