How can I tell directionality of Acoustic Research Pro II Series interconnects?

I've read a comment that these were directional, but I can't figure it out...
(Bought used, so no packaging.)

 

Does it have anything printed on the jacket? Generally, the current flows in the direction of the writing.

 

Is it possible to undo the RCA barrell to see the wiring and solder joints? If so, the end where the shield is soldered to the negative pin (usually the barrel of the RCA inner body) should plug into the source. If it's directional, the other end would not have the shield soldered at all, to float the ground along the shield (this is my layman interpretation at least) and that would be at the load end. If the cable is not shielded it can be a little more difficult to tell, you'd most likely have a twisted cable inside of 3 or 4 conductors, with one conductor tied to shield on one end and not on the other.

If you can't unscrew the outer RCA, it can be a little tough because a continuity check will pass anyway

 

Try 'em one way, then the other. Go with the way that sounds better.

 

If it's as I suspect in terms of directionality - one way may have slightly more noise than the other way.

 

Check!

 

Check! Both ends are soldered to the barrel, like you say. So non-directional I guess.

They sound great anyway. An impressive improvement over my old crappy ordinary interconnects, I can dig even on a super modest set-up like mine.

 

OP

https://www.amazon.com/Acoustic-Research-PR131-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B00008IOUE

It appears they are directional.

Note the cable jacket says directional. Read the customer review comments.

 

You need to look very carefully. The signal ground wire will be soldered to the RCA barrel at both ends of the cable. You need to look carefully for the shield drain wire that is only soldered at one end

 

Mine don't say directional on the jacket. And I don't see "PR131" either. Mine is actually an A/V three-cable set. It don't matter to my issue, do it?

 

...does it?

...I rechecked those terminations, and they look exactly the same on both ends (I can't photograph them at the moment, sorry!)

I guess it's possible the previous owner somehow fiddled with them (though rather neatly it seems...).

 

No, it does not. If it gives you comfort, follow my advice above.

 

I owned those interconnects many years ago. They did not have any directional markers on them.