INTERCONNECTS COPPER OR SILVER

[chops]

...Chops by the way how do you get you pictures up???

When you get done writing a post, but before you actually hit "Post", if you look towards the top of the page, you'll see a tab that says "Options" to the left of "Compose". Just click on that, click on the "Add/Update" button, click the "Browse" button in the new window that pops up, navigate to the area on your computer where you have your imaged saved, click on that image once, click on the "Open" button, click on "Save" (which will close that little window), click on post and you're done.

I hope that helps. []

[consistent]

...ok, here goes...

[Daddy Dee]

This is a most interesting thread and I'd want to commend the posters for not flaming.

One forum member posted above that not all silver is created equal.

In my experience I have found this to be true.

I ran across a post a couple of years ago about Grover Huffman's silver interconnects. I went out and found them on the internet and ordered the "base model" which was pretty reasonably priced, as far as silver IC's go. I didn't care for them at all, they had kind of a harsh, to my ears, sound. I e-mailed GH and told him I'd like to return them. He said, well, if you'd like to try the better IC's, just send those back and I'll send you a pair of the better. Then if you still don't like them you can return them for refund or keep them for no additional charge. I thought, that's a nice offer, and took him up on it.

Grovers "better" silver IC's (with my Wright 2A3 mono's) sounded very good in detail in the HF, but the bass dropped out so noticeably my jaw dropped. I sometimes still use them in the system between the CDP and preamp and they are fine there, also indistinguishable from copper in that same place in the signal stream.

Mostly what I use are Tributaries copper ICs and have also used Tributaries speaker wire, which is very nice and reasonably priced, if purchased on Ebay. It is fairly "high dollar" if purchased say, at Custom Audio in Little Rock.

Currently I'm using copper IC's made by Erik Mandaville which use a very nice two conductor + shield premium microphone cable. They sound very good.

Except for the hearable difference between silver and copper, I'm kind of a wire is wire type. My take on it is that once a connection is good and the cable or wire is adequate to carry the signal well, my ears can't tell a difference. My ears can't distinguish the difference between Radio Shack IC's and Tributaries IC's. Decent zip cord sounds the same to my ears as the premium Tributaries speaker wire.... but the Tributaries does look alot more cool.

[ScorpsFan]

Daddy Dee,

Which Tributaries are you using? I have their Delta's currently but need to replace everything with the rearrangement I just did and am considering these multi strand copper from Knukoncepz: http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KRY2.1M , after demo-ing several other types and finding similar problems to those you noted as well. The other problem and maybe it is type related, is that coaxial/single strand interconnects with large jackets were too stiff to hide or fit behind my gear. Thanks.

[chops]

...ok, here goes...

Very nice consistent! They look like the albino version of mine, except with the better bullet connectors. Those are single strand, right? Are they real stiff like the Magwires I have?

BTW, I see you were able to posts pics now. []

[Daddy Dee]

ScorpsFan,

I've used mostly the Tributaries Delta. Also have on occasion gotten Alpha when I wasn't paying attention to what I was ordering. I haven't worked hard enough to try to hear a difference, but haven't noticed anything remarkably different as I have sometimes moved things around in the system.

For anyone interested wiremeister1 is the Ebay seller on these. He is also very good to deal with in terms of communication and customer service.

I went out to look at your link for the knu IC's. The description is impressive and they are certainly reasonably priced. Look good, too....

[consistent]

yes thanks chops I was trying to upload with the icon 'insert image' in the 'message' area. All single strand and stiff as a board! Currently working on a 2 stranded version (different core values) using the DH Labs RCA'S. Little more fiddly with the winding but am impressed with definition in the mid range.

I guess I am one of those who believes that using different IC'S can make a difference to the sound coming from a system that is finely tuned. But I confess I am a convert. I did not believe initially, what changed my mind was corporations charging big bucks for kit that only looked good...thought that I could do that for much less and could actually sound better. My experimentations, some blind testing and a few ctritics helped.

[JJkizak]

Are we speaking here of differences in sound results of wires or the resultant impeadence/capacitance changes the wires inflict between the crossovers and the amps? How is this documented? What is considered a "given" test standard for tube systems and SS systems? What is the test standard for the length and thickness of the wires? Shielding? Plastic dialetrics? Humidity? Proximity to AC power lines and 365KV high tension lines? Room temperature? Cigarette smoke? Wires laying in water in the basement?

JJK

[NMR Guy]

When you move to a different conductor type there is definitely a difference in the sound. The people who say there isn't are those who haven't bothered to compare.

Thanks Dean. That's exactly the way I feel. I think most people just go by what others say without giving them a try on their own.

It's simple. I find some high quality copper (usually expensive IT strands/core cable) strip it out of its plastic dielectric, go to great lenghts to clean (proprietory process) the strand then feed it through good quality teflon tubing and solder the ends with Cardas quad solder, making sure the ends are sealed with heat shrink and not open to air contact. That's my cable pictured. I find the less strands of copper (using single core) the better and more 'free' the sound becomes. The sound of the 'room' in alot of recordings becomes very noticeable as do some of the minute details that tend to get lost with multistranded cable and cable that is 'over shielded'. As you notice this cable is not shielded and I believe that is one of its strengths. I have done lots more experiments but I won't bore you any more. Hope this helps.

Say consistant, that sounds an awful lot like the Magwire Nakeds I use. Those are by far the best sounding and least expensive ICs I have ever used and I don't plan on ever changing them out. They are two single core conductors made of magnet wire.

Here's a pic of mine...

Hey Chops:

I've constructed many pairs of speaker and power cables but only one pair of interconnects. (I made mine out of some nice coax cable and I love them) They were a pain in the patoot to construct out of coax,....Where does a guy get magnet wire? Let me know about the specifics in terms of gage etc.

Thanks,

[chops]

Hey Chops:

I've constructed many pairs of speaker and power cables but only one pair of interconnects. (I made mine out of some nice coax cable and I love them) They were a pain in the patoot to construct out of coax,....Where does a guy get magnet wire? Let me know about the specifics in terms of gage etc.

Thanks,

Hey NMR (a.k.a. 126MHz), []

Unfortunately, the guy on Audiogon that used to make and sell them no longer does anything on there. If I remember correctly, I think the wire used was 20 or 22AWG solid core. They are nothing more than a non-shielded, twisted pair terminated with "no-frills" Neutrik NYS352G rca connectors. He used silver solder to make the connections.

You can find magnet wire on eBay...

http://business.search.ebay.com/magnet-wire_Business-Industrial_W0QQcatrefZC12QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsacatZ12576

[consistent]

JJ you forgot pot smoking and beverage consumption!

My simple test is to let your ears do the tesing in an environment that is operated under normal conditions and that the environment is kept the same whilst undertaking R & D. I don't make stuff that is purpose built for SET, TUBE, SS, Analogue, DC, Digial etc etc.

I would think that by playing with cables you ultimately affect capacitance, inductance/resistance and and impeadance values of the 'system' you are connecting too. Some say the values are so small that they are not noticeable by most but I notice as do some others.

General rule: If you don't care or notice then don't bother, it's not worth it. If you do care then take time out to notice more! It is all about noticing a difference and the satisfaction or even dissatisfaction that comes from it.

[ScorpsFan]

Daddy Dee,

Thanks for the info, and your always quick response. I'll check our your Tributaries source as I make my decision.

[jcmusic]

I want to thank everone who had imput in this thread, the info was really good.

Thanks alot.

[NMR Guy]