Yes, the subtext here is copper vs. silver. I've read so many threads where people argued about attributing certain sonic qualities to silver cables that I got to the point where I wanted to hear for myself.
So when two NIB pairs of DH Lab Revelation XLRs came up on the other site at half price (a small audio dealer shutting down and liquidating all stock) I jumped.
I listened to them inserted in the main system detailed in my profile. I let them settle, "burn in" (if that's what they do) for a good while (i.e. a couple of weeks), then reinserted the TWL and took notes. Rinse and repeat. Let me add that I am currently very content with the overall sonic presentation of the system, so I wasn't looking to change anything, it was just an experiment born of curiosity.
At the end of the day, here's what I heard, or didn't hear. The two pairs of ICs were much more alike than different. If you twisted my arm, I'd say that perhaps the DH Labs were slightly more sparkly in the upper registers, but I certainly wouldn't be comfortable trying to distinguish between them blind. If there was a difference, it certainly wasn't more than that which could exist between two different makes of copper ICs with different internal construction.
My take-away. Silver doesn't necessarily sound different to copper. I won't try to extrapolate any broader conclusion, but it certainly gives the lie to blanket statements like "all silver cables sound Y compared to copper cables that sound X".
Feel free to attribute the lack of any major heard difference to the lack of resolution of my system, to my failing hearing, or perhaps to the fact that well designed and constructed cables made of copper or silver can both perform very well.
