almandog,
I think about this frequently when I see glossy ads for cables...including my own. Too soft is no excuse as we know copper RCAs and speaker terminals exist, and I read about tellerium copper alloys that are used in hi end wall outlets. Gold and rhodium plating over brass isn't good enough. There are companies using copper, but not enough, and it isn't spoken about enough either. I think these companies are getting a pass.