Which DAC would you recommend?

[Bob from Florida]

I'd never buy silver, there's no way its worth it at all. Tinning it would suffice, tho. It's just not something that's been a concern for me in many many years of using copper wire at all. Too much work doing it any other way than with good basic copper IME.

I think you’re misunderstanding me. Silver plated copper is not much more than basic copper. It is a little more because it usually uses teflon insulation. Teflon won’t melt but doesn’t seal the end as well as PVC, hence the silver plating to prevent copper corrosion from creeping up the wire under the insulation. Not melting when soldering is a plus, especially if using lead free solder at the required higher temperatures.

 

[Chrispy]

I think you’re misunderstanding me. Silver plated copper is not much more than basic copper. It is a little more because it usually uses teflon insulation. Teflon won’t melt but doesn’t seal the end as well as PVC, hence the silver plating to prevent copper corrosion from creeping up the wire under the insulation. Not melting when soldering is a plus, especially if using lead free solder at the required higher temperatures.

Got an example? I can't imagine basic copper would compete with such a specific low volume product. Never had insulation/dielectric melt from use either.

 

[Black_Rabbit]

While cables made of Silver do not sound any different than copper, Silver does have an advantage. As it tarnishes, it maintains its conductivity. If Copper starts turning green, you get a deteriorating connection. The way I get around the Copper connection issue is to crimp the termination, then seal with solder.

Ah, I see. I had only heard that silver has good conductivity. Seeing a famous Japanese cable manufacturer producing high-purity cables, I concluded that forged silver would be advantageous, but it seems that wasn't a very wise decision. What you said is fully understandable. Thank you for your explanation.

 

[Bob from Florida]

Got an example? I can't imagine basic copper would compete with such a specific low volume product. Never had insulation/dielectric melt from use either.

AI sums it up pretty well. I always use this stuff for project work because you cannot melt the insulation while soldering and voltage ratings are high - very useful when building tube based guitar amps.

AI Overview


Teflon-insulated, silver-plated copper wire is a high-performance electrical cable known for its exceptional heat resistance, chemical durability, and low signal loss. [1, 2]

Key Properties & Specifications

• • Insulation: PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as Teflon), which resists melting during soldering and handles extreme temperatures from -65°C to 200°C (or up to 250°C peak). [1, 2, 3]
  • Conductor: High-purity copper coated with a thick silver-plating layer, offering low internal resistance, excellent high-frequency (HF) conductivity, and superior aging resistance. [1, 2]
  • Ratings: Typically rated for 300V to 600V depending on the specific gauge and wall thickness (such as MIL-Spec M16878 Type E wire). [1, 2]

Common Applications

• • Audio & Radio: Widely used on platforms like diyAudio for point-to-point tube amplifier wiring and building high-reliability RF components like BalUns.
  • Aerospace & Industrial: Used in tight spaces where accidental soldering iron contact might melt standard PVC insulation.
  • Appliance Wiring: Internal wiring for high-temperature devices, sensors, and aerospace gear.
  • Explore a spool of 24AWG Solid Conductor Silver Plated Copper, PTFE Insulated Wire from Skycraft Parts and Surplus.
  • Read details on high-temperature hook-up wire at Remington Industries.
  • Review technical specs for PTFE Hook-Up Wire at Allied Wire & Cable. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

If you'd like to narrow down a specific type for a project, tell me:

• What gauge (AWG) you are looking for (e.g., 18AWG, 24AWG, 26AWG)
• What application or device you are wiring
• Whether you need solid or stranded core

 

[Bob from Florida]

Ah, I see. I had only heard that silver has good conductivity. Seeing a famous Japanese cable manufacturer producing high-purity cables, I concluded that forged silver would be advantageous, but it seems that wasn't a very wise decision. What you said is fully understandable. Thank you for your explanation.

Pure Silver wire is a Marketing ploy to convince audio nuts to spend more money on wire. It’s nice to admire it but it would only come in handy if society fell apart. You could then use your silver wire to barter for food.

 

[Chrispy]

AI sums it up pretty well. I always use this stuff for project work because you cannot melt the insulation while soldering and voltage ratings are high - very useful when building tube based guitar amps.

AI Overview


Teflon-insulated, silver-plated copper wire is a high-performance electrical cable known for its exceptional heat resistance, chemical durability, and low signal loss. [1, 2]

Key Properties & Specifications

• • Insulation: PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as Teflon), which resists melting during soldering and handles extreme temperatures from -65°C to 200°C (or up to 250°C peak). [1, 2, 3]
  • Conductor: High-purity copper coated with a thick silver-plating layer, offering low internal resistance, excellent high-frequency (HF) conductivity, and superior aging resistance. [1, 2]
  • Ratings: Typically rated for 300V to 600V depending on the specific gauge and wall thickness (such as MIL-Spec M16878 Type E wire). [1, 2]

Common Applications

• • Audio & Radio: Widely used on platforms like diyAudio for point-to-point tube amplifier wiring and building high-reliability RF components like BalUns.
  • Aerospace & Industrial: Used in tight spaces where accidental soldering iron contact might melt standard PVC insulation.
  • Appliance Wiring: Internal wiring for high-temperature devices, sensors, and aerospace gear.
  • Explore a spool of 24AWG Solid Conductor Silver Plated Copper, PTFE Insulated Wire from Skycraft Parts and Surplus.
  • Read details on high-temperature hook-up wire at Remington Industries.
  • Review technical specs for PTFE Hook-Up Wire at Allied Wire & Cable. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

If you'd like to narrow down a specific type for a project, tell me:

• What gauge (AWG) you are looking for (e.g., 18AWG, 24AWG, 26AWG)
• What application or device you are wiring
• Whether you need solid or stranded core

LOL no AI doesn't sum it up well at all....where's the pricing and specific products for comparison?

 

[Chrispy]

Pure Silver wire is a Marketing ploy to convince audio nuts to spend more money on wire. It’s nice to admire it but it would only come in handy if society fell apart. You could then use your silver wire to barter for food.

Add any silver on the wire to that, too....if it is actually silver otoh.

 

[Bob from Florida]

LOL no AI doesn't sum it up well at all....where's the pricing and specific products for comparison?

Click on the links in the AI quote to see some pricing. For someone willing to re-terminate green copper, odd that you won’t look up pricing for yourself.
That little bit of silver plating on copper makes soldering quite a bit easier as well.

 

[Chrispy]

Click on the links in the AI quote to see some pricing. For someone willing to re-terminate green copper, odd that you won’t look up pricing for yourself.
That little bit of silver plating on copper makes soldering quite a bit easier as well.

Click on the links in the AI quote to see some pricing. For someone willing to re-terminate green copper, odd that you won’t look up pricing for yourself.
That little bit of silver plating on copper makes soldering quite a bit easier as well.

Just clicked on the ridiculous 24g silver plated single conductor solid core stuff.....which is pretty useless.

 

[Bob from Florida]

Just clicked on the ridiculous 24g silver plated single conductor solid core stuff.....which is pretty useless.

Wire Department

test

skycraftsurplus.com

This is a local surplus store in Orlando that has most anything. Link is directly to wire department. Type “silver ptfe” in the search field. This will get you a long list of choices - from hook up wire to coax with lots of variety. Pay attention to the description as “single conductor” does not mean “single solid core”. Example below of gauge suitable for speaker cable.

M16878/4-BMG-9, 10AWG Silver Plated, PTFE Jacketed Wire, White, 100ft

Skycraft Surplus - Orlando's premier electronics parts & surplus store since 1974. Find electronic components, test equipment, wire & cable, hardware, and thousands of hard-to-find items for makers, hobbyists, audiophiles, and DIY enthusiasts

skycraftsurplus.com

They also have it in Black. $79 for 100 feet - times 2 if you want different colors - should be cheap enough for anyone. That’s 0.79 $ per foot….

 

[Chrispy]

Wire Department

test

skycraftsurplus.com

This is a local surplus store in Orlando that has most anything. Link is directly to wire department. Type “silver ptfe” in the search field. This will get you a long list of choices - from hook up wire to coax with lots of variety. Pay attention to the description as “single conductor” does not mean “single solid core”. Example below of gauge suitable for speaker cable.

M16878/4-BMG-9, 10AWG Silver Plated, PTFE Jacketed Wire, White, 100ft

Skycraft Surplus - Orlando's premier electronics parts & surplus store since 1974. Find electronic components, test equipment, wire & cable, hardware, and thousands of hard-to-find items for makers, hobbyists, audiophiles, and DIY enthusiasts

skycraftsurplus.com

They also have it in Black. $79 for 100 feet - times 2 if you want different colors - should be cheap enough for anyone. That’s 0.79 $ per foot….

Still, it's single conductor, and may come in splices....why bother? Good copper speaker wire costs half that or less.

 

[Jaudio7]

On subjective forums contributors often recommend a component they have purchased, irrespective of its actual objective

If it sounds good, why not? They may not have access to the measurements. Amir can only review and provide measurements for DACs he can get his hands on. The DAC reviews seem pretty Topping and SMSL heavy to me. But those are easier to get for a review.

 

[Purité Audio]

For the most part, contributors are looking for others affirmation when they post of their new purchase, one rarely reads of a new component being a disappointment.
A good example was the ‘Beresford’ range of products, lauded by the subjective crowd yet objectively poor.
I would stick to components which have been measured.
Keith

 

[Bob from Florida]

For the most part, contributors are looking for others affirmation when they post of their new purchase, one rarely reads of a new component being a disappointment.
A good example was the ‘Beresford’ range of products, lauded by the subjective crowd yet objectively poor.
I would stick to components which have been measured.
Keith

Measurements are good to have. However, measuring a product does not change its performance. Another reason for blind testing. If you know a product measures well, you already can have confirmation bias.

 

[Purité Audio]

Measurements, if the component has been measured allows you to easily discard poor engineering.
Keith