Darwin silver IC's or Cabledyne silver IC's?

The contact surface is all that matter's which is silver and copper. A very good quality connector.

I will chime in. Contacted Ed at Cabledyne for some insight:

"Xhadows RCAs have anodized aluminum barrels and the main body including the tip is silver-plated OFC solid machined copper. All signal connections are solderless in the main body, not the cover."

"Aluminum is non-magnetic and serves only as a cover/shield for the main body. All plastic coverings including shrink wrap are far worse for sonics."

TheXhadow has a outer and inner barrel. The outer barrel sleeve is aluminum. The inner barrel is solid copper plated with silver.

Not to start an argument here but the whole idea behind Darwin's philosophy is to eliminate the barrel completely. If the anodized coating applied to the aluminum barrel is enough to quell any interaction with the actual contact inside of it, then why not coat a brass barrel and be done with it, saving cost?

We all know, from experience, just how "non conductive" dielectrics mess with the signal on a wire, even when not always in direct contact with it and here you have the contact very snugly placed inside a "non conductive" outer barrel. It is said to be non magnetic, not non conductive, hence the anodized coating, which should stop or address in some part, conductivity.

Granted, this is all theory until someone makes a comparison but from what I'm getting with the Darwins (and for the cost) I'm content with what I have.
Also, has anyone talked to Tony Bender at Darwin cables?

All the best,
Nonoise

No need to have a pissing war amongst one's favorite brand of cables. Every cable maker has their theories and most claim they have the "answer." What works in your system and YMMV. :)