Something tells me AQ should have come up with different names as they "improved" their cables. My Clear SE's have copper (10 total in 17 and 19 awg) and silver (frou, in 21 awg) conductors, and have a shiny medium grey braided jacket. I think, however, that earlier versions of the Clear were indeed all copper. No clue when they made the change. Messy, isn't it? I have a copy of the AQ Cable Theory pamphlet from 1998, and the description sez the Clear is dark and the Sterling dark gray. Of course, they change the damned cosmetics again the next year, at least for the Clear SE (as far as I can tell, the only thing that changed was the jacket. The Sterling in this pamphlet had eight silver conductors (21 and 19 awg) and six copper conductors (17 awg). You should by now be thoroughly confused. :-) Crack open a beer or two, sit back, enjoy the music and forget about it! If it sounds good, it IS good!