Copper v. Silver IC sound

Jtinn: I thought ICs and I guess more importantly speaker cable were passing DC? Where did I go wrong here? I haven't heard the term "Josephson Junctions" since my ME tech elective class in college!--No point here, just thought I'd share a reverie.

And also, I've a question of my own: What about silver digital cables(i.e. my Illuminations D-60)? Same harshness expected? I see that a lot of people who post to this site use the D-60.

I compared the Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference(copper) to the Silver Reference.
First, the new Matrix is a great interconnect. It is totally balanced across the entire frequency spectrum. When compared to the Silver Reference I was left with a difficult choice. You are right about Silver cables having a somewhat lean sound, there's a dip at some of the lower frequencies. It was as if the Silver cables pushed the bass player back two steps, and lowered the volume 3 db. The Matrix had an amazing effect on vocals, they had that roundness that usually only comes from a record, not a CD. The musical parts were a very cohesive whole, without any exaggerations at any frequency. They also have the best recreation of interior space I have heard to date (excepting a 5 channel SACD playback).
But, they do not resolve quite as much detail as the Silver Reference.
I decided to use the Silver Ref. as my main stereo outs because in my work I must hear all the details in sharp relief, but if I just wanted to enjoy music, and not analyze it, I would have stayed with the Matrix.
Epilogue:
Since I now had a set of Matrix Reference cables, I put them into service for the rear channel interconnects of my 5.1 set up. I had formerly used Harmonic Technology's "Truthlink Silver" (a combo silver/copper, and a damn good cable) But, with all my interconnects being Acoustic Zen something unexpected happened... The rear channels had so much more authority that the little B&W LM-1 rear speakers sounded like my B&W N805 front speakers! The bass improvement was astonishing. The cables are now so harmonically balanced with well matched timbre, that the cohesiveness of 5.1 sound was tremendous.

Relatively and theoretically speaking:

If we pick up both ABSOLUTELY pure cooper and silver conductors, silver conductors will have: ~10x better per/unit conductivity and derived quality from better conductivity is a possibility to design less p/u inductance and p/u capacity IC. Certainly freequency bandwidth will become much wider than in cooper conductor. I.e. ideal silver conductor must have much better details(not colourations)

In the real world there is no such thing as an ideal cooper or silver, but every brand that produces ICs($30...$3k) will assure that their cables uses the purest conductors on the market.

Without looking into internal structure of each conductor in our silver or cooper ICs we cannot realy make any particular conclusion that cooper is better than silver or vice versa.

In adding to the aforementioned comments...

I would suggest you try as I have the newest (not really so
new) hybrids from the likes of Harmonic Technologies. The Magic Series.

From the website "The MAGIC Link One implements a unique bimetal blend of our now famous pure Single Crystal TM (OCC) silver and copper conductors, creating an interconnect with an unmatched balance of transparency, detail and harmonic balance."

I have these IC's as well as the Digital cable from my transport to the DAC and they are really wonderful. I guess you get most of the benefits of both metals though I feel you give up "Just a Tad" only getting 90% of the effects of either/both metals. Perhaps when you add it all up its a good thing.

I understand that Acoustic Zen is doing some of the same.

I have tried the methods listed above (Silver/Copper IC mix) and found it didn't work as well as the Magic's. Listen to them and then look for used. Its where the real value is, not the new price BIG $$$'s here.

Well there you have it for what its worth.

One though to keep in mind...

" The whole is made up of the sum of its parts "

Listen carefully and choose wisely. You will have that
great sound you've wanted.