Whatever happened to Straight Wire?

Platinum is extremely resistant to oxidation and to corrosion, and a very good conductor of electricity. What this does for your audio cable that cheaper metals don't is up for debate.

Musicman, Platinum being a good conductor of electricity is an urban legend. . . Even Iron is a better conductor than Platinum. Here are some resistivity figures:

Silver: (20 °C) 15.87 nO·m
Copper: (20 °C) 16.78 nO·m
Gold: (20 °C) 22.14 nO·m
Aluminum: (20 °C) 26.50 nO·m
Rhodium: (0 °C) 43.3 nO·m
Zinc: (20 °C) 59.0 nO·m
Nickel: (20 °C) 69.3 nO·m
Iron: (20 °C) 96.1 nO·m
Palladium: (20 °C) 105.4 nO·m
Platinum: (20 °C) 105 nO·m
Tin: (0 °C) 115 nO·m
Lead: (20 °C) 208 nO·m

So, I shall ask again: why seek Pt in wires?

Platinum is sometimes preferred because of it's high resistance (as is bronze) by certain cable designers such a Joe Magnan who bases his designs on high resistance ribbon cable. His white papers at: http://www.magnan.com

Hmm, I visited the site and found statements like:

"Reduction in electron group velocity distribution and quantum mechanical effects are presently considered the leading candidates."

Sounds VERY 'impressively scientific' without saying much of anything. . . . I fear I's smellin' some kind'a New Age rodent mumbo jumbo!

I'll se if I can point you to the proper info. Joe has been making essentially the same products for about 18 years now. Very old school ;-)