Tonearm wire, silver or copper?

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spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Have been musing the possibility of switching from silver to copper.
Currently using a one-piece Zavfino Litz silver wire into Bocchino platinum RCAs in my Terminator air bearing LT.
I had tried my stock copper wire as a swap out for a while, and was pleasantly surprised how well it held up, superior to the silver wire in some ways.
I was expecting a warmer tonality at expense of some loss of resolution, but didn't feel any detail was omitted.
Seriously considering getting another copper wire made up, just curious about people's experiences of running these, and those who've switched from silver to copper.
 
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I moved from a silver Kondo tonearm cable to a copper based custom LFD cable through Mik at Unique Audio. The LFD slaughtered the Kondo. My experience is that copper or silver doesn't much matter, its all about how the baseline metal is implemented or configured in that particular cable.

So... based on my experience, if I was you exploring a new tonearm cable now (I'm definitely not) I would probably try a few different configurations of copper or silver & I'd p r o b a b l y lean a little bit toward copper. But with a very open mind for either.
 
Jackl3y said:
The Zavfino tonearm cables are excellent
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They are, I'm just trying to work around a possible hardness/lack of natural warmth, or spotlighting of higher frequencies, that the Zavfino silver *may* be contributing to/responsible for.
 
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Chop said:
I moved from a silver Kondo tonearm cable to a copper based custom LFD cable through Mik at Unique Audio. The LFD slaughtered the Kondo. My experience is that copper or silver doesn't much matter, its all about how the baseline metal is implemented or configured in that particular cable.

So... based on my experience, if I was you exploring a new tonearm cable now (I'm definitely not) I would probably try a few different configurations of copper or silver & I'd p r o b a b l y lean a little bit toward copper. But with a very open mind for either.
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Sure, as our fearless leader Ron always says, "implementation trumps theory".
In the short time I ran my stock copper wire, it was deffo warmer and more immersive than my specially made up silver wire, but no deficit on resolution/detail retrieval.
A little like my new TT mat, which has a warmer more textured presentation, but as much or more resolution than my stock mat.
 
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Even silver headshell wires were too much for me.
If you don’t mind a bit of prog, Greg Lakes side if Works vol 1 starts with a steel stringed guitar that rather highlights the effect of silver, my silver couled cartridge doesn’t seem to be a problem but the silver Litz wires that came with my Korf make those strings sound like no strings ever should, whatever they’re made of. Some copper wires packed with a Dynavector were something of a relief after those.
 
Ah, I have that album. Will check that torture test out.
 
That’s very strange. Whatever I hear with good silver wire like Kondo, Audio Consulting and AN UK is the opposite. The best setups I heard are based on especially on silver inside out from cartridge coils to powercords. IMHO it is better to look where the problem lies instead of switching from silver to copper.
 
mtemur said:
That’s very strange. Whatever I hear with good silver wire like Kondo, Audio Consulting and AN UK is the opposite. The best setups I heard are based on especially on silver inside out from cartridge coils to powercords. IMHO it is better to look where the problem lies instead of switching from silver to copper.
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I agree. Luckily it costs very little (as compared to other changes) to try copper wire.
I believe my Sablon loom is copper, I wonder if consistency here is advantageous.
 
Chop said:
I moved from a silver Kondo tonearm cable to a copper based custom LFD cable through Mik at Unique Audio. The LFD slaughtered the Kondo. My experience is that copper or silver doesn't much matter, its all about how the baseline metal is implemented or configured in that particular cable.

So... based on my experience, if I was you exploring a new tonearm cable now (I'm definitely not) I would probably try a few different configurations of copper or silver & I'd p r o b a b l y lean a little bit toward copper. But with a very open mind for either.
Click to expand...

As well as the formation of the conductor, the dialectric has a big impact on the sonics. I have gone off PTFE and prefer Polyethylene.
 
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My choices are pure silver or copper, four stands each 0.14mm thickness.
No dialectic.
 
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Chop said:
Sensible & cost effective
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Famous last words of the audiophile.
I wonder if those words will be written on my headstone?
 
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spiritofmusic said:
My choices are pure silver or copper, four stands each 0.14mm thickness.
No dialectic.
Click to expand...
I’m sure the answer is obvious, but… how do you keep them from shorting together?
 
tony22 said:
I’m sure the answer is obvious, but… how do you keep them from shorting together?
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Looking at the website, each strand is enamel coated, using a 2UEW dielectric.
 
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copper is fine. silver is better for low-level signal applications. It has lower resistance.
sciencing.com

Copper Vs. Silver Wire Conductivity

Though silver wire is more conductive than copper wire of the same length, copper wire is the global standard. Because silver only provides a relatively minor increase in conductivity despite being much more expensive, silver is reserved for sensitive systems and specialty electronics.
sciencing.com sciencing.com
 
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Spirit, have you considered Cardas Clear tonearm wiring? I use it in my last 2 tonearms and love it. Scroll down on this page to the 34x4 Clear tonearm wire. They have shielded and un, I think about you said you need unshielded...

https://www.cardas.com/bulk-cable
 
jfrech said:
Spirit, have you considered Cardas Clear tonearm wiring? I use it in my last 2 tonearms and love it. Scroll down on this page to the 34x4 Clear tonearm wire. They have shielded and un, I think about you said you need unshielded...

https://www.cardas.com/bulk-cable
Click to expand...
Indeed, this is the very copper wire I'm considering.
You prefer to silver wire?
 
spiritofmusic said:
Indeed, this is the very copper wire I'm considering.
You prefer to silver wire?
Click to expand...
The only comparison I have is to the Kondo Silver wire normally in the Safir 9 arm. I got to demo the Safir 9 wired in Kondo Silver, and kept hearing something that I didn't like in MY system. Others report differently, but I don't think they have heard the Safir 9 I bought wired in Cardas Clear.

So yes I prefer. Greatly. Takes some breaking in as usual, I just played LP's for 100 hours or so and you can hear it relax and open up.
 
Kondo was too unwieldy for my tonearm, so no comparo possible. I'm detecting just a *hint* of hardness/etched quality in my system, and I seem to remember my stock copper wire had less/none of this.
So...
 
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