Silver Speaker Wire???

[crashkelly]

Hi,

Quick question. I just received a shipment of speaker wire from an online store in Canada (where I live). The wire is 12 guage FT4 (in-wall rated) from Digiflex, but it is silver. Did not pay a huge amount, $0.84/foot.

My question/problem is that it is "silver". I guessed I assumed when I ordered it that it would be copper (could not tell from the photo online).

Is this a problem?? Should I try to return it? It is a length cut to my specs.

Sorry for the newbie question but I am not sure what to do about it

Thanks
Michael

 

[avaserfi]

Technically silver is a better conductor than copper, I think the number is about 20% more efficient, but when it comes to actual audible differences getting silver wires is a waste of money. In the end it will work just fine, its just about twice as much as I would spend on speaker wire though.

 

[Johnd]

As avaserfi wrote, it'll be just fine.

As a side note, although silver is a very good electrical conductor, it tarnishes way too readily, obfuscating any proposed benefit of better conductivity. As gold does not tarnish (or not readily), it remains the preferred plating material.

 

[crashkelly]

Thanks for the quick reply

Hi avaserfi,

I guess we live and learn. I checked my local Home Depot on the way to work and they sell 12 guage copper in wall for about $0.50 a foot so I guess I did not spend a great deal more.

I will install it in the walls as planned and know better for next time.

Thanks again
Michael

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hi,

Quick question. I just received a shipment of speaker wire from an online store in Canada (where I live). The wire is 12 guage FT4 (in-wall rated) from Digiflex, but it is silver. Did not pay a huge amount, $0.84/foot.

My question/problem is that it is "silver". I guessed I assumed when I ordered it that it would be copper (could not tell from the photo online).

Is this a problem?? Should I try to return it? It is a length cut to my specs.

Sorry for the newbie question but I am not sure what to do about it

Thanks
Michael

Is that solid silver or just silver plated? It would be cheap for solid silver

If you solder to it, you will have less issues with surface oxidation at the contact point. It doesn't really matter much at the other locations.

 

[crashkelly]

thanks for the replies.

Actually, the list price is $1.40/foot. I got it for $0.84/foot because I bought 200 feet.

I will have to investigate if it is solid or plated.

I will look at soldering the connections. I was planning on using some compression banana plugs for the ends.

Thanks again
Michael

 

[dem beats]

thanks for the replies.

Actually, the list price is $1.40/foot. I got it for $0.84/foot because I bought 200 feet.

I will have to investigate if it is solid or plated.

I will look at soldering the connections. I was planning on using some compression banana plugs for the ends.

Thanks again
Michael

Michael See if you can solder the ends or find someone to do it for you. It will help bunches.

Good find if it is solid silver.

 

[Nick250]

I think this one of those "over complicating it" issues. I suggest purchaseing 12 or 14 gauge copper wire from Home Depot/Radio Shack etc or on line from Blue Jean if looks make a difference and be done with it. There are no audio differences between any of the choices including the silver. I would go with the 12 gauge if the run was over 50 feet or so.

Nick

 

[crashkelly]

dem beats
Thanks. I think I will do just that. I will see if I can return my compression bananas and get the solder type. Never soldered before, but I have friends who can help/teach/do so things should be good.

Nick250
Looks make no difference to me at this stage becase this wire is all in wall. These connections are at the back of wall plates and the pre-made 7.1 wall plate I purchased at http://www.home-technology-store.com/structured-wiring/MU-HTWP7.aspx has banana connectors on the back-side. The wire has already been ordered, cut, shipped and received so returning it may be an issue. However I would attempt do so, return, if the silver wire would not pass as quality a signal as the copper. None of the runs are near 50 feet, but I chose 12 guage as it is in the wall and I don't want to have to open the wall or fish new wire for a long time.

Thanks much for both of your inputs
Michael

 

[Sheep]

Technically silver is a better conductor than copper, I think the number is about 20% more efficient, but when it comes to actual audible differences getting silver wires is a waste of money. In the end it will work just fine, its just about twice as much as I would spend on speaker wire though.

Actually, it's more like 1-2% There is no audible difference between the 2.

SheepStar

 

[mr-ben]

For that price, I'm sure you don't actually have silver wire. It's probably not silver-plated copper either, since that's the kind of thing that you would have paid much more for. My guess is that it's tin-plated copper, and that it will sound fine.

 

[crashkelly]

hi mr-ben,

I am not sure exactly what I got. I bought it online from a reputable store up here in canada so I am not worried about getting taken, I just want to know what it going in my walls before I seal them up "forever" (quotes because you are never really finished)

I am sure it will sound fine as well

Thanks for the reply
Michael

 

[tszhfung]

For that price, I'm sure you don't actually have silver wire. It's probably not silver-plated copper either, since that's the kind of thing that you would have paid much more for. My guess is that it's tin-plated copper, and that it will sound fine.

Yeah, the price sounds too low for pure silver.

I had some solid silver speaker cables before. One thing to watch out for is oxidation. The oxide gives a tarnish/black layer which is very obvious. Silver does oxidize easier than copper.

 

[Johnd]

I had some solid silver speaker cables before. One thing to watch out for is oxidation. The oxide gives a tarnish/black layer which is very obvious. Silver does oxidize easier than copper.

Solid silver. Really? Those must have been fairly expensive and hard to come by. I've been into cabling for over a quarter century, and well, never mind.

Here's some wisdom I just picked up from a solid silver speaker wire supplier (say that ten time fast):
"Think this way...the more metal your music passes through, the more altered the sound becomes."

Any questions?

 

[mtrycrafts]

Here's some wisdom I just picked up from a solid silver speaker wire supplier (say that ten time fast):
"Think this way...the more metal your music passes through, the more altered the sound becomes."

Any questions?

Just amazing. Show you how much imagination there is, unlimited

Some of those instruments have a whole bunch of metal the sound waves pass through. No wonder they sound so horrible, unlike a violin or piano

 

[crashkelly]

started a little something didn't I

Still no idea what I really have as I have not had the time to inquire yet. Don't know if I have silver or not, but rather just know the wire is "silver". Doesn't really matter what it is to me as long as it will not negatively effect my setup.

I will post when I find out what I have

By the way, the dealer never claimed it was silver, just 12 guage speaker wire.

Thanks for all the comments and input
Michael

 

[mtrycrafts]

Still no idea what I really have as I have not had the time to inquire yet. Don't know if I have silver or not, but rather just know the wire is "silver". Doesn't really matter what it is to me as long as it will not negatively effect my setup.

I will post when I find out what I have

By the way, the dealer never claimed it was silver, just 12 guage speaker wire.

Thanks for all the comments and input
Michael

No, it shouldn't affect performance. It may have a tin coat on it.

 

[VideoNinja]

SPC or Silver Plated Copper is made by passing a copper strand through a "bath" of molten silver. Silver plated copper cables have a higher conductivity than copper and even gold. As silver oxidizes (tarnishes) it actually has the unique ability to become MORE conductive. Oxidized silver is not a pretty as unoxidized silver but it is much more conductive.

Many audio purists do not recommend silver SPC for speaker cable since silver is more conductive. They claim that the silver plating can speed up the high frequencies and make the sound "tinny". For this reason, it is best to stay with bare copper.

With regard to your "silver" speaker cable, you probably have tinned copper. Tinning is the process of removing the oxidation layer on copper by passing the strand through a solder bath. The solder bonds with the copper strand giving it a shiny silver coating.

Speaker cable is often made with 1 bare copper conductor that appears to turn green with time and one tinned copper conductor that remains shinny. The two color conductors are used to identify polarity for your speakers.

Due to the fact that this has been such a common process for so long, you can trust that your speaker wire whether tinned copper or bare copper, will provide many years of reliable performance. Even the oxidized conductors will be around long after you are gone.

 

[Johnd]

Oxidized silver is not a pretty as unoxidized silver but it is much more conductive.

Really? Then why don't they simply oxidize the silver (or silver plated copper) in an ionic bath to achieve a "much more conductive" medium?

I don't know. I'm no chemist nor engineer, but I think it is that the level of oxidation in silver remains so thin as to render it a nonfactor in reduced conductivity.

I really just wanted to have some fun. An otherwise good read VideoNinja.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Many audio purists do not recommend silver SPC for speaker cable since silver is more conductive. They claim that the silver plating can speed up the high frequencies and make the sound "tinny". For this reason, it is best to stay with bare copper.

.

That is because they don't know much about cables. At 20kHz, the signal still penetrates well below the surface plating, unlike at high mHz or gigs, actually to its center with plenty of current density.
Audiophile imagination is unrestrained and unlimited. And, they do make lots of claims, unsupported by facts.