Silver plated copper

Personally, I think it's hooey. :)


The silver coating on the copper is barely there, but commands a major premium in price.


Personally, at least for interconnects, I buy pure silver cables and make my own, and stick to pure copper for speakers.


As I've mentioned, I've used silver plated copper in speaker cables. And, with ZERO explanatory theory, it was not better. In fact it was worse. For days, and then finally as good as copper.


I have no model or theory to explain this.

Explanation: it was installed in the wrong direction. 😬

Good afternoon, I queried Nordost as to their derision to use silver plated conductors. Here is their response. 

We use silver plated copper on all of our conductors. The reason main reason is copper is a porous material and if you look at it under a magnifying glass you will see pits in the surface. Coating it with silver fills in all the pits and provides a surface better suited for signal transmission.

In our opinion you want the signal to travel as fast as possible to avoid changes. Especially in Norse level products where mono-filament technology is employed you have created the ability for the signal to travel faster because the dielectric is suspended off the conductor. Now in addition you have a better surface for the signal to flow as well.

So what about tinned copper?

Silver will oxidize just as copper will, but silver will not corrode like copper.

What is the difference between oxidizing and corroding?