12-25-14: Charles1dad
I do however find that for what ever reason high quality silver just sounds better than equal quality copper.
Charles, your forgot one very critical point, adding IMHO.
From my experiences, I have found that silver can sound better than copper, gold, or palladium, in certain systems, with certain equipment. Equipment, like cables, have certain sonic signatures. I have found that silver works better with equipment that is more musical, while copper or gold may work better with equipment that is more revealing. Bottom line, there are many ways to achieve sonic nirvana.
Some like revealing cables with musical gear, while others like revealing gear with musical cables. Obviously there are even those who like (or think they like) musical gear with musical cables and/or revealing gear with revealing cables. I add think they like because I do know of some who swear that their gear and cables are both revealing or musical, and my experiences with their gear or cables with other gear or cables leads me to believe otherwise.
For me, this lesson was driven home years ago when I first bought my Parsifal Encores. After a couple of demos at the dealer, I fell in love with them and bought a pair. Up until this point, I had tried silver cables a few times with no success. When I first hooked the Parsifals up in my room to my copper cables, I was very disappointed. The sound was dull and lifeless. Two days moving speakers around did not help at all. I called my dealer and told him of my problems. I knew he was running BAT tube gear, which I also had at the time, it was then that he told me he was running all silver cables. I switched to silver and viola, everything fell into place, the system sounded wonderful again. I lived with the Parsifals for 6 years, and always used silver cables.
At this point in time I do not believe that silver is any better sounding than copper though. It can be with the right equipment. However, copper can also sound better than silver with the right equipment. Another variable is implementation, not all silver, or all copper being equal.
I would like to try Ocellia cables one day, Onda is another one on the list. Too many toys, not enough time or money. I did just pick up a pair of Amadi Cable Maddie Signature interconnects that Bill (Grannyring) is always raving about. I haven't had them long enough to form an opinion yet though. Currently, I am using gold (KCI Silkworm+)ic's, silver and copper (Stealth Hybrid MLT) sc's. I've found that I can live with silver mixed with copper, as long as both are separate solid core conductors. I do not care for plated versions, but I do know folks who do. That is why they make so many different flavors. As always, this is IMHO, obviously YMMV.
The only way to know for sure what works best for you is to try the cables in your own system. Just as no one can tell you which ice cream flavor you will like best, no one can tell you what conductor or cable you will like best. There are no shortcuts, to find the truth, you have to do your own homework. I'll also add that one change can change everything. Change an amp, speakers, etc., and you may well find yourself re-wiring the whole system again.
This does not include those that build their systems around their cables though. Yes some folks love their cables so much that they will change equipment to suit their cables instead of changing cables to suit their equipment, but that is another thread entirely.
Cheers,
John
