Directionality of wire

"Herman stated recently regarding wire directionality, "if you can hear it it’s real." I hate to be the one to point this out but that’s unfortunately not really the right answer, at for the purposes of this thread, since the naysayers or skeptics whatever never try listening for directionality - or if they do they can’t hear it. So they say."

---Hey, Geoff.  I guess I'm going to take you up on your offer to unload 'angst and disappointment.'  Perceive it as you wish.  I have no reason or basis to doubt that some folks (folks with no skin in the game) when they say they hear or perceive a difference when they flip cables.  It is a giant leap from there, even if there are many folks who "hear" it, to make an unqualified claim that that proves all cables are inherently and audibly directional to the exclusion of all other possibilities.


"Wouldn't it be nice if there was an electronics textbook or a technical paper in some scientific journal that came right out and demonstrated how wire can or cannot be directional? But then all this discourse would stop."

--Did you actually just answer my previous question about what might convince pro-directionality folks that there was nothing to it?

I don't believe it would stop.  Not at all.  It would just provide something else to bicker about.  While I think it would convince some or even many skeptics or "naysayers," I don't think it would convince many pro-directionality folks.  I suspect fault would claim to be found in the methodology and/or conclusion or it would be labeled another "appeal to authority" (to which you have inexplicably developed an immunity).

I suspect most of the folks, here, are 40+.  This "debate" probably won't die until the "audiophiles" die off and become extinct.

stfroth, as always a good rant, and an entertaining one. When you imply, well you actually say, some folks hear directionality, I don’t think you fully appreciate how long this debate has been going on or just how many people have invested in aftermarket fuses since they first came out, was it Isoclean and HiFi Tuning? And they were followed by a host of others. I reckon there must be thousands of satisfied aftermarket fuse customers with probably, I’m guessing here, many hundreds of positive reports on various audio forums as well as on manufacturer websites over the years.

The other point worth making is that if you think naysayers and skeptics react vehemently to fuses and wire directionality just wait’ll ya get a load of when something really controversial and preposterous comes along. Then you'll see the fur fly. What kind of things, you ask? You know, things like tiny little holographic foils for CDs, battery powered clocks that improve the sound when placed in the room, cream electret, tiny little bowl resonantors, things of that nature.

I don't think I quite said that folks hear "directionality" in the sense you've described it.  I did say a difference after "flipping cables."  And implied that I'd have no basis to essentially call them crazy or liars.  There's difference.

Folks can hear what they hear.  Much as folks can taste what they taste.

But, you kind of seem to hear what you want to hear and read what you want to read, and I think you may be a tad nuts.  I like you.

stfroth, just for the record I haven't given a personal opinion as to what I hear with directionality one way or t'other. Heck, I don't even use fuses or cables in my system. How about them apples? Then why are you even in this thread, you ask? The action. 😛

@herman 

Thanks for your input, with which I completely agree, except for "the movement of electrons is the cause when it is the effect". In my view, the two are dual, in the mathematical sense.

I guess that comment is intended for you and Al and Ralph.