Gold has the benefit of being way more expensive than copper.
Silver vs. Cooper speakers cables
I want to know if silver cables are really better than cooper.
Up to the moment I use Audioquest Volcano biwire cooper cables but many people recomend move to silver for my Tannoy Speakers.
Pure silver or hibrid cooper silver ?
AQ silver cables are very expensive, but I can saw that there are many silver cables at very affordable price like Silver Audio or Analysis Plus.
Please let your opinions and recomendations.
Thanks.
Up to the moment I use Audioquest Volcano biwire cooper cables but many people recomend move to silver for my Tannoy Speakers.
Pure silver or hibrid cooper silver ?
AQ silver cables are very expensive, but I can saw that there are many silver cables at very affordable price like Silver Audio or Analysis Plus.
Please let your opinions and recomendations.
Thanks.
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- 59 posts total
The price of Gold has rocketed of late, the UK are trying to take the surplus cash from their gold reserve fund and use it to relieve third world debt, but it seems that's not high on the US agenda. That aside, there are some interesting properties of gold when used as a conductor. It has a higher resistance than copper and silver and is therefore supposedly inferior as a conductor. Yet it has superior corrosive properties, therefore the inference is that it's sound will remain consistent for the duration of it's life, whereas copper and silver might me more prone to deteriorate due to the effect of corrosion and how the corroded layer creates unwanted skin effects and negative interaction with the insulator. My understanding was that gold slightly attenuates the frequency extremes, and as s23chang say's gives things a sweeter sound. The cable I'm using did indeed sound a little rolled-off at both ends initially, but surprisingly is starting to open up, particularly on the higher frequencies. This thing has a lot of potential and I can't wait to get another 100 hours on it. |
It is true that gold will not corrode like copper. Gold has more resistance, so you have to use a thicker gauge of solid gold to get the same resistance as copper. If you take care of copper cables, seal the connections well, clean them from time to time, etc -- they will not corrode for years and years. >>My understanding was that gold slightly attenuates the frequency extremes<< There is no evidence to support this. The only reason you might experience attenuation would be that because of the expense, you might use thin gauged cables and since gold has higher resistance, thinner gauge might cause you to lose signal across the entire audio band. There are many myths and wive's tales with regard to cables. There is no hard evidence to support the idea that silver, copper, and gold sound different from one another because of a sonic signature due to the material itself. People claim to hear differences, but when blindfolded, can no longer tell them apart. What does that tell you? It tells me that these supposed sonic signatures are imaginary. You look at silver -- it is bright. People claim it sounds bright. It is the mind at work. >>The cable I'm using did indeed sound a little rolled-off at both ends initially, but surprisingly is starting to open up<< This would be surprising. More likely, it is your imagination. Amazing Randi has a $1,000,000 offer to anyone who can prove to hear the difference between a cable that has been "burned in" and one that has not. There have been no takers. If anyone can hear this difference -- contact Randi and claim the $1,000,000. But, you have to do it blindfolded. |
Off topic, but Rsbeck's mention of Amazing Randi brought this to mind... Rsbeck, I'll bet you will love The Skeptical Enquirer . I once purchased a subscription for my Dad, who was the biggest skeptical thinker I knew. I believe Amazing Randi might be a contributing author to the magazine, but I'm not positive. Back to the copper, silver, gold discussion... |
- 59 posts total