Differences between OFC and OCC copper?

[CageyH]

Apart from the price, is there any "real" difference between these two types of copper, in a cable of similar construction used between a source and pre-amp?

I see from the Atlas website that they say this about OCC

The benefits are obvious, with almost no crystal boundaries, the audio signal is no longer impeded down the copper wire and more information and detail is delivered faithfully to the receiving equipment.

How "golden" do your ears have to be to hear the difference?

[struth]

I don't believe it is any more pure than 99.99%. at least its never been proven to my knowledge.

[Reffc]

Apart from the price, is there any "real" difference between these two types of copper, in a cable of similar construction used between a source and pre-amp?

I see from the Atlas website that they say this about OCC


How "golden" do your ears have to be to hear the difference?

No audibly discernible difference except in the marketing. No manufacturer has ever provided any evidence except subjective pseudo-techno-babble that there can be any audible difference. It's a condutor. It conducts.

[awkwardbydesign]

I believe the theory is that the crystal boundaries act like tiny diodes, causing non-linear resistance. The fewer boundaries, the less the effect. How audible that might be, I can't tell.
But as someone said, every cable has a negative effect, just that some have less effect than others; ie. there is no such thing as a perfect conductor*.
* At room temperature.

[Gordon Steadman]

This bus conductor used to throw people off his bus on a regular basis. Sadly, one or two of them died.

When they strapped him to the chair and threw the switch, he just smiled and looked unconcerned. After the third attempt, they gave up and put him back in his cell. They did ask how he managed it though and he just said..."well, I'm just a bad conductor"

So, there may not be perfect conductors but there may well be bad ones.

It all sounds like marketing bollocks to me.

[awkwardbydesign]

It all sounds like marketing bollocks to me.

As Arthur C. Clarke said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from marketing bollocks".

[struth]

This bus conductor used to throw people off his bus on a regular basis. Sadly, one or two of them died.

When they strapped him to the chair and threw the switch, he just smiled and looked unconcerned. After the third attempt, they gave up and put him back in his cell. They did ask how he managed it though and he just said..."well, I'm just a bad conductor"

So, there may not be perfect conductors but there may well be bad ones.

It all sounds like marketing bollocks to me.

Boom Boom!

[Andrei]

OFC is Oxygen Free Copper
OCC is Ohno Continuous Casting

Oxygen free is a good thing because it is corrosive. Just a high purity copper will do fine thanks.
Professor Ohno devised a method so there would be no or few boundaries in the copper.

In theory both of these are a good thing but the effect is really tiny and probably inaudible.
The OCC in particular is hardly relevant. Every solder joint or RCA or banana connection will have vastly larger breaks and I am skeptical that it is possible to audibly detect misalignment in the copper boundaries.

[Yomanze]

Apart from the price, is there any "real" difference between these two types of copper, in a cable of similar construction used between a source and pre-amp?

I see from the Atlas website that they say this about OCC


How "golden" do your ears have to be to hear the difference?

It isn't about how golden your ears are, it is about how transparent the rest of your gear is. No one will be able to tell the difference in some setups, but others will show the differences, which are are never major.

You might get a touch more attack or a touch more tonal colour, and "OCC", "grain-oriented" cable will reduce just that, "grain" in the sound.

I do have the ability to instantly switch between different types of interconnects on my system and the differences are tiny, but they are there. Enough to become less tiny over the long-term, arguable whether it's something to really worry about.

EDIT: if I ever see "wow' associated with a cable change these days, then I have my bowl of salt ready...

[Wakefield Turntables]

I wouldn't worry about the foo that's bandied around with regards Cu casting techniques, just get a reasonably pure Cu IC with a decent set of RCA's and enjoy your music.