Silver vs. Cooper speakers cables

I totally agree with Beemer,regardless if the cables are silver or copper you MUST try them in your own system to tell if you will like them or not. Paul when you audtioned the AZ silver reference cable was it the first generation or silver reference II? I found quite a difference between the two cables in my system. The II's were much better then the I's. At that point I found they gave me a more extended top end with wonderful details and air without any glare or harshness. I did not experience any of the problems sonicly that you did,hence my question.

I have definite biases against pure silver, but a great love of cables containing silver and either gold and/or copper. I realize it does not tell you anything other than my opinion but it is based on what may be facts that 1) silver is easily contaminated hence a combination that allows it to be plated, and 2) above 10k there can be problems depending upon its purity. Rather than find out which cables are best and going through that learning curve I prefer to try ones that have silver but with it plated. Others may correct me freely if I am mistaken, knowledge however obtained is always good. Michael

As you can see Eluende14, you get about as many opinions as you do posts. Best advice, as given above, try a set in your system and see what the results are.

IMO silver can be great, but it seems it is more sensitive to how the cable is designed. I recently borrowed a friends Audio Note AN-V interconnect and after a few days I looked at the cable to double check the model name, as I wanted to go online and read about it, to my surprise it said silver, I had no idea it was silver. I do not agree with what some say categorically about silver cable. Of the cables I have heard in my systems, I have heard two all silver cables and they rank amongst the best I have heard.

Being an owner of two different levels of Tannoy speakers (Mx and Revolution series)in two different systems (one analog and one HT), I would be wary of silver speaker cabling. As people pointed out earlier, upstream equipment is very important and Tannoy can be very naturally detailed without any silver emphasis. I support the others who've recommended listening for yourself.

The only difference between copper and silver is that silver has slightly less
resistance. So, all you have to do is use lower gauged copper and you will get
the same effect as using silver. Since silver has slightly less resistance, it is
possible people substitute the same gauge silver for their copper cables, hear
the music slightly louder in comparison and they think they are getting more
detail when in fact they are only getting slightly higher volume. In tests,
people will experience slightly higher volume as more detail and that's why
this is also the oldest trick in audio sales. The salesman A/B's two pieces of
gear, bumps the volume ever so slightly for the higher priced piece while
you're not looking and -- voila -- you hear more detail and he racks up
another sale.

The rest of the stuff people say about silver is unsupported.

Which means you can believe or not -- your choice.

I believe the idea that silver would impart a sonic signature is a holdover from
the world of musical instruments. Nickle or steel strings sound different from
bronze, a silver trumpet sounds different from brass, etc. But, these
instruments make sounds by vibrating -- that's different than carrying signal.

In blind listening tests when levels are matched, people cannot hear any
difference between silver and copper and aside from the difference in
resistance, no one has come up with a reason why they should.

Again -- your choice to believe or not.