Silver interconnects

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stereoal

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 60
Silver interconnects
« on: 18 Jan 2022, 08:24 pm »
I have a BDA 3.14 and a BCD-3 on order and am in the market for XLR cables. I keep reading conflicting information on the internet about silver-coated copper cables with silver-plated connectors. Some say the connectors tarnish, which hurts sound quality, others say tarnished silver is still a better conductor than untarnished copper so it doesn't matter. Some say you shouldn't mix metals: if you have gold-plated inputs on your equipment, like Bryston has, you shouldn't use silver-plated connectors.
At the risk of unleashing the great cable debate, I wondering if any of you can share your experience with silver cables and Bryston equipment. I know some say they are a little bright. It seems to me the top-of-the-line cables are often silver, but at the same time, they don't appear to be the best choice.
Thanks.

alexone

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1976
  • Anthony Bower, Stan Rybbert, John Stoneborough
Re: Silver interconnects
« Reply #1 on: 18 Jan 2022, 08:57 pm »
Hi, Al!

i'm using silver cables since a few years now with my Bryston setup and believe it or not they do sound better to me. i can clearly hear more details! nothing sounds bright or edgy or whatever they call it...
the XLR cables are Neutrik terminated and the RCA cables use a special kind of connection. the conductors are made of pure silver. maybe you should try some cables from the manufacturer of your choice and compare them against the stuff you have at home.

however, always trust your ears :thumb:

may the sound be with you 8)

al.

richidoo

Re: Silver interconnects
« Reply #2 on: 18 Jan 2022, 11:33 pm »
Seems that the people who love silver cables use SOLID silver, not silver plated copper. They say that the silver tone problems are always with plated and not with solid silver. Something to do with skin effect affecting treble frequencies on the conductor surface differently than lower frequencies in the core, making plated sound brighter. I use JPS cables, but silver is cheaper so I want to try it.

thorman

Re: Silver interconnects
« Reply #3 on: 19 Jan 2022, 01:07 am »
 I have been very happy with Silver Interconnects from Schmitt Custom cables on my BCD-3 . His price/value is impressive......Good guy to deal with too. I bought 1 pair and liked them so much I bought 2 more pair..

servingko

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 141
Re: Silver interconnects
« Reply #4 on: 19 Jan 2022, 05:46 am »
I have been using solid silver wire rca and balanced interconnects for a couple of decades and have been really happy with them - Kimber KCAG.  The only non silver in my system are some 8 meter xlr subwoofer runs as solid silver at those lengths is quite pricey and harder to justify for subs.  I converted when it wasn’t too bad.  I have tried many other copper and silver plated copper cables but I preferred the silver, sometimes only a little bit and often by a wide margin.