Are silver coated cables a bunch of hype?

Dennis, I never said that nobody would like silver-plated cables. I just stated their typical characteristics. Since different people have different systems, and have different needs, sometimes a bright cable is needed to offset some other deficiency in the system. Cables seem to be used as tone controls these days. I don't know if every system is coherent enough to show the time distortion they produce. Hence they may sound good on certain systems.

I don't want to prejudice anyone against my favorite cables, but Purist Dominus is ultra high purity copper with silver coating.

Purist Audio never mentions this fact in advertising or specification sheets, nor do they make any claim as to the technological or performance benefits.

I only discovered this when a roll of Dominus conductor was shipped to me to use in various components that I was modifying.

Soundlab wired my U-1 with this conductor and the comments were that the insulation (Teflon) was the most uniform and predictable to strip they ever worked with. The exposed silver plated copper was free of any adhesives or synthetics and easy to solder. The final results set solidly, ultra clean without any debris or puddling in the matrix of metals.

As already mentioned here by others, implementation is more important than subjective discussions of the impact of the materials selected.

Performance wise, Purist Dominus typically is described as liquid, dynamic and seductive. I have never heard a criticism of phase or brightness problems. Again, implementation is everything.

Twl, do you really belive that frequencies no where to travel. What a bunch of crap. Like people who belive that in a biwire set up the highs go in one end the highs in the other. Man you must think Audiophiles are a bunch of fools with balanket statements like that.

Some of the best sounding cables I have tried are Silver Coated Copper. I am currently using the QED Silver Anniversery speaker cables. My system is all tube based.
These are the best I have tried. They replaced much more expensive cables and are staying in my system. There is a reason they were voted product of the year twice according to HIFI magazine.

Brucejel, It is my understanding that the Pro Silway II uses both copper and silver conductors instead of the silver over copper stuff. I use them myself and really enjoy their sound.
Also, has anyone ever looked up how much better silver conducts over copper? I think it is extremely small. I do know the resistance of copper vs. silver wire is extrememly small. I think i read somewhere the capacitance is the big thing.
To me, silver over copper has always sounded harsh. Of course, I have certainly not listened to all of these cables.