|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
In Reply to: Of copper n silver posted by Ma_tt on November 04, 2002 at 18:36:20:
The Cardas site has a section under Q&A about silver-vs-copper. Paraphrased he says everything being equal, silver has an advantage in conductivity, but all is not equal. Due to the hugh difference in price, better performance at any given price point currently supports the use of copper.IMO for applications where conductor size is a real issue, perhaps applications very sensative to capacitance, silver might be warranted. Metals immediately start to combine with O2 and the like, so they are not pure for long. Although I don't have the equipment to properly measure it, my understanding is that silver oxide is an excellent conductor, copper oxide is a semi-conductor, and aluminum oxide is an insulator. That being the case, silver should have the advantage if skin effect is relevant, copper should make some noise in RFI sensative applications, and aluminum crimp joints should be very suspect.
I know Jon Risch strongly discourages the use of silver plated copper conductors (or any plated wires) but of course, silver plating is very common practice in A/V wire applications. Picking on Jon Risch for a momnet, he suggests using silver plate in AC outlets, and also prefers the silver/rhodium finish on the Cardas RCA's--while Rhodium is supposed to be a horrible conductor.
In other words, I really have no idea :-)
Follow Ups:
Not picking, just commenting as far as I am concerned.However, please get it right.
I have never said I recommend silver plated wall outlets.
I have not had much experience with silver plated wall outlets, and since it is an AC power situation, it might be that this is the best way to go. It is definitely a high current situation, and one where the contacts are nothing like a good solid speaker termination.As for the Cardas plugs, all I can say is, they sound wonderful. Some folks prefer the silver only versions, and it seems to depend a lot on what RCA jack they are plugged into.
As far as silver plated wires, these just never seemed to acheive a neutral presentation, and some of the worst cables I have ever heard have used silver plated conductors.
Some folks seem to get the silver plating (or cladding, as some claim) pretty decent, such as the DH Labs cables. These have just the barest hint of what most silver plated conductor cables have, and it is a very clean and euphonic sonic signature.
Jon,As a rule, I generally avoid responding to petty quips on discussion boards, but I'll make a single exception here. The quip, "Please get it right", is condecending and unnecessary; you could have just presented your thoughts. Thinking a poster is mistaken doesn't justify a condecending response, regardless of who is mistaken.
What I said wasn't off base; take a look at the thread http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/cables/messages/63107.html, my follow-up about the silver recomendation, and your response supporting the prior silver outlet recomendation.
I still do not see where I recommended silver plated outlets?????I allow that they MIGHT work/sound better, and I relate that I have not tried them personally.
I think that I have every right to be concerned about being mis-quoted regarding what I recommend, and what I don't, especially when it implies a contradiction as you very pointedly stated.
I lead off the post stating that I did not take offense, but that I did want the record straight. If you want to take that as a petty quip or some sort of put down, then I can't help that.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: