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Copper vs. Silver interconnects

We are running two systems from one CD player. We have a SET (tube, obviously) amp, a hybrid (tube outstage) amp, and the CD player also has a tube. I love my Verastarr silver reference interconnects, but it's always fun to try out different cables.

I have listened to a variety of copper cables (Kimber, DH Labs, Analysis Plus, Harmonic Technology, etc.), and I find them to lack the clarity and lively authority of the silver cables in these particular systems.

My question is this: do I stick with the silver cables (or gold, palladium, beryllium, etc.), or are their some copper interconnects that would really be worth trying? I'm asking for your collective expertise/experience on this one, as I don't want to continue going through the process of buying and selling cables that are only going to sound veiled and/or dull in comparison to the Verastarr's.

Thank you for the input.
128x128boa2
danlib1
819 posts
 
Audience AU 24's are outstanding. IN MY SYSTEM I preferred them to numerous highly regarded silver cables.
boa2's avatar
boa2 OP
1,550 posts
 
I've been thinking about trying the AU24's, as I've only heard great things about them. Thank you all for the feedback. All of the cables you mentioned will be on my list to try.
All the best,
Howard
driver's avatar
driver
746 posts
 
Best copper cable I've heard is the Luminous Audio Synchestra Reference, which I currently have in my system.

My system is all SS (Ayre, ARC, Meridian)
brooks
55 posts
 
I went from silver foil (Lewis, Allen Wright, Goertz) to continious cast copper from Chimera Labs (Advantage is the product name) Not even close. The copper was better by far. If they are not an improvement, Dennis will give you your money back. Hard to beat that.
Steve
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
Let me ask you a different type of question, or to try a different type of comparison. Find a recording with a very clean ride cymbal being struck. I use Earl Klugh and Bob James "Two of a Kind". The track "Sandstorm" starts off with a ride cymbal and a deep drum being struck one after the other (a little piano noodling in the background too).

If you listen closely to the cymbal with different cables you will see what I mean - on my system with silver the cymbal shimmers and sounds like it is being struck on its edge or in the middle. With copper it sounds more like the nylon tip of the stick is striking the cymbal on the dome where it's screwed onto the stand, producing a rounder sound showing more brass and a better scope of the cymbal's size, with slightly less shimmer to it.

Which is correct? I don't know, but I like the tone of the copper cable better (on this song, in this system, etc.).

Enjoy,
Bob
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