Quote:
Originally Posted by W9TR
With respect to electrical properties of both metals conductivity of silver is approximately 5% higher than copper.
This is independent of frequency.
Silver is $15.09/oz on the spot market.
Copper is $2.90/oz on the spot market.
That’s the biggest difference!
BTW, Silver tarnishes, reducing conductivity at high frequencies.
My point is, the totality of the way a cable is engineered and built is more important than just the materials used to make the conductors or the selling price of the end result.
You have to audition what’s out there in your system to really determine what works. Lots of confirmation bias to overcome. Price and performance are often decoupled.
Tom
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I think Shunyata would agree with you. However, I think AQ would say they can make a cable that is designed and manufactured just as well as Shunyata and that their materials for their top tier cables are much better and more expensive. Most of the major cable manufactures employ solid silver in their top tier cables. I doubt that AQ or anybody else is going to send anybody a 30,000 dollar plus cable to "audition". My cables were custom made. There was zero talk of sending them back if I didn't like'em. Probably, most folks should stay away from solid silver. It's extremely expensive and therefore not cost effective. Silver has no inherent warmth as does copper. However, for me I would never go back to copper. But if you have a system that has any harshness built in, silver can be brutal and a total waste of money. But for my system the clarity/transparency/brilliance and presence solid silver supplies is worth every penny. The Coffee USB was a leftover. I greatly enjoy listening to a system including all power cords that is solid silver.