What You Need To Know About Silver And Copper In Audio

[@peterc3143]

I once heard silver interconnects hooked up with a tube amplifier, that sounded awesome

[@hank8499]

@peterc3143 I am curious if you recall if the interconnects where from the phono amp and what brand they were? Thanks

[@peterc3143]

@@hank8499 The system consisted of if memory serves me:- Rotel cd player, CR carmenta tube preamp, silver cable RCA leads by kimber Kable, musical fidelity A3cr power amp and apogee ribbon speakers. After hearing that system I thought to myself how good would a tube power amp sound. thrown in the mix as well. Though I must say that musical fidelity A3cr amp, did sound nice .

[@peterc3143]

@@hank8499 I always think tube electronics with ribbon speakers, seem to work so well together. Maybe vinyl thrown in there as well. Match made in heaven 👍

[@celloting01]

Thirty years ago, I compared copper and silver/silver plated DIY speaker cables and interconnects. Like others confirmed, silver sounds 'brighter' at the top end, but sounds cold overall and lacking body and punch at bottom end, whereas copper sounds warm, lively, punchier and overall, more realistic. I use pure copper wire from source, in my SE valve amps and in my crossover-less speakers, all the same gauge (yes, gauge is critical too!).

[@JingoLoBa57]

We have more sensitivity to timing than frequency, and in sound versus music are likely quite different. Since we largely prefer louder and vocal is our most sensitive frequency range. Context and synergy often determine impact.

[@dingskydongsky]

there should be more emphasis on the timing and coherence aspect of sound analysis. hardly anyone talks about coherence, but it's very important.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

That's right !.............timing is the first condition ! (To few know or understand it )

[@sw1xaudiodesign]

@@dingskydongsky we talk about that all the time. that is the main reason behind X-overless speaker design

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Are there any videos or any type of evidence of anyone passing a ABX blind listening test between silver and copper cables? I'd love to see some if anyone has any

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

I'd bet real money there are a ton of videos of people who can't tell the difference. Bottom line ... it's just wire.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

ABX is a wrong test method ........;there must be a puse between compring , the brain needs to reset !

[@bbfoto7248]

@@frankgeeraerts6243 That is false. Our auditory system is more easily able to detect any audible differences between two or more sounds when they are level matched and played repeatedly in quick succession, A vs. B, over a short period of time. In addition, listening to a VERY short snippet or isolated selection of the music or sound is the most effective way for our auditory system to discern any differences. Yes, listening for long periods may induce listening fatigue, but in A/B/X tests, we are talking about just a few minutes for the listening comparison. In addition, the easiest way to tell a difference between two sounds that are affected by the signal chain or speakers is to record a single instrument or voice for the comparison. IOW an isolated sound, such as a single strum of an acoustic guitar. For example, in my studio I have recorded a single hit or strike on one of each of the following: a snare drum, a rack tom, a floor tom, an "open" bass drum (no muffling), a ride cymbal, a crash cymbal, and a cow bell. The single strike includes the initial dynamic transient of the initial hit of the drumstick, followed by the main fundamental note that is produced, and then the decay of the harmonic overtones. Each of these instruments has a fundamental note or frequency combined with a complex and unique subset of harmonic overtones which our ears/brain are very sensitive to. If you take each of these single strikes of just one instrument at a time and play it continuously repeated back & forth through two different models of loudspeakers, you can instantly hear the difference that each model of loudspeaker imparts. But if I played one of these instruments on repeat for about a minute in just ONE speaker, and then waited 5 minutes before playing that same instrument on repeat through a different speaker, I am MUCH LESS likely to remember exactly what the previous one sounded like, and the specific sonic characteristic differences between them. This has been researched and it is widely known that we have relatively poor auditory memory in regards to the exact sonic details or characteristics. It is similar to the variability over time when recounting the minute details of descriptions of eyewitness accounts of "memorable" events. The problem lies in what our brains perceive or subconsciously "think" about each item or product we are testing or listening to at any given time, i.e. silver vs copper. Being human, we have biases towards certain things, otherwise known as "expectation bias" or "confirmation bias". For example, most people automatically think that a silk or fabric soft dome tweeter will ALWAYS sound "smoother" and less harsh compared to any hard metal dome tweeter. I've probably heard or read the following statement hundreds of times over the years: "I don't like the harsh metallic sound of metal dome tweeters. I prefer soft dome tweeters". This is an "expectation bias". In reality, some of the smoothest and lowest distortion tweeters are metal-based such as beryllium or mixed alloy domes, aluminum ribbon tweeters, or hard surface dome materials such as diamond diaphragms. When choosing or listening to any given set of loudspeakers, if you SEE or KNOW that they have Metal Dome Tweeters, you actually might automatically dismiss and not choose these speakers even though they were actually the "smoother" and better sounding speakers compared to others that you listened to that used fabric or soft dome tweeters. The following blog article will take less than 5 minutes to read and it demonstrates just how powerful our human perception and biases are, especially in SIGHTED Listening Comparisons when we know which product or item we are listening to at any given time. This could be in regards to hard dome vs. soft dome tweeters, brand "A" vs. brand "B", or things such as copper vs. silver cables, etc. Search for: "Audio Musings by Sean Olive: The Dishonesty of Sighted Listening Tests". (seanolive.blogspot.2009.04)

[@svtcontour]

@@frankgeeraerts6243 No, thats the whole point of the test. If you do a quick switch and audibly cant figure out what just happened or if there is a difference, then its not audible at the time. If you need a pause, then you're just leaving it to the terrible auditory memory of the brain to imagine stuff.

[@ThinkingBetter]

This video is just a great example of how marketing of over-priced audio cables work. To sell a cable that cost US$10 FOB China for US$1000 retail, you need a pile of marketing messaging. Cables are the most measurable pieces of an audio system. A null test can precisely show the differential between two audio cables and if that difference is down at an inaudible level...it's inaudible. And a blind test will prove that. There is no magic about cables. Audio is low frequency and easy to transfer through a cable over a few feet.

[@davidtull2388]

All that is wrong with this social media world, right here.

[@wric01]

Tweeter and mid with silver wires / silver plated. Copper with Bass. Perfect blend for your 3 way internal wires from crossover. I found the dac to preamp duo for best effect: rca with copper more bass and xlr with silver lacking bass but extremely detailed.

[@biketech60]

Those that argue that all cables sound basically the same haven't done much swapping and listening . The question of value is up to each person's criteria . I use Analysis Plus cables . , purest copper for balanced interconnects & silver plated copper for speakers . My friends' comments always include " it sounds natural . Open Baffle speakers

[@bbfoto7248]

Regarding your friend's comments that always include "It sounds natural"... Is that ONLY because of your CABLES, or more so because you have GOOD speakers that are properly set up in your room and they are supported by competent electronics (source, amp, preamp, integrated amp, etc.)??? As a counter-argument, let's consider Mark Levinson's Daniel Hertz "Maria" Amp and M1 tower speakers which are MEGA-Bucks. Quoted from the Daniel Hertz website: "Maria is a single chassis, all in one audio electronics solution, replacing the DAC, preamplifier, power amplifier, headphone amplifier, and interconnect cables. Fully programmable active crossovers and time alignment are enabled." So there are no interconnect cables whatsoever, and you'll only need a pair of speaker cables to connect the Maria to the M1 tower speakers. And guess WHAT???... If you watch the KZbin "Shorts" video by the Audiophile Junkie that showcases Mark's personal home HiFi setup that uses the Maria and M1 tower speakers, the Speaker Cables that he CHOSE to use to connect the Maria Amplifier to the M1 tower speakers are BASIC OFC speaker wire! So even Mark Levinson doesn't think that "exotic" or "special" speaker cables are necessary AT ALL when used with his own multi-Thousand dollar electronics and TOTL loudspeakers! Maybe that should tell you something. ;) (Search YT for " I Heard the Daniel Hertz M1 and Maria - Mark Levinson's Home in Venice Italy", and there is a longer video where Mark is asked about the basic OFC speaker cables he is using and why.)

[@Mark-lq3sb]

@@bbfoto7248 The funny part about your reply is you hold so dearly the MEGA-expensive audio equipment and the man who designed it. So, I guess your going to tell us that only Mark Levinson can be correct about the topic. The fact is there are many well respected people in the industry that will never agree on everything all the time. They all have their own way to "skin the cat" so to speak, and I'm sure they'll all stick by their point just as Mr. Levinson does. It's up to each person to find what they like and dislike. Weather you like it or not... listening to a sound system IS SUBJECTIVE. Name a food you don't like and there will be other people that love it. Name a audio speaker you hate and there will be people that love it, that's life!

[@bbfoto7248]

​@@Mark-lq3sb LOL, I DO NOT "hold so dearly" Mark Levinson's MEGA-expensive equipment or products, OR his laughable but actually serious claims about his proprietary "Cwave" technology "fixing" everything that is supposedly "wrong" with digital PCM recording and playback, and that standard PCM is detrimental to your liver and kidney function, but HIS Cwave technology is better for your health! So NO, you GUESSED WRONG, and I am NOT going to tell you that ONLY Mark Levinson can be correct about the topic, LOL. HOWEVER, ML is smart in that he seeks out and HIRES The Best actual electronics and speaker ENGINEERS & DESIGNERS in the business to develop his products FOR him. He has absolutely nothing to do with the actual circuit or speaker design of his products. But the fact is that MANY in the audiophile community LOVE and RESPECT Mark Levinson's audio products, SO, I was just using his latest Uber-Expensive "Daniel Hertz" line of products as AN EXAMPLE because nearly everybody that has actually heard it thus far says that it is one of THE BEST systems they have ever heard. IMO, Mark is a just a modern day P.T. Barnum of the audio world in regards to MOST of his beliefs and "ideas" and the exorbitant prices of his products, except for the fact that he doesn't see or hear the need for anything other than standard OFC speaker cables to eek the best performance from his speakers. Let's just consider the following: 99.9% of the PROFESSIONAL Audio Recording Engineers who actually record and produce absolutely STUNNING Recordings that ANYONE here would consider "Audiophile" Grade DO NOT use any type of "special" or "exotic" cables ANYWHERE in their tracking, mixing, or mastering signal or power chain! This applies to ALL of the major large and small or boutique professional studios I've been in, as well as those that have posted "studio tour" videos here on YT or Vimeo. IN ADDITION, ALL of these studios are using the basic IEC/UL/CE listed AC POWER CABLES that were Supplied with the equipment By The Manufacturer! This includes even multi-thousand dollar high-end multi-channel ADC & DAC units, Master Word Clocks, Microphone Preamps, the Computer Systems running the DAW, and a PLETHORA of outboard rack-mount studio gear such as many different types of EQs, Compressors, Delays, Reverb, EFX, etc. This usually equates to Hundreds or even Thousands of Feet of OFC wiring that connects tens to hundreds of different electronic equipment components in the larger professional studios! Yet you and some other folks here seem to think that there is some type of incredible benefit from using a short piece of silver or other type of "special" or "exotic" wiring placed here or there in the signal or power chain of your playback system??? Why don't you ask @onemic-theminimalist who has commented here and has produced some of the absolute finest "audiophile grade" recordings you will ever hear about this topic and what types of cables he uses! As a musician of 30+ years with my own home recording studio (I primarily play saxophone and drums/percussion), I'd propose that a much less expensive and much more LOGICAL and EFFECTIVE approach to achieving or changing ALL of the "Sonic Characteristics" that the OP, you, and others describe here and claim these different cables will impart, would be to actually use *EQ* for that purpose instead! If you or other folks here saw a typical patch bay and the rat's nest of Standard OFC TRS patch cables that route and connect all of the gear in a professional studio, including the BACK side of the patch bay AND/OR the back of the recording console/mixing desk, you'd probably go into cardiac arrest, LOL. IF the actual musicians and Professional Engineers that record and produce these audiophile-grade recordings don't feel the need to use any type of silver or "special" cables other than well-made OFC cables, AND they don't use them to change or improve the "sonic characteristics" of the music that they produce, ask yourself WHY??? SERIOUSLY...WHY??? WHAT do they KNOW that "audiophiles" or "audiofools" don't???

[@bbfoto7248]

@@Mark-lq3sb LOL, No, I DO NOT "hold so dearly" Mark Levinson's MEGA-expensive equipment or products, OR his laughable but actually serious claims about his proprietary "Cwave" technology "fixing" everything that is supposedly "wrong" with digital PCM recording and playback, and that standard PCM is worse for your Liver and Kidney Function, but HIS proprietary "Cwave" technology is much better for your health in this regard! Those are serious claims. So NO, you GUESSED WRONG, and I am NOT going to tell you that ONLY Mark Levinson can be correct about the topic, LOL. HOWEVER, ML has been smart in that he seeks out and HIRES the some of the absolute best Electronics and Speaker ENGINEERS & DESIGNERS in the business to develop his products FOR him. He has absolutely nothing to do with the actual circuit or speaker design of his products. He basically tells the engineers that he has hired, "Here's the goal for the product(s), now go make it happen for me". But the fact is that many in the audiophile community love and respect Mark Levinson's audio products, so, I was just using his latest Uber-Expensive "Daniel Hertz" line of products AS AN EXAMPLE, because nearly everybody that has actually heard it thus far says that it is one of THE BEST systems they have ever heard. IMO, Mark is a just a modern day P.T. Barnum of the audio world in regards to MOST of his beliefs and "ideas", and the exorbitant prices of his products, except for the fact that he doesn't see or hear the need for anything other than standard OFC speaker cables to eek the best performance from his latest mega-buck Daniel Hertz M1 tower speakers. Let's just consider the following: 99.9% of the PROFESSIONAL Audio Recording Engineers who actually record and produce absolutely STUNNING Recordings that ANYONE here would consider "Audiophile" grade DO NOT use any type of "special" or "exotic" cables ANYWHERE in their tracking, mixing, or mastering signal or power chain! This applies to ALL of the major large and small or even boutique/specialist professional studios I've been in, as well as those that have posted "studio tour" videos here on YT or Vimeo. IN ADDITION, ALL of these studios are using the basic IEC/UL/CE approved AC POWER CABLES that were actually Supplied with the equipment By The Manufacturer! This includes even their multi-thousand dollar, multi-channel, high end ADC & DAC units, external Master Word Clocks, Microphone Preamps & Power Supplies, the Computer Systems that are running the entire DAW, and a PLETHORA of outboard rack-mount studio gear such as the many different types of EQs, Compressor/Limiters, Delays, Reverb, EFX units, etc. This usually equates to Hundreds or even Thousands of Feet of OFC wiring that is connecting tens to hundreds of different electronic equipment components within the larger professional studios! Yet you and some other folks here seem to think that there is some type of incredible benefit from using a short piece of silver or other type of "special" or "exotic" wiring placed here or there in the signal or power chain of your playback system??? Why don't you ask @onemic-theminimalist who has commented here and has produced some of the absolute finest "audiophile grade" recordings you will ever hear about this topic and what types of cables he uses! As a musician of 30+ years with my own home recording studio (I primarily play saxophone and drums/percussion), I'd propose that a much less expensive and much more LOGICAL & EFFECTIVE approach to achieving or changing ALL of the "Sonic Characteristics" that the OP, you, and others are describing here and claim these different cables will impart, would be to actually use *EQ* for that purpose instead! If you or other folks here were to see a typical patch bay and the rat's nest of Standard OFC TRS patch cables that route and connect all of the gear in a professional studio, including the BACK side of the patch bay AND/OR the back of the actual recording console/mixing desk, you'd probably go into cardiac arrest, LOL. IF the actual musicians and Professional Engineers that record and produce these audiophile-grade recordings don't feel the need to use any type of silver or "special" cables other than well-made OFC, AND they also don't use them to change or improve the "sonic characteristics" of the music that they produce, ask yourself WHY??? SERIOUSLY...WHY??? WHAT do they KNOW that "audiophiles" or "audiofools" don't???

[@hartyewh1]

Those that argue that cables sound meaningfully different have never blind ABX'd their beliefs.

[@onemic-theminimalist]

Think about all the copper used in the recording, mixing, and mastering process. One sliver interconnect is going to do what?

[@bbfoto7248]

EXACTLY! 99.9% of the Audio Recording Engineers like you who actually record and produce absolutely STUNNING Recordings that ANYONE here would consider to be the Ultimate "Audiophile" Grade recordings DO NOT use any type of "special" or "exotic" cables in their tracking, mixing, or mastering signal chain! And all of the major large and small or boutique professional studios I've been in are using the basic IEC/UL/CE listed AC Power Cable that was supplied with the equipment By The Manufacturer! This includes even multi-thousand dollar high-end multi-channel ADC & DAC units, Master Word Clocks, Mic Preamps, and a PLETHORA of outboard studio rack-mount gear. This usually equates to Hundreds or even Thousands of Feet of OFC wiring that connects tens to hundreds of different electronic equipment units in larger professional studios! Yet these folks seem to think that there is some type of mystical benefit from using a short piece of silver or "special" wiring placed here or there in the signal or power chain??? I'd propose that a much less expensive and much more LOGICAL and EFFECTIVE approach to achieving or changing ALL of the "Sonic Characteristics" that they describe here and claim that these different cables will impart, would be to actually use *EQ* for that purpose instead! If you don't mind me asking, do you personally use any type of Silver or Other types of "special" or "exotic" cables to produce your fantastic recordings? For instance, the AC power cables that connect your high-end ADC/DAC units, audio recording interface, outboard rack-mount gear, or microphone preamps, or for your XLR microphone signal cables, line-level XLR/TRS equipment interconnect signal cables, or XLR/TRS studio monitor cables, etc? If these folks saw a typical patch bay and the rat's nest of Standard OFC TRS patch cables routing and connecting all of the gear in a professional studio, including the BACK side of the patch bay AND/OR the recording console/mixing desk, they'd probably go into cardiac arrest, LOL.

[@onemic-theminimalist]

@@bbfoto7248 Mogami 2549 microphone cables and interconnects is what I use and is found in most of the high-end studios in the world. For long runs a quad version is also used. All the outboard equipment AC is standard IEC 12 or 14 gauge cable. In other words, cable that is designed to do the job required and uses high quality connectors that are reliable. It’s not a cost constraint, these studios have microphones that cost 20k each. If we thought a $1000 microphone cable was better, we would use one. Or a $5000 AC cable…LOL.

[@victorli4316]

@@bbfoto7248 I started as an audiophile and turned into doing live sound and studio recording, I agree with you. Those different cables with different construction and materials basically give a specific EQ/compressor effect only cost a lot more. While people don’t want EQ in the signal path because they want to have as little colouration as possible, I have already done all the gate/compression/EQ/effect for every channels while the music is mastered. Hearing music in its purest form from a hi-fi system is a myth. You are listening to how the audio engineer perceives to be good sounding or how he/she think most people would like it to sound for specific playback platforms. At the end I still enjoy the music through my hi-fi, but won’t spend thousands on cables anymore.

[@TannhaeuserGate]

HiFi is full of clowns.

[@SimonC-z8y]

We don't know because not many engineers use them. Audio Note music used silver i/c's for their excellent Vincent Belanger cello album. ERC use silver i/c's, it took a while for them to perfect this but now their pressings are really good. Anyways I think the point that's being made is find a balance that you like. Not all silver products sound good I know from experience. I think silver can work in the way the broadcaster has outlined. Kondo wire avoids the pitfalls....

[@shirakawamaseru]

I want the sound that is most correct. I put an soundwave in and i want to hear that soundwave as it is. I don't want it to be brighter, or darker. I don't want it to be less or more dynamic. I want it to be correct. imho it is useless to chace after "personal perfection" because whatever is perfect changes with every new band you discover, with every new microphone that gets released to record music, with the seasons, air pressure, how much you drank, you room temperature and whatnot. Its an never ending chace. But what we can reach is objective perfection. We do know exactly how the sound wave we put into something looks like and we can compare the soundwaves that come out of something to what we put into it. There is even Software to automate that Job (Deltawave). And thanks god, 50$ USB dongles with the cheap standard cables that are shipped with the earphone/headphone/speakers do exactly that. I see no point in spending thousands of dollars on "physical EQ" in form of cables and amps in hope that, by accident, whatever they change matches exactly my current mood and impression of whats perfect at that specific moment. If i would want/need any flavor, i just use the objectively perfect sound and modify it myself using EQ and/or other effects to get exactly what i want in the amount i want. Again, why spend insane amounts of money to hope that whatever you put into your chain that degrades the objective sound quality, does it exactly how you want by accident?

[@oluhamilton2121]

I have 'warm' speakers with silver cables. No complaint HERE.

[@thebestoffools]

It's seems like music never sounded better than when we used to play it on our Sansui/Kenwood/Marantz/Pioneer sound systems connected to Cerwin Vega/JBL speakers with cheap electrical lamp wires back in the day. Back when people listened to music instead of listening to their gear. What the hell happened? 😂

[@bayard1332]

To say people were not aobsessed with their gear back then is absurd.

[@bbfoto7248]

​@@bayard1332 Of course people were obsessed with their gear back then, just as they are now. But practically NO ONE other than greedy "Audiophile Accessory Manufacturers" that were trying to fatten their wallets and increase their profit margins suggested that you needed anything other than basic OFC speaker wire. Think of ALL of the great music that was recorded and produced during this era that you still consider "audiophile" quality... Did the musicians or recording engineers need or use "special" or "exotic" cables to actually record all of this music??? HELL NO! It was and is all standard OFC wire with the appropriate jacket/insulation and connectors. And all of that well-recorded music still sounds AMAZING despite not having all of these supposedly "better" cables at their disposal. Furthermore, recording, mixing, and mastering engineers STILL DON'T use any type of "exotic" or "special" power, interconnect, or speaker cables in the hundreds to thousands of feet of wire that connect all of their equipment! Don't you think that if the actual audio engineers that are responsible for recording and producing the music that we listen to felt or knew that using "exotic" or "special" cables was a true advantage that they would be using them, too???!!! So WHY aren't they???

[@walterpen371]

​@@bayard1332I remember when you had to or forced to add a graphic equalizer . It was just a toy that made your stereo system tell you that you really didn't have a great system to begin with.

[@bayard1332]

@@walterpen371 no help, no actual realization or understanding of how much acoustics were making it impossible (for most people) to get good sound. Bass was non existent, and music wasn't mixed considering under 50hz (for the most part). And music was mixed to be a hit on AM, then FM radio, and FM radio EQ'd the heck outta their stream to get the sound. In my world music has never sounded better than on my current system. But I also have gear from the past and can now make it sound great, and I have a JBL flip4 that totally nails the gestalt of music from the 50s. 60s, 70s... it's all great in it's own context.

[@kineahora8736]

Current music is even worse than current audio. When you were listening to your Cerwin Vegas- we had bands like The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Doors. Now we got a bunch of crap - no harmony, no Melody, just some drone lyrics, autotune singing, pro tools, perfectly aligned drum tracks with no feel- nobody actually playing real instruments….

[@Cencolor]

Bi-amp? Silver for tweeter and copper for the rest?

[@walterpen371]

Possibly it might work, only with top grade equipment.

[@edmaster3147]

My very custom large horns (alnico) are fitted with solid silver non insulated wiring for the mids and copper regular for high and mids. And 0,75mm2 copper, straight strands hardly insulated speaker cables. That sounds best. Bi amping and bi wiring seems a bit strange to me. A very good amp will handle all just fine. We just simplified and modded a class A Accuphase, and got rid of the 'Accuphase sound'.

[@TheRealWindlePoons]

In my experience, silver sounds more consistent over the long term. Possibly because silver oxide has less influence over the sound in comparison to oxidised copper. As with everything analogue, your mileage may vary... 😀

[@andreiaudio]

Are you reffering to solid silver cables or silver plated?

[@sw1xaudiodesign]

referring to silver cables. silver plated is not silver- as the name says

[@SimonC-z8y]

Very interesting alternative perspective. Perhaps you could give you opinion on prioritising different parts of the chain for silver, especially given the high costs involved?. It is surprising how much difference silver l/s cables make for instance, but they are very costly.

[@jessequintanilla3567]

Sound of silver talk to me. Makes you want to feel like a teenager until you remember the feelings of a real life emotional teenager. Then you think again.

[@geofflongford2008]

I personally use 24 carot gold cables but others think it's a bit of overkill.

[@Badassvidsz]

Carot ?? you mean Carats . but yeah it's a terrabit of overkill

[@chalmh]

I this just a personal opinion (may be like many others), or based on scientific measured results? Scientiffially silver resistance per 1cm is 1.55uOhm and copper resistance is 1.7uOhm. this has a minor affect of the damping factor calculation, if both wite types are struvteded exactly the same (strands, gauge, twisting, isolation type, metal aging and corrosion, etc). To say that just replacing materials has an affect of the sound as a generic declaration without mentioning the real measured parameters in figures is a subjective opinion Anyhow, I respect very much your opinion in terms of "sound pleasure and sound color"👍.

[@Borednlonely]

Great point but the signature sound of a silver cable of any gauge and/or a copper cable of any gauge is still detectable in a comparison. If you claim otherwise forgive me for saying but you’re inexperienced or don’t care to find out. Typically silver sounds quicker. Less bloat and an almost velvety smooth treble. Copper can often sound sharp at the top end and doesn’t quite have the extentiom up top but it has more warmth to the midrange and a more wholesome bass.

[@connorduke4619]

My rule of thumb is silver cables in the digital realm and copper in the analogue and also for power cables.

[@timessquarerecordscom1469]

Nice explanation 😊

[@kineahora8736]

I have always preferred OCC copper.

[@walterpen371]

The reality is that for some people who have extremely hi end systems, IT REALLY MATTERS. Unfortunately for myself I still require to purchase lottery tickets. There are audiophiles who admit that there are less expensive silver / occ copper cables that do the same job as the ones costing thousands.

[@edmaster3147]

Keep your system simple and cables thin and less insulated. I actually own a really great system which lets sound through but that was not achieved by following the 'audiophile' path, but the 'realistic' path. Simple stuff, great materials/components and wonderful execution with help of guys who have seen all systems in all price ranges for decades. What those techs have at home, is in my home. Very fortunate for me. Always keep listening and be critical and choose on what you like best.

[@Borednlonely]

Yes affordable cables still sound great. Cables are system dependant. There can be a situation where a cheaper copper cable can be more suitable in a system over a more expensive one of any material.

[@joseluisbedmar-bg1fu]

Monocrystal Silver for me is the best

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

YES IT IS ............

[@majtextwriter1794]

For instance for me, to my ears a grand piano is not a cold sounding instrument at all, quite opposite,, very harmonic rich and consequetly I would label it as a warm sounding. Even a good cymbals are not cold... a pot lid sounds cold :))

[@chatrs1025]

I compared betweem my Cardas Clear pure copper and my Audio Note pure silver tonearm wires. These should effect the most in the hifi system where the very low level signal (0.4 mV) get applifiled many times by the phono stage. The diffrrence is clear. I prefer the tonal balance of the pure copper Cardas Clear tonearm wires but prefer the transperency and dynamic of the pure silver Audio Note tonearm wires. Like you said, I series them with the pure copper Cardas Clear Beyond cables. All in all, the series of Audio Note pure silver tonearm wires and Cardas Clear Beyond pure copper cable sound the best.

[@CurlyHoward928]

Good luck on your way to perfection.

[@necrodh]

I get tinnitus with silver and aluminium

[@cesargutierrez4999]

Agree 100% Ty!!!!

[@Borednlonely]

guys get yourselves a demo of sw1x gear.

[@Borednlonely]

I don’t get the argument why audiophiles need to PROVE to others that silver sounds different to copper. We absolutely don’t. If you can’t hear it, fine but that doesn’t make us wrong.Strange isn’t it how some people claim that we need to deny our own perception because measurements don’t support what we hear. 😂

[@SagorHossain-eu3uw]

Exactly cow and horses are the same.

[@ScottGrammer]

Audio tech with 47 years of experience here. What You Need To Know About Silver And Copper In Audio is that you can't hear the difference. All that's needed from a conductor in an audio circuit is that the connections be solid with no oxides that can cause semiconductive nonlinearities, and that the resistance, inductance, and capacitance of the conductor(s) be low enough so as to not lose a significant amount of signal in the audible range, typically considered to be 20-20,000Hz. Silver is in fact a better conductor that copper - in fact it is the best conductor of all, save for superconductors, but only when it is perfectly clean. By "better conductor," I mean that for a given length and cross section, it will have less resistance than any other conductor. But silver, exposed to the air for only a few minutes, immediately tarnishes, and this is bad. Copper can stay clean for years, if you don't get it wet or leave finger oils on it. And clean copper is much better than tarnished silver. And again, either one is fine so long as it meets the conditions mentioned above. Wires make no difference in audio gear, so long as the conditions mentioned above are met. Line-level cables must also be well-shielded. Meet these conditions, and use good connectors, and that's all you need. Audio cables, made properly, have no sound of their own. Anyone telling you that you must have expensive, "audiophile" cables is selling you something, and it's not better sound. All you'll get for your money is a lighter, faster, tighter, and more focused wallet.

[@petertimp5416]

Heard someone say “there is a ‘Phase’ issue with silver”

[@bbfoto7248]

@petertimp5416 LOL. The ONLY "Phase Issue" with silver (or ANY pair of wires) is when you REVERSE their POLARITY, as in swapping the (-) and (+) connections so that the signal is 180° Out Of Phase. 😛

[@petertimp5416]

@@bbfoto7248 yeah, I believe it was from GS audio

[@petertimp5416]

@@bbfoto7248GR research

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Reversed thinking ! ............pure OCC silver will reveal phase errors !!!

[@santapuls008]

No idea if it could be the reverse upside down issue with silver cables,the high at the lower end,the bass at the higher end...

[@CS-dp1ss]

Every good homeopath knows that silver sounds brighter and copper warmer. The colour of the shielding also has an influence. Transparent sounds more transparent, blue more airy. Only the yellow and brown cables should be avoided at all costs, they sound like...

[@chrisantoniou4366]

💩😂

[@hank8499]

All of you nay sayers just need to do a blind comparison with your hifi buddies or hifi group. I have been able to do that on two occasions and the differences are heard by the majority of people. If you do not believe me just go and actually buy a OUTSTANDING quality power cable then let some else do the switching around.

[@edmaster3147]

A very thin AC cable with 'airy' connector works wonders for me. Even better, solder the cable with a very thin cable on a fuse directly and lose the connector. I have never heard an outstanding power cable, just not all that great cables, it seemed that thick and complicated did not help. But we haven't tried them all and maybe my system isn't good enough. But even mains fuses (non automatic) can help a lot.

[@tubefreeeasy]

@@hank8499 Once you go pure silver, why waste your time going backwards? You’re just weakening the bond of your RCA connections and power cables. I suggest trying ‘oil injected RCA cables’. Sounds like silver but more open sounding. Anyways, I also use Furutech Liquid Nano contact enhancers to balance out the connections. I’m sure Furutech has created a magic ratio between gold and silver nano-particles. I mean, you can have rhodium connect with rhodium or copper if you like…but. I’ve never tried graphene. I’m happy with not weakening bonds.

[@endrizo]

some time ago i bought a nice expensive silver cable for my good headphones due to that marketing and hype bla bla.. wanted to try. and they become too bright and no bass...incredible, i didnt expect that so i went back to copper and sold them silvers, the same happened with innears. so caution with silver try before buying

[@jeffhernandez5098]

Measurements. Please provide measurements that show enough difference that mere mortals can actually hear them.

[@ClintAvila]

Ah yes. One of the biggest triggers for people is the debate of whether cables affect sound quality. I have been an audiophile since I was a teenager. Loved going to HiFi shops and listening to all the equipment that wasn't the massed produced stuff you could buy at Circuit City and Best Buy. I can whole hardheartedly say there is a difference. It's easily heard. I have never struggled to hear it. It's always been immediate for me. Now there is definitely a rabbit hole into cost no object cables. To each their own. If you are happy with the free cable that came in the box with your product then enjoy. If buying an upgraded cable brings you an elevated experience once again I say enjoy. It's a hobby that brings immense joy to many like myself. It would be so boring without companies pushing technology forward be it with cable/material design or new approaches in engineering.

[@1061shrink1061]

The problem with the audiophile community (of which I am one), is that you cannot keep using absolute phrases like there "is" a difference and "it's always there"... because sadly the science doesn't back that up "yet". If more people said things like "there may be" or "i feel i can hear"... but they don't. There are no absolutes in this stuff. As I could easilly come back and say, that having compared £10,000 of nordost valhalla to audioquest type4 in a six figure hifi system, "there was no" difference. But I'd rather say, that myself and my friend, could hear no discernable difference between these two configurations. Sadly, the measurements and science back up the latter perspective. Between all competently made, sufficient gauge cables of reasonable build quality, there were / are no measureabe differences in the sound waves received at either end of them. Expectation bias is a hell of a drug. If people buy something and spend hard earned money, they expect to hear a difference, and therefore... they do hear a difference. To them that difference is very real, and in a sense, that means it is real, but not objectively, only subjectively. The audiophile community need to be far more selective with their language and stop brandishing around absolutes and certainties that simply don't exist.

[@peanutbutterjellyjam2179]

What a fantasy audiophiles live in!

[@bengtekman8616]

Maybe silver sounds brighter, but you can´t hear it.

[@ABC-rh7zc]

There's an audiofool born every minute

[@svtcontour]

100% - people fail to realize that any difference they *may* possibly be hearing is due to other parameters related to LCR parameters and not just because its different materials.

[@dicmccoy]

It's not nice to talk about yourself in that way.

[@DYNABLASTERTUNERS]

If you can't hear it, it's your problem

[@svtcontour]

@@DYNABLASTERTUNERS Whats likely actually being heard is not the difference in materials, but the difference in the geometry and other differences on the cable's structure that affect its resistance, capacitance, inductance..etc That can happen betweek like materials as well if the difference is great enough.

[@DYNABLASTERTUNERS]

@@svtcontour It seems you didn't learn yet that not all things in audio are measurable

[@Mikexception]

If people would put effort to understand how it all works it could be better explained because they eventualy would know what is happening. . Unfortunately I did not find anywhere full analysis - mainly because it is not one factor and not two at instance but much more and all of them interacting. Measurements of equipment are made without cables and speakers in room granting that they are no relevant. I would say as author - do not name it better or worse but if sounds in room are good enough, forget materials -they may be any. . I also exoperimented years but once my system tuned itself cables became for my listening meaningless.

[@damonsbest]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJzFZptnja6VY7ssi=9ICqG2CBe0Pxcue1 A very thorough video containing measurable differences between cables

[@Wordsalad69420]

It’s funny how we have the most sophisticated microphones capable of picking up a mouse far from a mile away, and then we have sophisticated software that can record and analyze the output of those microphones. But audiophiles somehow think their ears are better? Bro, either prove your claims using scientific means (mic and software) or sit down.

[@bbfoto7248]

LISTEN VERY CLOSELY and IT will be revealed! ;) With all of the statements here regarding the claimed AUDIBLE differences between "Silver vs. Copper", PLEASE NOTE that even within the First 9 Seconds of the video, the presenter or "talking head" in the video ADMITS that, "...We as humans are not perfect, either...AND OUR HEARING IS *FAR* FROM PERFECTION". BUT, then he goes on to claim that there is a Discernible Audible Difference when using silver vs. copper, or certain combinations thereof, LOL, after just admitting that "our hearing is *far* from perfection". IF he truly believes that our hearing is "FAR from perfection", as I would assume he does because he clearly states it in the intro to the video, HOW exactly does he ALSO believe that he or we can RELIABLY hear a true Audible Difference between silver vs. copper??? Mr. Spock would say, "This is Highly Illogical", LOL! That initial statement is basically a DISCLAIMER that nullifies all of his subsequent statements...literally. ^THIS is "audiofoolery" at its best....errrr, worst! CAVEAT EMPTOR

[@walterpen371]

I'm old and know that I have hearing loss. I still require to purchase lottery tickets for that dream system.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

You're one of those uncapable to distingh the difference of beauty between two women , your eyes are " FAR " from perfect ........

[@bbfoto7248]

@@walterpen371 Hearing loss sucks but it's inevitable, especially as we get older. I've been a drummer/percussionist/saxophonist musician for 30+ years, so I'm certainly not immune, either. :( And I don't know what you consider to be your "dream" system, but as far as achieving amazing performance on a budget, IMO the best bang for your buck right now are some of the better active, powered studio monitors on the market...as long as you're not looking to fill a huge room with concert-level SPLs. As far as traditional passive loudspeakers go, there are a few REALLY REALLY good stand-mount speakers for around $2k that when combined with a decent ~$500 powered subwoofer, will pretty much give you end game performance when properly set up. And amplifiers are much less critical than most make them out to be....as long as they have decent S/N & THD+N and enough power to drive the sensitivity & impedance load of the speakers you choose to your desired levels in your room. I hope you're able to at least put together something that's very close to your dream system sooner rather than later. There are a lot of good choices out there these days for not a lot of money when you do careful research and choose wisely. While there are certainly some gains to be made when using properly designed high-end gear, technology has advanced so far recently that at a certain point a lot of the so-called "high end" products are just marketing hype and you're just splitting hairs, and the Acoustics of your Room will matter much more than the equipment itself. Cheers

[@bbfoto7248]

@@walterpen371 ...Decent headphones or IEMs might be another way to go for amazing sound on a budget.

[@Borednlonely]

listen to the whole video for your answer and stop with the agenda.

[@AllHandlesHaveBeenTaken]

I prefer gold wires

[@danielkromer2295]

I get my cables from Fort Knox Audio Specialties. They have a richness to their sound.

[@edmaster3147]

gold wires sound 'gold-ish'

[@tubefreeeasy]

Pure silver isn’t sharp, after burn-in. Silver plated copper is sharp sounding. People should measure the differences in sound between all cabled pure silver system vs pure copper cabled system. Maybe a measurement may be found. The sound will be beyond obvious.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

INDEED , .......many argue when they have never done the experience !

[@edmaster3147]

you are right and for those who understand, it's extremely easy to understand why silver plated copper sounds strange. Aluminium sounds very specific and in a very seldom case can help.

[@necrodh]

I got tinnitus with silver plated

[@tubefreeeasy]

@@necrodh Sorry to hear that. I found pure silver cables reasonably priced on eB@¥.

[@kjhajueg_2731]

really???? LOL

[@Alpha-1111]

Huh?

[@GTRxMan]

Utter nonsense.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

You're right your comment is utter nonsense and devoid of knowledge and experience , congratulations.

[@1999zrx1100]

You need a system to hear the difference, it’s there.

[@davidcarr2216]

If you connect two components together in audio and the wiring is making an audible difference (blind) you can bet your ass that there's something not right about the components . T'was ever thus in the HiFi game. The industry is full of lousy components because HiFi isn't even a real thing - it's a construct purely to create brand identity and product differentiation.

[@Kowinaida]

LOL! What is your system?

[@RennieAsh]

I mean it is a thing; that crappy clock radio speaker isn't reproducing sound as accurately

[@Kowinaida]

@RennieAsh OK but what is your system?

[@davidcarr2216]

@@Kowinaida One that doesn't contain artefacts from crappy components, dear boy.

[@Kowinaida]

@davidcarr2216 Er, ok but what is your system?

[@HerbertShooler]

There is NO sound of silver v copper cables...complete BS, show us the data and measurements to prove it...NOBODY CAN.

[@bbfoto7248]

Much ado about nothing. At least he presented this information as their "philosophy" and not as fact. When professional tracking (recording), mixing, and mastering engineers are producing all of the music that YOU listen to, do they look for, use, and swap out a bunch of different copper and silver cables or combinations thereof in order to shape the sonic characteristics of the music as they or the artist desire??? Ummm...NO !!! HOWEVER, what I think you WILL find them actually using, is multiple instances of different types of EQ (analog, digital plugins, or both), and/or high-shelf or low-shelf filters at particular frequencies and to varying degrees or levels. As he philosophised, if you use silver, or if you use copper, each would supposedly impart some specific sonic characteristic (or a combination of sonic characteristics) of sound on ALL of the music coming from your speakers. With that "philosophy", the resulting sonic characteristics MIGHT sound good or be preferred with SOME music, but not so good with OTHER music. Is this really what you want from your playback system??? Sometimes good, sometimes not so good, depending on the music you decide to play? How about just shooting for a NEUTRAL, BALANCED, and ACCURATE RESPONSE that reveals what is actually captured and finalized in the recording to the artist's and enginner's satisfaction? Then, IF you feel like that particular music needs just a tick more high frequency "air" or "sparkle", or more or less "warmth" in the midrange, or a bit more midbass impact and dynamics, you can dial it in to your exact preferences with just a bit of EQ. In reality, the simple contribution of the Acoustics of Your Listening Room AND how you set up your speakers and listening position within the room, are going to affect the "Sonic Characteristics" and "Tonal Balance" of your Music WAY WAY more than changing from any copper to silver cables! In addition, can the poster of this video cite any verified and documented UNSIGHTED listening test where a group of listeners consistently distinguished and identified the sonic characteristics between copper & silver at least 10 out of 10 times without knowing which one was being used at any given time???

[@thoughtfulchaos.p.]

Baffling isn't it. Do yourself a favour mate. Get some quality cables and hear the difference yourself. You'll also be surprised to know that cable break-in is an audible effect. Can we measure the break-in? Unfortunately, no possible test has been discovered

[@bbfoto7248]

@@thoughtfulchaos.p. LOL, Try again, mate. I've owned plenty of expensive "high-end" cables over the years from MIT, Audioquest, Cardas, Grimm Audio TPM & TPR, and others. I'm a musician of 30+ years and have my own home recording studio where I can do double blind ABX testing. I don't need any special cables for my recordings or playback of my own drums, percussion, saxophones, or other instruments to sound as lifelike as I played them live in the room & recorded them. Again, your room Acoustics alone are going to make a MUCH larger difference than any cable as long as it's competently & properly made and constructed.

[@aditiyajunus3131]

Before talking about cables… do you have any ideas why tube sound different even though electrically they output the same power? Eg.. kt88 new production or the old ones, to the point where the old ones or some tube brands are just much more desirable? FWIW… the materials and the construction of the tubes in which the signal gets amplified… change the sound? I’m not an engineer so take my words with a grain of salt. And why is it new production tubes are having a hard time competing or besting the old ww2 era tubes when we are now have advanced measurement devices etc. if material of transport have zero effect technically tube shouldn’t be so varied in sound. And lastly, recording or mixing is a business, not for enjoyment. Two different goals! My friend had this super transparent system that is analytical, he very easily went, oh recording crap and blame the recording, until he listened to my system and become stressed because it sounds so bad on his so called transparent system but enjoyable on mine, end result is, his system become so limited in music choices because modern recording are not getting better but its quantity over quality. The melody and music are good, but not the recording, and this mindset is a trap where one become so proud that when a non audiophile friend comes over and play his music and it sounds crap, the system owner would just quickly go… oh… that’s just bad recording, where in reality, that system lost to a car stereo for music enjoyment for that song.

[@johnh539]

@@bbfoto7248 Reading your comments the only thing we share in common is a long held love for music. unlike you I am strictly ammeter , in fact I have only been on this hify journey for about 6 years. Although at one point I did order from the USA a £450 silver cable to connect my turn table, that was just because I needed a 3M reach and in the UK I only could find 2 or 4M cables so I felt forced to buy too long at a lower quality( Ironically I received a 4M silver cable). Generally though (And I hope You agree), all my 'Cable' focus has been on the signal feed side; From having full fibber installed ,to high quality galvanically isolated ethernet cable, to silver Nordost interconnect from the streamer to the DAC .(Electrical supply has had the same or more attention) Although my speaker cables are the 60p per M type I have just achieved what for the first time I define as a "Sophisticated" sound, IE the perfect clarity I have spent over £8K to get. All of this investment though was just the ground work for the hobby I really want to explore; "Tube Rolling". My interests from now on can focus on colour, trying different sound renditions' (Valve's +RME ADI fs2). Having only just reached this point, the first drawback you notice is the number of "Sound Bombs" a lot of albums have people tapping on metal etc. I suppose having achieved clarity I'm now interested in "Chocolate Box". Any 'Tone' advise welcome? should I consider copper speaker cable gauge, or type?

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

So fact is that cupper has a different color than silver but both are the same metal , one thing I learned from you, thank you .

[@svtcontour]

There is no difference in sound. NONE. NADA. Silver has like 7-8% better conductivity than copper, which means you can make it 7-8% thinner gauge or 7-8% longer of a cable. Thats it. If you get the two matched for conductivity and structural design (ie if you do some obscure braid on one, then do it on the other) then they will sound the same.

[@russellparker4568]

“YOU” can’t hear a difference you mean* it’s clear as day in my system.

[@RennieAsh]

​@@russellparker4568you see a difference because you know what cable you just plugged in. :)

[@russellparker4568]

@@RennieAshabsolutely not no. It’s got nothing to do with what i can see plugged in.

[@russellparker4568]

If I can film it through a smart phone and still hear a difference then that says it all really.

[@russellparker4568]

It’s the unfortunate reality of audio, some people cannot and will not ever hear a difference. Whether it’s hearing capability, mental, influence or gear related I’m not sure. The chap in this video describes the difference very well. In my system silver interconnect cables were clearly more illuminated in the HF, thinner in the midrange and tighter but less weighty sounding bass. It’s so obvious and easy to pick out in a blind test, I chose to remove silver as I didn’t care for that kind of sound. Even pure silver digital coax puts the same tonal character into the sound.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

One word reaction: Bullsmut!

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

You're the bull.......AG and CU sound totaly different ....one may like one or a,other or both .

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@frankgeeraerts6243 I will bet you 3 manhole covers, already placed on your street for easy collection, that if I took a copper and a silver wire and did a blind AB test with them you would be totally unable to tell which was playing, beyond the 50/50 chance of guesswork. And before you decide that you can, I strongly urge you to try it for yourself...

[@bbfoto7248]

@@frankgeeraerts6243 FYI, Doug is a very experienced EE audio electronics technician and design/repair tech with many years of experience who I'm betting has WAY more credentials and PROFESSIONAL knowledge than you in order to back up his statements.

[@bbfoto7248]

@@frankgeeraerts6243 FYI Frank, assuming that you aren't a troll bot, Doug is an EE and highly qualified and experienced electronic technician with many, many years of real-world hands-on experience designing, modifying, and repairing all types of electronic audio equipment and circuitry. So I'm going to wager a bet that he is probably FAR more qualified than you to make his statement above and back it up.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

@@bbfoto7248 yes he has certainly build the best ampliers in the world.....evry audiophile is waiting on his doorstep ........and certainly the electronics arecertified the not use any silver ....pëople like you are the less qualified to talk about audio......and are the real trolls. To learn you have first ...........to unlearn ,and that's a big problem for many.. Next you gonna say that tubes are for people that like distortion hahaha....

[@simonzinc-trumpetharris852]

Talking rubbish.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Fun and ridicule are the weapons of stupidity ........