Hello!
This question comes up quite a bit! I finally got 2 pairs of step-ups here for use in local testing - One Silver and One Copper. I will be listenning over the next while in even more systems but having now compared in a few different systems and since the listenning results pretty much match my impressions of them a few years back when we first compared I thought I'd post my impressions at this point.
Bit-O-History......
Way back when we made the first MU step-ups I had S&B spin one pair out in silver. They are not new and do not replace the copper tx103's. Originally the silver units were listed on the web page along with copper but when listenning tests indicated that silver was not a hands down upgrade in every case and given the large price difference for the silver units I took them off the web page. I hate spening other peoples money....... Over time I have done silvers for quite a few customers and they always reported great results - although very few were able to compare with copper. We went along like this for some time until a few month back when Arthur Salvatore of
www.high-endaudio.com posted about them. I then decided to put them back on the page. Arthur spends tons of time experimenting with things audio and he liked the silver units very much. He was very fammiliar with the copper units as well. Since Arthur had my own silver units there at his place I went ahead and made up some fresh silver MU's along with a fresh pair of coppers. These were burned in and I have had a few days of playing now. This brings us up to today.
The silvers have a really great clarity and silky smoothness but they seem to have less weight than the copper units. I think the word that comes to mind is 'potential'. The silvers have the 'potential' to better the coppers but only if they fit your system. Adjusting loading can tune them but if your system ballance does not suit the silvers then I suspect that only using loading to tune things will possibly push the loading outside the ideal for the cartridge - it's too much to ask cart loading to tune the tonal ballance from where it naturally falls. From listenning so far I'd say if the system has a robust low end and a sense of weight itself then the silvers can fit in just fine. If the system is a bit dark then the silvers sense of clarity can open that up. You can already see where this is heading I am sure..... If the system is a bit lean in the low end then I would say coppers are more likely to drop in and fit the tonal ballance. That is why I say the silvers have the potential to outperform coppers but they are NOT a case of 'spend more $ get better sound'.
This impression is what led me to remove them from my web page originally - I could feel some customers struggling with not buying the more expensive option. I'll do my best to summarize. If your system has a low end that is robust or in particular 'really robust' I think the silvers can drop in just fine. If your system is just barely getting by down low (like many full range driver systems would be) then I think the coppers are more likely to just drop in and fit the system ballance. Given the large price jump to go silver I won't be 'pushing' the silvers - not that I ever really push too much! I will be leaving them on my page because as Arthur's experience shows they have the 'potenial' to outperform coppers in the right system and with sufficient time given to tuning the system.
More later when I hear'em in a few more systems. Also comming is a fresh compare of silver vs. copper tx102 based pre-amp systems.
Thanks!
John
