Silver vs Copper cables

This will be good.
I think I will make some popcorn and grab a beer and watch this thread. :)

Cables are witchcraft. Period.
Silver, Copper, Palladium, Carbon. Thin wire, thick wire.
Ceramic connectors, plastic connectors, plated connectors, solid connectors, gold connectors, silver connectors, copper connectors. Teflon, cotton, foam, or air insulation.
Lots more design elements...magnets, no shielding, heavy shielding.

It really does come down to what works in your system I think as stated. Try different ones from companies that allow a money back trial period.
Buy used ones that you can resell if they don't work.
Find out the generally believed characteristics of a certain cable which might suggest how it will mate in your system.
It also matters where in the chain it is placed (source>preamp; or premap out>amp).

Very generally speaking-your above example of tubes&copper and SS & silver is opposite of common thought, but it depends on the cable.

Have fun with it.

"In my opinion about all you can say concerning this subject is that silver is a better conductor than copper all things being equal."

Yet, there is significant debate as to whether this quality of being a better conductor necessarily correlates (or is even a critical factor) to a better outcome.

Wait, I need to fill up my popcorn bowl again.

OK, Ok....I am just as deranged as everybody else here in searching for that Holy Grail of an IC for my specific system (only I have kind of a modest budget).

I have a pair of Reality Cables copper IC's on the way to try out for use between my TRL modded Sony source and TRL modded Musical Fidelity A300 integrated.
Also considering trying a pair of the new Decware silver IC's, and the Xtreme AV copper/silver hybrids, and VH Audio silver/copper Pulsar hybrids.
Just not sure where the journey will stop.

Clio09 above is mentoring me a bit as he has much more experience than I owning and auditioning IC's.

I am presently using RS Audio silver IC's. Time to experiment a bit-who knows I may end up not changing.

FWIW-I use DH Labs silver plated copper speaker T14 and Q10 wire in a biwire setup.

Oh, and Halle Berry all the way.

Well, I got my well regarded Reality Cables today.
100% copper (or some variation of 99.99999999% give or take a few nines). They have OFC connectors.

I have been using the well regarded RS Audio Silver IC's.
100% silver (or some variation of 99.99999999% give or take a few nines). Silver connectors.

I have a source with two sets of Audio L/R outputs so can have them both hooked up and switch the selector on my integrated amp instantly to A/B.

This is like Ali/Frazier, Bird/Magic, McEnroe/Connors.

Let the games begin.
This will no doubt prove once and for all for all aduio enthusiast which is better between Cooper or Silver IC's; with my source, with my amp, and with my speakers, in my room, on my couch, with my ears....

Well, I guess it will not prove a damn thing except which I might like better in my setup-but I will report back nonetheless for entertainment purposes.

:)

Got to see Bird in person in college twice play against my university.
Old school, baby.

The cable battle is quite interesting so far. Will report back tomorrow as Gregg at Reality suggests a couple days run in even after his extensive burn in.

Brief update on the copper Reality Cables IC's as compared to the silver RS Audio IC's in my setup.

The Reality Cables have the recommended 48 hours of additional run in after I received them on Saturday. The company already does a 15 day break in on the wire and connectors before they send them out and they feel they are already broke in when received. The 48 hours is to allow them to settle in with your electronics.

Short answer impression at this point-no significant difference. Both cables are neutral, balanced across all frequencies, extended, and devoid of an edge or glare.
I wouldn't call either warm, nor would I call either analytical. They are going to present what your electronics does truthfully.

It is funny but both seem to have avoided the stereotypes of the typical characteristics of silver and copper. Both present an honest balanced presentation. The silver is not etched or edgy at the upper frequencies, or lean; the copper does not lose detail in exchange for warmth or fullness.

Both are nice cables and I would not hesitate to recommend them for a trial as both companies offer a money back trial period.

If I had to state one difference-the Reality Cables might be very slightly rounder in presentation.