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Thread: Silver plated copper vs copper speaker wires ? What's better ? Help !!!

  1. #21
    Join Date: Apr 2011

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    I'm Robert.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Denzil View Post
    Ah, that's interesting to hear. So you are using a silver plated copper wire out of choice and find it completely "normal" in a sense. While many seem to think it's bright, compared to copper.

    Thanks Robbie !

    Regards,

    Denzil

    I always have a really good read and search as much info as i can get hold of towards an informed decision, after which i have a good idea of what I do and dont want.

    Silver Spiral kept hitting my radar. I couldnt afford new so i waited and picked up 2 x 5 meter lengths for £180, terminated at one end as i wanted. Goes for around £40 a meter approx these days I believe.

    They are great speaker cable, not bright to my ears as I dont like bright or fatiguing at all. They've been on the end of different speakers and amps too.
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  2. #22
    Join Date: Apr 2011

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    I'm matt.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Denzil View Post
    Thanks Matt,

    So assuming all things considered are as near perfect as possible with amp, speakers, source etc., would you use copper or silver plated copper ? Would you consider copper to be more faithful to what should be transmitted to the speakers ? Are they just different ? Or would you consider one more truthful than the other ?

    Thanks,

    Denzil
    I use Talk Cable 3 (not to be confused with Cable Talk 3) and have no desire to change.
    On a slightly different note I replaced the steel cable in my old Sennheiser HD25 ii headphones with copper and also noticed a more mature / realistic sound. But It's not just cables, I also prefer copper foil capacitors. Copper just seems more analogue or less bright / thin sounding than aluminium or tin foil. I haven't tried silver foil capacitors and TBH I very much doubt I ever will.

  3. #23
    Join Date: Aug 2009

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    I'm Martin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by fatmarley View Post
    I've only ever tried Chord Odyssey 2 (silver plated copper) against Naim Nac A5 (copper). To me the Odyssey sounded unnatural in the high frequencies. A little bright at certain frequencies but also overly smooth at others (very strange)
    I have some of that amongst an embarrassingly large collection of speaker cables. Works well with some combinations of equipment, doesn't with others. In general I've found the thicker the cable and the purer the copper the better. Could be my imagination of course. Never tried pure silver though.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  4. #24
    Join Date: May 2019

    Location: Co.Durham

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    I'm Frank.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Denzil View Post
    So pure copper is better or as good as silver plated copper ?

    Thanks,

    Denzil
    "Pure"? How "Pure"? Even cheap cables use OFHC (Oxygen Free High Conductivity) copper, which is 99.99% pure copper. You'd think that would be pure enough, wouldn't you?

    PC-OCC/UP-OCC (Pure Copper Ohno Continuous Cast/Ultra Pure Continuous Cast - both basically the same thing, manufacturing process) manages to stretch-out the grains in the copper to exceedingly long lengths, the result of which is fewer impurities and purer copper. The purity is measured in Ns. 5N OCC is commonly found which is 99.999% pure copper. 8N is the highest available I've seen 99.999999%

    The same process can be used with silver.

    As to which is best? Well only you can decide that for yourself. Some think OCC doesn't offer any real advantage over OFHC. Some think silver is worth forking out for. Some think silver-plating is a waste of time. Tin-plating used to get used once. But that's fallen out of favour.

    Not a lot of help. Just an explanation.

    Belkin used to be the cheapest source for 5N PC-OCC cables. But they're not available now. Some years ago they used to do a speaker cable called "Silver Pure" I think. Not actually silver; that was just the product name. Quite a few here tried them and raved about them. You can get interconnects for video sometimes on eBay. But it's not often.

    Some here £15:

    http://ebay.co.uk/itm/303569225947

    5N PC-OCC 15ft and silver-plated(!)
    Last edited by Columbo; 28-05-2020 at 07:25.

  5. #25
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

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    I'm Neil.

    Default Silver plated copper vs copper speaker wires ? What's better ? Help !!!

    My cables are pretty much all LC-OFC or PC-OCC (copper). It doesn’t have to be expensive either, unlike the equivalent pure silver...
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  6. #26
    Join Date: Feb 2008

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    From my own experience, always try to stick with one metal, ie; copper, or silver, mixing silver over copper adds an imbalance to the frequency transfer, which although on first listen; can have the affect that there is more detail, attack etc, but all too often; it soon becomes tireing, and can lead to listening fatigue.
    Hope this helps.
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  7. #27
    Join Date: Apr 2012

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    Compared to copper cored cables, the pure silver items are disproportionately expensive. Obviously the unit cost will be higher as it's a specialised market, but the prices do not reflect the modest amount of silver used. It's a 'luxury' product, so you pay accordingly.

    In some implementations silver may be preferred, in others, not! I'll stick with copper thanks, it's consistent.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  8. #28
    Join Date: Apr 2012

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    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  9. #29
    Join Date: Nov 2018

    Location: Grimsby

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    I'm David.

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    Some silver speaker cables here if you did want to try. Been very happy with a digital interconnect from them. https://www.artisansilvercables.co.uk/speaker-cables
    Just looked on ebay and here's a set at a more reasonable cost. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PURE-SILV...kAAOSwEK9T~hMl
    Last edited by antonio; 28-05-2020 at 09:58.

  10. #30
    Join Date: May 2019

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    I'm Frank.

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    Silver's expensive simply because it's a precious metal and a trading commodity. At the moment it's over £14 an ounce.

    It's always going to be an expensive option. (Some) people will remember Audio Note's Ongaku valve amp from '89. It used Italian Solid Silver with silk insulation wire in the transformers, silver capacitors and silver wiring. It made quite an impression on those that heard it. According to the designer, there was nothing special about the circuit. What gave it it's qualities, was it's use of silver throughout.
    Last edited by Columbo; 28-05-2020 at 16:39.

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