Copper and silver cables and bass response


Just changed out my Kimber KCAG silver cables and put my old Tara Temporal continuum cables in my system. Wow the bass was more powerful and deeper. What gives. Should I not use silver between my amp and pre amp? I read a while back that silver is best between other components. Is this more or less true? The KCAG's were more detailed. How good was the Tara Temporal continuum in their day? any opinions appreciated. mike
128x128blueranger
There are differences in bass impact between various cables, but the perceived differences have nothing to do with whether the conductors are silver or copper.
I have to agree that it depends..I have had copper i/cs on my amp-pre that sound lightweight and silver that sounds perfect ( and visa/versa ). I don't think there is a hard fast rule..I do think from my experiance Silver tends to be more relaxed ..I have found that a good mix of both is the best solution for me.......
The KCAG is a well balanced overall cable. However Kimber's Select series in the silver hybrid (KS-1126) would provide you much more detail, air, liquidity and bass. Their KS-1130/36 are even better but are pricey. The Select series also uses their Black Pearl Silver.

Feel free to email me for more information on these as I use them in my system.
Placement may vary from one system to the next.I would try them in different positions and see what sounds best in your system.♫
Hello,

In general, copper tends to sound more warm, rich, and full bodied; which is why Dennis Had of Cary Audio loves the Jensen copper foil in oil capacitors for some of their tube gear. Copper can tend to fatten up, enrich, and flesh-out the sound in the mids and highs or tame the etched chalk-like sound of an aluminum ribbon tweeter or a titanium dome tweeter, etc.

Copper, electrically speaking, is slightly less conductive than silver, which is the best conductor due to its conductivity or lowest resistance per foot or given diameter, etc. Copper is second. Gold is somewhere down the list but is used for anti-oxidation purposes for signal transfer primarily and since it is also softer, it is more malleable and ductile to be slightly compressed to allow a tight fitting connection.

Silver, in general, tends to sound more open, airy, extended, light, and allows a greater higher frequency extension (treble) to pass through; all of which give the silver conductor a perceivable increased or greater detail as more high frequency content is being passed; especially upper harmonics. It can also sound hard, harsh, tinny, thin, hollow, weak, lacking bass or midbass or both, etc. This is largely due to the larger amount of high frequency content baing passed in comparison, or in proportion to let's say, the rest of the audio signal being reproduced.

I personally like copper overall. Hope this helps.