Solid core silver wire is the only wire I use. If you are able to put aside your $$ prejudices you may find there are good reasons for silver to sound better.
Silver is the only metal that doesn't arc. That is the reason that silver wire and silver connectors sound better. It is also the reason contact enhancing treatments are less effective with silver connectors.
Some systems may have problems that are to big for silver wire to make a difference in, which is partly responsible for some people not hearing a difference.
If you have a revealing system and good ears you will hear more detail and a lower noise floor with silver.
The pictures my stereo produces are simply better and clearer with silver throughout the system.
You have been led to water...drink up.
Silver is the only metal that doesn't arc. That is the reason that silver wire and silver connectors sound better. It is also the reason contact enhancing treatments are less effective with silver connectors.
Some systems may have problems that are to big for silver wire to make a difference in, which is partly responsible for some people not hearing a difference.
If you have a revealing system and good ears you will hear more detail and a lower noise floor with silver.
The pictures my stereo produces are simply better and clearer with silver throughout the system.
You have been led to water...drink up.
What arcing takes place on your power cord or interconnects? The only arcing that could take place is with a mechanical switch and that could be replaced with a triac.
What effect does silver have between the miles of wire between the power company and your house? How about the run from the pole to your breaker panel? Its most likely aluminum. How about the leads of the transistors or tubes you are using? The tubes are probably some ferric alloy and the transistors are copper with some kind of tin plating. Adding some silver wire here and there is like putting a band aid on cancer.
What effect does silver have between the miles of wire between the power company and your house? How about the run from the pole to your breaker panel? Its most likely aluminum. How about the leads of the transistors or tubes you are using? The tubes are probably some ferric alloy and the transistors are copper with some kind of tin plating. Adding some silver wire here and there is like putting a band aid on cancer.
Hear, Hear.
Nothing you do that goes from the wall outlet to your unit will make up for the hundreds of feet of copper/aluminium between your outlet an the local power transformer feeding your home.
If it DID make any difference at all, it would be UNDONE by the actions of the mains transformer. If it makes you feel good... use silver on the mains feed but saying that 3 feet of silver wire ahead of the mains transformer makes an audible difference you can hear is just making me laugh.
It makes more sense to make a nice braided power cable. Go for good looks versus saying SILVER = MAGIC at MAINS AC levels.
Me? I'd save the silver cable for INSIDE the cabinet.
The Old Curmudgeon...
Nothing you do that goes from the wall outlet to your unit will make up for the hundreds of feet of copper/aluminium between your outlet an the local power transformer feeding your home.
If it DID make any difference at all, it would be UNDONE by the actions of the mains transformer. If it makes you feel good... use silver on the mains feed but saying that 3 feet of silver wire ahead of the mains transformer makes an audible difference you can hear is just making me laugh.
It makes more sense to make a nice braided power cable. Go for good looks versus saying SILVER = MAGIC at MAINS AC levels.
Me? I'd save the silver cable for INSIDE the cabinet.
The Old Curmudgeon...
I have no $$ prejudices. So far, you have provided nothing of any substance to substantiate your assertion.tom1356 said:
Where did that information come from?tom1356 said:
Again, what problems?tom1356 said:
Again, your assertions remain unsupported by your statements with regard to silver. I do concur that a revealing system and good ears will provide more detail and a lower noise floor, but you have not provided anything to show that silver was the reason for an improvement.tom1356 said:
Keep in mind, I have not said you are incorrect. Just that what you are saying has not been supported by your words.
astouffer said:
I swore if I heard that "miles and miles" of wire argument against line cords again, I'd scream..arggh.
pwillard said:
See above..
pwillard said:
Again, see above..
The power cord from the amp to the wall outlet forms a ground loop with the IC's and the source chassis. If you examine Faraday's law of induction, you will see that any conductive loop which encloses a time varying magnetic field, will generate a voltage.
That voltage will cause the input ground of the amp to move relative to the ground of the source chassis. This will cause bad, bad stuff to occur to the music.
This effect is the mechanism which also causes ground loop hum..
pwillard said:
Braid is not thick enough to stop audio frequency magnetic penetration. It can only stop rfi, but will do nothing for ground loop. I would not bother with the braid.
Cheers, John
While it is clear that the doubters have not tried using silver wire, therefore they will never be convinced of the benefits.
People believe a lot of things in the face of evidence to the contrary. Churches are mobbed on Sunday.
I could care less what you listen to so I am not out to convince you to try anything.
I have heard all the arguments why it wouldn't work.
The problem with your theories of why it can't work is that it does work in practice.
I am interested in a better illusion. Silver provides that regardless of your beliefs.
People believe a lot of things in the face of evidence to the contrary. Churches are mobbed on Sunday.
I could care less what you listen to so I am not out to convince you to try anything.
I have heard all the arguments why it wouldn't work.
The problem with your theories of why it can't work is that it does work in practice.
I am interested in a better illusion. Silver provides that regardless of your beliefs.
Hi Tom
Unsure of who you are speaking to, I will answer. I make the assumption I have been included in your responses, but it'd be better if you were to either address the intended, or quote them...
Um, Tom? You have not provided evidence in support of your argument. Without such evidence, your assertions fall shy, and your last sentence becomes irrelevant..
You have made an assertion. So I asked you what basis upon which that was made. You have provided nothing other than the old "you have to try it" gambit. Another irrelevant ploy, please refrain from trying it again..
Perhaps a wait is in order, as I believe there is mis-directed communication here..
Cheers, John
Unsure of who you are speaking to, I will answer. I make the assumption I have been included in your responses, but it'd be better if you were to either address the intended, or quote them...
tom1356 said:
Um, Tom? You have not provided evidence in support of your argument. Without such evidence, your assertions fall shy, and your last sentence becomes irrelevant..
tom1356 said:
You have made an assertion. So I asked you what basis upon which that was made. You have provided nothing other than the old "you have to try it" gambit. Another irrelevant ploy, please refrain from trying it again..
I personally have not made any statements as to why it wouldn't work. In point of fact, I very cleary tossed one of those ""arguments as to why it won't work"" down the hopper...tom1356 said:
Perhaps a wait is in order, as I believe there is mis-directed communication here..
Cheers, John
, but what amplifier could be so perfect as to justify solid silver mains?I get it now. It's about braggin' rights. To be able to say "I have silver right down to the wall outlet", sounds cool, I guess. It must make a difference, right?
If it does make such a difference, I figure what the detractors are saying is; "don't talk mumbo jumbo... show us the difference it makes".
If it's different, it's measureable, right? If it's not measurable, it doesn't matter.
I'm all for "do it if it feels good", but lets focus on doing something for "good looks" or "good sound". At least to me, those are not the same. Like I said before, braid the mains cable to make it look good, but not to claim it sounds better.
FYI: I just test benched a quick SILVER WIRE mains cable. (I dabble in jewerlry making and have spools of silver wire handy) I covered each feed with 2 lengths of TechTron Heat Shrink Tubing to create a rather nasty looking 5 ft mains cable. I must be deaf.
If it does make such a difference, I figure what the detractors are saying is; "don't talk mumbo jumbo... show us the difference it makes".
If it's different, it's measureable, right? If it's not measurable, it doesn't matter.
I'm all for "do it if it feels good", but lets focus on doing something for "good looks" or "good sound". At least to me, those are not the same. Like I said before, braid the mains cable to make it look good, but not to claim it sounds better.
FYI: I just test benched a quick SILVER WIRE mains cable. (I dabble in jewerlry making and have spools of silver wire handy) I covered each feed with 2 lengths of TechTron Heat Shrink Tubing to create a rather nasty looking 5 ft mains cable. I must be deaf.
If it is different, then it must be measurable. The problem has always been, measure what? The best example is using a DC meter to measure AC. Zero results are erroneous.pwillard said:
pwillard said:
I do not believe this can be considered a well controlled test.
astouffer said:
It will be ineffective at elimination of loop coupled issues. Attempting to cover the wires of the loop can in fact enhance the magnetic field coupled to the loop.
You have lost interest because you have nothing of substance to provide in support of your allegations. That, and some of the posters also provide no support for their counters..tom1356 said:
This, IMHO, is not acceptable. Those who, via observation, note something amiss are responsible to provide the observation using the best descriptors available. It is not a requirement that the observer be versed in E/M field theory to be capable of observation.
The fact that you only have silly made up reasons which have been provided by others who either sell product or sell themselves is not your fault. I consider the fault to lie with the both the engineering community and the audio community.
tom1356 said:
I personally, would probably strip a similar insulation off an available product if I were intent on a specific insulation type. But, for large lengths it's kind of like pushing cooked spagetti into a tube..
I'd go with a heatshrink. Double layer of it over the silver, as pinholes do exist, two layers removes single pinhole failures.
Do you have the ability to test dielectric withstanding? If so, go for at least 2 kilovolts, and best to go to 5 Kv. Line transients can flashover, messing everything up..
Oh, and I agree with David. That guage is kinda light.
Cheers, John
Hi,
comments about 16ga being a bit light seem unfounded.
Could some of those commentators please say what current limit they see for a 16ga solid 3core cable.
Keep in mind, I/someone else will come back and ask what gauge is being used for mains input inside the receiver and the primary of the transformer.
I would add that the natural filter to high frequencies that the cable provides is influenced by both it's resistance and inductance in the LR and in the capacitance RC. Both types of filter will be effective in attenuating the extremely high frequencies that accompany the 50/60Hz mains signal.
comments about 16ga being a bit light seem unfounded.
Could some of those commentators please say what current limit they see for a 16ga solid 3core cable.
Keep in mind, I/someone else will come back and ask what gauge is being used for mains input inside the receiver and the primary of the transformer.
I would add that the natural filter to high frequencies that the cable provides is influenced by both it's resistance and inductance in the LR and in the capacitance RC. Both types of filter will be effective in attenuating the extremely high frequencies that accompany the 50/60Hz mains signal.
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