Does silver used in interconnects "sound" different than copper?

[Cuniberti]

I searched ASR and didn't find the answer. If I missed something, add the link; thank you.

Question: Is there something about a solid silver or a silver alloy that can change an interconnect cable's performance in the audible range? If so what, and are there any measurements available?

 

[Martin]

No

 

[Ron Texas]

Unless it has been removed, lots of copper has trace amounts of silver in it. Silver wire is recommended for strangling vampires and making trinkets.

 

[jannek]

Seems especially popular at IEM cables... but sound improvement only works with transparent isolation.

 

[JustJones]

It sounds about $25 an ounce.

 

[izeek]

It sounds about $25 an ounce.

only when it jitters.

 

[Cuniberti]

only when it jitters.

interesting, explain that

 

[Vincent Kars]

In audiophile speak, sliver sound bright and copper sounds warmer.

Why?
Well because these bloody clever materials know they should sound like their skin.
In other words, the profound differences in sound are total nonsense.
Just another case of self-delusion.

There is a real difference, silver is a slightly better conductor than copper.
It is also more prone to oxidize.
https://sciencing.com/copper-vs-silver-wire-conductivity-5863373.html

 

[izeek]

interesting, explain that

It was certainly a joke.

 

[Cuniberti]

In audiophile speak, sliver sound bright and copper sounds warmer.

Why?
Well because these bloody clever materials know they should sound like their skin.
In other words, the profound differences in sound are total nonsense.
Just another case of self-delusion.

There is a real difference, silver is a slightly better conductor than copper.
It is also more prone to oxidize.
https://sciencing.com/copper-vs-silver-wire-conductivity-5863373.html

Thank You

 

[egellings]

No difference unless the very slightly lower DCR of Ag vs. Cu's DCR makes a difference, which is highly unlikely. There's no special magic about any conductor material beyond that caused by placebo effect.

 

[sq225917]

Silver oxide is only very marginally less conductive than clean silver. The tarnish on it isn't oxide, it's sulphide

 

[Speedskater]

In analog audio, the only places it might make a difference is the contact surfaces of switches and connectors.
At gigahertz frequencies, it's a different ballgame.

 

[Cuniberti]

No difference unless the very slightly lower DCR of Ag vs. Cu's DCR makes a difference, which is highly unlikely. There's no special magic about any conductor material beyond that caused by placebo effect.

Thank you

 

[Frank Dernie]

In analog audio, the only places it might make a difference is the contact surfaces of switches and connectors.
At gigahertz frequencies, it's a different ballgame.

The conductivity allows slightly tighter packing of transformers and inductors using thinner wire of the same current capacity too.
Whether that is of any real consequence in performance though I have no idea.

 

[threni]

only when it jitters.

All that jitters is not gold.

 

[ahofer]

No

Just to clarify...No.

 

[Mnyb]

The conductivity allows slightly tighter packing of transformers and inductors using thinner wire of the same current capacity too.
Whether that is of any real consequence in performance though I have no idea.

There are audio transformers with silver wire probably for this reason .

There are also silver transformers for the "other reason" you can find them in ultra expensive tube equipment

 

[solderdude]

And to make a point with actual measurements in the acoustic domain:

DT1770 (250 ohm) with original 3m coiled copper cable vs. 1m braided silver cable.
The reason you do not see the copper cable is because it is completely hiding behind the trace of the silver cable.
NO change in tonal response AT ALL., nor is it technically possible to do so as silver also conducts all audible frequencies equally.

 

[Mnyb]

Just NO for example power cables are very often aluminium for cost and weight reasons , you just make it thicker to compensate for the lower conductivity but it's still lighter and cheaper . You make it copper when you need a thinner power cable or a flexible power cable with thin strands of copper. Aluminium cables dont like bending so i've never seen flexible aluminium cable .

Btw do not Dynaudio use aluminium voice coils to make them lighter ?