Graphene infused OCC conductor


I fancy a change of speaker cables, I was looking around and I saw some cables built with graphene infused OCC conductor cores. I have an idea how OFC, OCC and most variants of copper, silver plated copper and pure silver cables sound like but I have never heard anything like with the aforementioned conductors. Any ideas?

greg_f

@steakster ,

I haven’t, but I’ve researched it a while ago when graphene was the latest and greatest industry buzzword, and this is what I found:

  • Independent audio measurement report (Alpha-Audio, 2023) — direct test of silver / copper / graphene conductors showing no meaningful change in frequency or phase response despite audible-sounding marketing claims. (Example of measurement vs marketing). Alpha Audio

  • Industry / product testing (reviews 2023–2025) — boutique cables that use graphene (often combined with silver, OCC copper, exotic dielectrics) sometimes report subjective improvements — but these tests are not controlled and can’t isolate graphene’s effect.

And this:

  • Percent gains are small. A 3–10% conductivity increase is measurable but often too small to change the electrical behavior of short interconnects or speaker cables enough to alter frequency/phase response in a real system. AIP Publishing+1

  • Other factors dominate audio cable performance. Geometry, inductance, capacitance, shielding, connector quality, dielectric losses and mechanical termination are more likely to affect measurements (and audibility) than a few percent conductivity change.

That’s just two quick examples of why I have that opinion. You can have a terrific sounding cable because of the above parameters. Coating it or mixing it with ’graphene’ which by definition is two dimensional and only a single atom thick or else is not graphene, it’s graphite. It’s very hard to create and utilize actual graphene for any purpose outside of laboratory conditions. So, my take on it is the not inexpensive, high quality cable is a terrific sounding cable regardless of graphene or not, and adding what they call graphene isn’t enhancing the sound, but it isn’t detracting from it either. It’s simply there to say it’s there. Marketing 101. I don’t see how anything can be ’infused’ with graphene. How can you accomplish that and maintain the thickness of a single atom??! If anyone has that answer, I’d love to learn something new.

What's the benefit of graphene in cables?  I know it's used in some top shelf drivers.

Here is where the real fun starts:

"Graphene can be doped with silver nanoparticles by forming the nanoparticles directly on the surface of graphene substrates, typically using a reduction process involving silver cations. This method enhances the conductivity of graphene, making it suitable for applications in printed electronics and other advanced materials."

MDPI

 

 Another vote for Cerious Technologies. Best cables Ive tried . My opinion is based on listening to them in my system, not reading about them....

@winoguy17 ,

If that was a shot at me, I never commented on any specific cable that touts ’graphene’ technology, or how they may sound. It was my opinion on the use of the word as a marketing ploy and current scientific data on its efficacy within an audio cable. Same deal with 'quantum' anything nonsense. A little reading comprehension goes a long way.