|
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I have a question regarding cables clearly indicating that the signal should flow in a specific direction, i.e., with arrows pointing to which ends should go to the instrument and amp. Are these cables really unidirectional? Does it really matter? I'm no electrical engineer, but my rudimentary understanding of electronics suggests there really shouldn't be any difference. I notice this language on Monster cables and a few others. Am I missing something here? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | how do the wire know?
buy cables with good ends and good wire.
C B I is one of the best
good wire good connections no problems |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1127
Location: NW Washington State | The cable can't be "unidirectional" and pass the AC signal from your guitar. It's possible that they have done something like lifting the shield at one end with the idea of limiting ground loops or noise. Does it sound any different when you plug it in "backwards"?
Monster Cables claims for their audio cables are full of complete BS and voodoo nonsense. Wouldn't surprise me if their instrument cables carry the same marketing spoo. Of course guitarists are much less gullible than those audiophools, so we wouldn't fall for that stuff.
-Steve W. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by alpep:
how do the wire know? That was my point exactly. I just don't have Al's skill in asking the question so succinctly. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 398
Location: So. Cal. | There are many discussion on this subject in the world of audiophiles. "Burn-in" effect (most people seems to think this is BS) - new cable works either way, then it settles in one-way and works somewhat better than reversing direction. Connections (similar to what numbfingers pointed out) being different on the ends. Cable sheath and material bearing some (again, disputed) preferences.
In conclusion, a lot of the cables do have directional markings but few people agree on why. Some people always follow the arrows and others ignore them. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2009
Posts: 143
Location: Ontario Canada | Working for the Bell Phone System for 34 years I was exposed to all manner of courses regarding sound and the transmission of same. I would agree with most others here, to limit a positive or negative the diode installation would merely have to be reversed one way or the other. I have never seen any such sheenanigans with guitar cables I have come across. We all know that the AC signal is not governed by the DC signal characteristics. Remember the decibel was named after Alexander Graham Bell.(1847--1922)
My grandkids are deaf because of their high levels of music at the rock concerts they attend.
Jim |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | "Uni-Directional Guitar Cables"
- from the makers of "StringTubes" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by playadamas:
Some people always follow the arrows The same people who need shoes marked "TGIF". |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4064
Location: Utah | I believe that some of the cables have dual shielding with the guitar end lifted from ground. It in effect provides a signal ground common to both ends, but not an earth ground. The idea is to prevent a ground loop in the shielding. If you use the cable the wrong way, your shield is grounded to the guitar not the amp, potentially allowing hum into the shield. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Shoes with "Thank God It's Friday"?? . . . |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | cables with FTFF |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Cliff, having been Polish all my life, I know that on SHOES, it means "Toes go in first". |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2009
Posts: 143
Location: Ontario Canada | Originally posted by FlySig:
I believe that some of the cables have dual shielding with the guitar end lifted from ground. It in effect provides a signal ground common to both ends, but not an earth ground. The idea is to prevent a ground loop in the shielding. If you use the cable the wrong way, your shield is grounded to the guitar not the amp, potentially allowing hum into the shield. Hello FlySig,
You have it nailed very accurately, we used to experience the guitar being "live" on a foggy damp night at an outdoor venue. Whenever the cable was reversed...end of hum and tingling shocks.
Jim. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
Cliff, having been Polish all my life, I know that on SHOES, it means "Toes go in first". I'm Polish, but I never knew what that meant. My mother isn't Polish, but as we established in the other thread, she has dEmentia and probably just forgot to tell us what that meant on our shoes. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | sound like a marketing gimic |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1127
Location: NW Washington State | Originally posted by Jimbob:
Originally posted by FlySig:
I believe that some of the cables have dual shielding with the guitar end lifted from ground. It in effect provides a signal ground common to both ends, but not an earth ground. The idea is to prevent a ground loop in the shielding. If you use the cable the wrong way, your shield is grounded to the guitar not the amp, potentially allowing hum into the shield. Hello FlySig,
You have it nailed very accurately, we used to experience the guitar being "live" on a foggy damp night at an outdoor venue. Whenever the cable was reversed...end of hum and tingling shocks.
Jim. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Now then .. has No-one Noticed that little MAGNET on them Monitor cables that connects Comp. screens to Computers .. ?? .. YES !! .. Magnetic Molecules get AIMED into A Direction .. AVOIDING Magnetic Distortion .. But WHY Ask here .. ?? .. How About asking US in APPROPRIATE Web-Sites ....
Vic |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 766
Location: New Hampsha | Originally posted by FlicKreno aka Solid Top:
Now then .. has No-one Noticed that little MAGNET on them Monitor cables that connects Comp. screens to Computers .. ?? .. YES !! .. Magnetic Molecules get AIMED into A Direction .. AVOIDING Magnetic Distortion .. But WHY Ask here .. ?? .. How About asking US in APPROPRIATE Web-Sites ....
Vic Don't bother me - I'm still checking if my shoes are on right.... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | What does the big L and R mean on the bottom of the shoes? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | TGIF. "Toes Go In First." |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2009
Posts: 143
Location: Ontario Canada | Originally posted by Beal:
What does the big L and R mean on the bottom of the shoes? L is for loosen this one.
R is for retie this one. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | It's just that the o, s, and e wore off that your buddies wrote on the bottom after your bachelor party. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 179
Location: Central Florida | I try to avoid all those cables with 90 degree ends. They slow your signal way down when it has to turn that sharp corner.
Otto
. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | The curly ones are great for slapback reverb. I get a 10ms delay from those. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
Cliff, having been Polish all my life, I know that on SHOES, it means "Toes go in first". True. Written on undergarments worn by blondes, it's sightly different. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 179
Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by Waskel:
The curly ones are great for slapback reverb. I get a 10ms delay from those. I just get a 30yr flashback from those.
Otto
. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Awwwww....the days of the big stack.
Who knew back then you could actually play rock and be cool with just a Fender Twin. |
|
| |
Uni-directional guitar cables