Buying used old cables

My understanding is that unless there is an airtight seal where the wire goes into the connector, air will slowly get under the dielectric and oxidize the copper. To what degree, I'm not sure.

As far as I know, not many manufacturers address this issue. Not Kimber or Audioquest for sure. Cardas does, as they use Litz wire and have special soldering techniques as they take this seriously.

I have a 6" sample of a Tara Quantum III+ speaker cable with 8 solid core conductors. For years, the bare copper showed no change. Now, it does look like it has oxidized. It is kept in a cardboard box - just kind of a novelty item for me.

If anyone knows more about the aging of cables, please enlighten us. I do know that there are people in this industry who say wire does oxidize and degrade in sonics after some years.

If anyone knows more, I'd be interested.

I hear you BG, luckily I have never had the problem with some of my older cables. However, I am starting to feel the rust creeping in since I passed 39 as well!

I must admit that serving the compulsion to shorten all
interconnects, speaker wire and power cords to the short-
est length, I have replaced male ends on power cords with
hospital-grade connectors while cutting off significant
extra length of wire. That suspends the wire off the rug
as well. I have even soldered new RCA connectors on some
interconnects. Sonics have not suffered noticably. Now
I would not do this to an expensive item that comes with a
swedged-on connector. The orderly snake-pit behind my
equipment sure makes me proud, neatnik that I am. But,
I don't know how equipment mfgs. look on this practice and
I certainly don't know what damage I am encouraging. It
may just be a trade-off, though; short connections for
shorter longevity. BG

I've had the copper strands inside Monster cable turn green after having it for a year or so; probably caused by oxidation.

06-28-08: Bobgates said:
"I've had the copper strands inside Monster cable turn green after having it for a year or so; probably caused by oxidation."

Wow, that's still going on. They had that problem decades ago when they first came out. That's not a good sign.

Dave