SOURCE DIRECTION ?

edited July 2011 in Digital
Hi Guys,

Does anyone know which way the direction of a cable should be to source between a dac and amp ?
To me the source would be the dac but am i correct !

Cheers,  Scotty

Comments

  • I would say the DAC was the source.....
  • I'd go along with that, too.
  • it's irrelevant as cables don't have audiable directionality  X_X
  • You are correct, it's like plumbing! The signal 'flows' from source to speakers, and it's probably worth setting everything (like cables with arrows on them) up properly the first time, even if it sounds no different.
  • it's irrelevant as cables don't have audiable directionality  X_X
    Shhhh! We don't want to go there :-)
  • Thanks to all that took the time to reply.

    The reason i asked is that since moving from naim to a valve amp and going the mac route - i have been playing around with cables and was always under the impression that the marker goes at the source end ie a cd player etc but since im running a macbook with a dac the mac is really the source.

    I have the marker on the dac end which to me would be in this set up the source.

    Will have a play around later and switch cable direction and will let you know my findings.

    Scotty

  • It sounds as if you've gone a similar way to me Scotty. I recently offloaded all of my Naim kit and went for a valve amp with my MAC/DAC combo. I couldn't be happier and am no longer thinking about upgrades (except for turntable upgrades that is....... :-)
  • Monty,

    I agree in the fact that i would not go back as im so happy with my valve set up that all thoughts of power lines or power supplies etc have gone out the window........thank f**k !!

    The LP12 sounds particularly sublime with the valve amp.

    Looking at your set up have you tried different speaker cables as i use Zu Wax cables after running naca5 for years and am very happy with the improvement.

    Set up: Macbook pro /Pure music  -  Weiss dac2  - Graaf GM50b - Kudos C20's

    Linn LP12/aro/dvxx2/Ios/lingo2

    Best regards,  Scotty

  • Scotty if the cable construction is asymmetrical, ie it has a floating screen/gnd at one end then it will be directional and you could hear an effect. If it is just two bits of wire connected at both ends then there is no directionality possible.
  • Hi Scotty

    I've not tried new cables yet. I'm waiting until I move house as if if buy now I can guarantee I won't buy cables long enough!

    Will check out the Zu cables you mention when I'm sorted

    Thanks, Adrian
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