[richidoo]

Metallurgical testing done this month. Results:
http://www.jantzen-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Information-on-copper-wire-and-copper-foil.pdf

An interesting read, imo - written by Michael Jantzen, president

no affiliation here
Rich

[jtwrace]

Meh. 

[Hugh]

Thanks for posting Rich.

[Early B.]

Jantzen makes some good points. I'd like to see a blind test between 99.9% vs. 99.9999% copper cables to see if there's an audible difference. I've also never seen tests to confirm whether cables are actually "six nines" as many manufacturers claim them to be. Not saying it doesn't exist, just that I've never seen it. Perhaps the only thing that's "pure" about such copper cables is the marketing hype.

[Armaegis]

Having spent a good portion of the past two decades doing similar chemical analyses as a metallurgist, trying to quantify anything past 0.01% accuracy is what we in the scientific community call "really #$%& hard". You'll pretty much have to take the manufacturer/supplier's word for it, as any handling and preparation of the samples for analyses is going to introduce higher impurity content than what they're claiming anyways.

[Speedskater]

In cables, the difference between copper purity's is like the difference between a 10 foot cable and a 10 foot 6 inch cable.

[Mike B.]

The extreme purity deal especially with copper is a gimmick IMO. Unless the copper is kept in a oxygen free environment it will deteriorate. I do think true continuous cast is a good thing.

[Steve]

The extreme purity deal especially with copper is a gimmick IMO. Unless the copper is kept in a oxygen free environment it will deteriorate. I do think true continuous cast is a good thing.

Jenalabs has their copper wire made in an oxygen free environment, at a manufacturer in Japan. They purchase their wire in large quantities, miles.

Cheers
Steve

[Steve]

Jantzen makes some good points. I'd like to see a blind test between 99.9% vs. 99.9999% copper cables to see if there's an audible difference. I've also never seen tests to confirm whether cables are actually "six nines" as many manufacturers claim them to be. Not saying it doesn't exist, just that I've never seen it. Perhaps the only thing that's "pure" about such copper cables is the marketing hype.

Hopefully with more confound variables addressed than simply "sight" as other forums and books often suggest. Cochlea Fatigue, Habituation to Stimuli and many other factors enter into a proper test. The test has to mimick normal listening or one is comparing apples to oranges.

Cheers
Steve

[Mike B.]

Jenalabs has their copper wire made in an oxygen free environment, at a manufacturer in Japan. They purchase their wire in large quantities, miles.

Cheers
Steve

I have used Jena's wire. My point is the wire in use is not in a oxygen free environment. How quickly it is affected depends on humidity and the seal by the jacket material. Copper tarnish is a poor conductor as well.

[Early B.]

My point is the wire in use is not in a oxygen free environment. How quickly it is affected depends on humidity and the seal by the jacket material. Copper tarnish is a poor conductor as well.

And then the copper wire is likely gonna be soldered on both ends. 

[wushuliu]

Jantzen makes some good points. I'd like to see a blind test between 99.9% vs. 99.9999% copper cables to see if there's an audible difference. I've also never seen tests to confirm whether cables are actually "six nines" as many manufacturers claim them to be. Not saying it doesn't exist, just that I've never seen it. Perhaps the only thing that's "pure" about such copper cables is the marketing hype.

I could tell the difference i bet. I think their cheap 99.9 or whatever air coil inductors suck. They sound grainy as hell. Took me a while to figure it out over different diy builds but once I did I compared to meniscus coils and foil coils. The latter two matter of taste and harder to differentiate but The jantzen are obvious to me.

[Steve]

I have used Jena's wire. My point is the wire in use is not in a oxygen free environment. How quickly it is affected depends on humidity and the seal by the jacket material. Copper tarnish is a poor conductor as well.

I agree Mike. My point is that Jenny is one of the few (she agrees with you) who has her wire manufactured in an oxygen free environment. I have used and checked Jenny's wire for some years and inside the insulation is still pristine. The insulation/manufacturing technique is excellent.

Based on the above, if one solders right up to the insulation one should be ok with her wire. If another technique, it must be a gas tight connection
followed by some sealant in a low humidity environment.

(Disclaimer) I used to sell her wire, and sometimes do, but only in small quantities.

Cheers
Steve

[*Scotty*]

I suspect that the insulating film used in the construction of foil inductors matters. The ERSE foil inductors use BOPP film ( biaxially oriented polyproplene film). This film is melted to seal the 99.99% copper against oxidation. So far as I can see, Jantzen does not disclose the nature of the film used in their inductors.
Scotty

[richidoo]

I suspect that the insulating film used in the construction of foil inductors matters. The ERSE foil inductors use BOPP film ( biaxially oriented polyproplene film). This film is melted to seal the 99.99% copper against oxidation. So far as I can see, Jantzen does not disclose the nature of the film used in their inductors.
Scotty

Hi Scotty,
I emailed Jantzen Audio with your question, this is a portion of their reply:

"For our Cross Coils the foil is coated with a lacquer and the insulation between each winding layer is a polypropylene foil. For Wax Coils the foil is the same, but the insulation is a special paper that can absorb the paraffin wax that the entire coil is impregnated with."