Question regardin 'directional' cables
Mathew Newton
I've got a question and I'm sure this *must* be the place to find the
answer..
Could anyone please tell me how a cable can be 'directional'?
The way I see it is that the signals on the cable are AC and so surely the
electrons are passing in both directions alternately - am I wrong? If this
*is* the case then how can a cable be said to operate better in one particular
direction?
Regards,
Mathew
______________________________________________
Mathew Newton MEng Electronic Eng. Student
E-Mail : eey...@nottingham.ac.uk
H/Page: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~eeykmjn
c/o Dept. Elec. Eng., University of Nottingham
University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, ENGLAND
Frank Hamlett
A lot of audio cables have a floating ground (ground should be connected at the
source end). This causes the cable to sound different in one direction as opposed
to the other.
Frank
Edward Derson Hou
On Mon, 23 Mar 1998, Mathew Newton wrote:
> I've got a question and I'm sure this *must* be the place to find the
> answer..
>
> Could anyone please tell me how a cable can be 'directional'?
>
> The way I see it is that the signals on the cable are AC and so surely the
> electrons are passing in both directions alternately - am I wrong? If this
> *is* the case then how can a cable be said to operate better in one particular
> direction?
>
> Regards,
For the most part, non-network cables don't sound significantly different
in either direction. This includes most general purpose, mass market
cables.
However the cables with terminator boxes or varying filter devices are
usually optimized to get better sound out of the destination end, if
marked. My expereinces with MIT, Transparent show that using them the
"correct" way results in better focus and tonality.
If you're curious, I'd suggest inquiring directly to the manufacturers who
make the cable.
-Eddie
Peter Corey
Mon, 23 Mar 98 22:49:53 GMT
Mathew Newton wrote:
> I've got a question and I'm sure this *must* be the place to find the
> answer..
>
> Could anyone please tell me how a cable can be 'directional'?
>
> The way I see it is that the signals on the cable are AC and so surely the
> electrons are passing in both directions alternately - am I wrong? If this
> *is* the case then how can a cable be said to operate better in one particular
> direction?
>
> Regards,
>
> Mathew
>
> ______________________________________________
> Mathew Newton MEng Electronic Eng. Student
> E-Mail : eey...@nottingham.ac.uk
> H/Page: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~eeykmjn
> c/o Dept. Elec. Eng., University of Nottingham
> University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, ENGLAND
On Mon, 23 Mar 1998 23:10:44 GMT
Frank Hamlett <fham...@bellsouth.net>
Responded..............
A lot of audio cables have a floating ground (ground should be connected at
the source end). This causes the cable to sound different in one direction as
opposed to the other.
Frank
Well Mathew;
You sure did pick the right group !
Aren't you glad you asked ?
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Brian L. McCarty
In article <6f67df$e...@paperboy.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk>,
> Could anyone please tell me how a cable can be 'directional'?
It can't be, except in the marketing minds of the sellers.
The part that's even funnier are the cables that claim to have "thin, medium,
and thick" wires in each cable. . . and assert that the "highs" go down the
thin, the "mids" go down the medium, and the "bass" goes down the thick.
Guess I can throw away all my crossovers!
Brian
TimmyP
I have listened to several dozen cables (mic, line, and speaker level) and have
only found one that was not directional. (All cables were terminated
identically on both ends.) Video cables are direction as well - have a look.
Tim...@aol.com
Steve Zipser (SunshineStereo)
Brian L. McCarty wrote:
>
> In article <6f67df$e...@paperboy.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk>,
> eey...@nottingham.ac.uk (Mathew Newton) writes:
> > Could anyone please tell me how a cable can be 'directional'?
Actually, that is easy. Many cables have their sheilds connected to the
grounds at one end only, either the input or the output end only - this
affects their sensitivity to RF depending on the orientation of the
cable.
> It can't be, except in the marketing minds of the sellers.
Words of wisdom fwom our bwilliant wizard - Bwian McFarty, who has his
head owiented up hi wectum.
> The part that's even funnier are the cables that claim to have "thin, medium,
> and thick" wires in each cable. . . and assert that the "highs" go down the
> thin, the "mids" go down the medium, and the "bass" goes down the thick.
>
> Guess I can throw away all my crossovers!
Bwian - since when do your 901's have a cwossover?
> Brian
Lupine
In article <980323175...@earthlink.net>, opera...@worldjazz.com
(Brian L. McCarty) wrote:
> In article <6f67df$e...@paperboy.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk>,
> eey...@nottingham.ac.uk (Mathew Newton) writes:
> > Could anyone please tell me how a cable can be 'directional'?
>
> It can't be, except in the marketing minds of the sellers.
I guess you are ignorant of the possible differences in ground terminations
of cables then, eh?
ShLampen
In article <6f67df$e...@paperboy.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk>, eey...@nottingham.ac.uk
(Mathew Newton) writes:
>I've got a question and I'm sure this *must* be the place to find the
>answer..
>
>Could anyone please tell me how a cable can be 'directional'?
>
You might be interested to check out the next issue of Speaker Builder Magazine
which will have the conclusion of a two-year double-blind study to determine if
"directionality" exists as a manufactured part of speaker wire.
Steve Lampen
Technology Development Manager
Belden Wire & Cable Co.
Richmond, Indiana
www.belden.com
ShLampen
>The part that's even funnier are the cables that claim to have "thin, medium,
>
>and thick" wires in each cable. . . and assert that the "highs" go down the
>thin, the "mids" go down the medium, and the "bass" goes down the thick.
The best reaction to this I ever read (maybe you saw it too) was the customer
who then suggested that he hook up that speaker cable to an AC plug, plug it in
the wall, and the salesman could hold on to just the small wires (which, of
course, would not pass 60 Hz). Ha, ha!!
MtryCraft
shla...@aol.com (ShLampen) wrote:
>Date: Sun, Apr 5, 1998 5:39 PM
>Message-id: <199804051739...@ladder03.news.aol.com>
>In article <980323175...@earthlink.net>, >opera...@worldjazz.com
(Brian
>L. McCarty) writes:
>>The part that's even funnier are the cables that claim to have "thin, medium,
>
>>and thick" wires in each cable. . . and assert that the "highs" go down the
>>thin, the "mids" go down the medium, and the "bass" goes down the thick.
>The best reaction to this I ever read (maybe you saw it too) was the >customer
>who then suggested that he hook up that speaker cable to an AC plug, plug >it
in
>the wall, and the salesman could hold on to just the small wires (which, of
>course, would not pass 60 Hz). Ha, ha!!
I think I read an article about that salesman. It was under the obituary
colums. You should have read all the adjectives used about his wire
experiment.;-)