How Does Gold Wire Handle?


Thinking of building a pair of XLR interconnects using 26-28 gauge, 99.99% pure gold wire, 2-3 strands per conductor. As soft and malleable as gold is, I'm trying to imagine how it behaves--if you hold a 3-foot length by the ends and bring your hands together to bend it in a wide arc, I am imagining it just stays there, without any return. It would have to be carefully straightened out again, is this correct? It seems you wouldn't want to be bending these interconnects back and forth once made. How about silver and copper strands in these gauges? I hear the OCC in silver and copper handle/move better than non-OCC. I would be running any wire loosely in cotton and then teflon, much like the more successful designs out there. Thanks!
128x128jafreeman
I suspect a proper evaluation of the various alternatives would be a little tedious given that all cables really do need to undergo both burn in and cryogenic treatment. Otherwise it's just a pig in a poke. Not to mention system and location eccentricities. Sometimes copper just plain sounds better than silver no matter what you do.
Al, thanks for your concise explanation of what may be occurring through pin #1. This is very enlightening to me and, I presume, to others. There is so much opinion batted around on DIY cable threads that only seems to confuse rather than clarify. I would have continued to regard pin #1 as something of a nominal requirement, a connection made for the sake of continuity, for safety, a default run that allows me to ignore all the shielding opinions, ad nauseum. More so, congratulations--your paragraph is golden for me, the novice, and should be regarded as a breakthrough in relieving confusion for many.

Cheers,
Joe
Joe, thanks very much for your eloquently worded response. And best of luck on your project!

Best regards,
-- Al