Copper v. Silver IC sound

Silver is a better conductor than copper at any frequency. Radio Frequency (RF) cables of higher quality are typically silver plated copper when cost is not an object. Some antennas even make use of silver plating to increase their conductivity. They can get away with just plating the conductor as RF is ALL "skin effect" and travels on the surface of the conductor.

Audio frequency ( AF )cables may be either silver or silver plated. Obviously, the more silver used, the more expensive the cable SHOULD be. Since AF signals tend to ride both through the core of the conductor and on the surface ( skin ), you might run into some type of problem when using multiple types of materials within the same cable. My guess, based on a limited understanding of electron flow, is that a distortion may occur when a signal "crosses" between the top layer of silver plating and the core of the center wire which is copper. As such, i've seen others that are more "in the know" state that in order to minimize this problem, the silver plating must be applied relatively thick. I would assume that the evenness of plating may also come into play.

As to using silver IC's or speaker cables, can't pass judgment there. Never felt the need to use any. I would suggest that if you have an IC that seems bright or edgey, try letting it burn on a Mobie for a while. It can make a world of a difference in terms of smoothness, clarity and transparency. I would not have believed the difference if i had not experienced it myself. I had tried lesser cable burners with little to no difference being discernable results.

As to using copper to replace what was lost with silver or vice-versa, that is not possible. Adding to or removing from a signal is simply a distortion. You can, however, end up with additive or subtractive distortions that compliment each other. The end result is that it may present what is a pleasant sonic picture to you. Don't get me wrong as i'm not criticizing here, i'm simply saying that this is where system synergy and personal taste come into play. Sean
>

Jtinn: I thought ICs and I guess more importantly speaker cable were passing DC? Where did I go wrong here? I haven't heard the term "Josephson Junctions" since my ME tech elective class in college!--No point here, just thought I'd share a reverie.

And also, I've a question of my own: What about silver digital cables(i.e. my Illuminations D-60)? Same harshness expected? I see that a lot of people who post to this site use the D-60.

I compared the Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference(copper) to the Silver Reference.
First, the new Matrix is a great interconnect. It is totally balanced across the entire frequency spectrum. When compared to the Silver Reference I was left with a difficult choice. You are right about Silver cables having a somewhat lean sound, there's a dip at some of the lower frequencies. It was as if the Silver cables pushed the bass player back two steps, and lowered the volume 3 db. The Matrix had an amazing effect on vocals, they had that roundness that usually only comes from a record, not a CD. The musical parts were a very cohesive whole, without any exaggerations at any frequency. They also have the best recreation of interior space I have heard to date (excepting a 5 channel SACD playback).
But, they do not resolve quite as much detail as the Silver Reference.
I decided to use the Silver Ref. as my main stereo outs because in my work I must hear all the details in sharp relief, but if I just wanted to enjoy music, and not analyze it, I would have stayed with the Matrix.
Epilogue:
Since I now had a set of Matrix Reference cables, I put them into service for the rear channel interconnects of my 5.1 set up. I had formerly used Harmonic Technology's "Truthlink Silver" (a combo silver/copper, and a damn good cable) But, with all my interconnects being Acoustic Zen something unexpected happened... The rear channels had so much more authority that the little B&W LM-1 rear speakers sounded like my B&W N805 front speakers! The bass improvement was astonishing. The cables are now so harmonically balanced with well matched timbre, that the cohesiveness of 5.1 sound was tremendous.

Relatively and theoretically speaking:

If we pick up both ABSOLUTELY pure cooper and silver conductors, silver conductors will have: ~10x better per/unit conductivity and derived quality from better conductivity is a possibility to design less p/u inductance and p/u capacity IC. Certainly freequency bandwidth will become much wider than in cooper conductor. I.e. ideal silver conductor must have much better details(not colourations)

In the real world there is no such thing as an ideal cooper or silver, but every brand that produces ICs($30...$3k) will assure that their cables uses the purest conductors on the market.

Without looking into internal structure of each conductor in our silver or cooper ICs we cannot realy make any particular conclusion that cooper is better than silver or vice versa.