Mainline with Silver cables.
- Thread starter ToneDeaf
- Start date
I don't have firsthand experience with this, but I will suggest that you might want to mention which headphones this inquiry is in regards to. Silver usually tends to open up or emphasize the highs a bit more. The Mainline is pretty neutral (as opposed to the lower mid/upper bass warmth of the Crack) so you might be taking some headphones that sound neutral with something like a Crack too far in the "detailed" direction.
AllanMarcus
New member
I have pure silver cables (DIY) and copper cables. There is no difference using these cables with the Mainline vs other amps.
If you are asking about silver vs copper cables, that's a whole difference discussions. Theoretically there should be no difference between well made cables with either metal. In practice, some cables may sound difference. remember, a cable cannot make the sound better. A cable can only degrade the sound. Different cables might degrade the sound differently, and at different frequencies. A passive cable cannot add anything.
If you are asking about silver vs copper cables, that's a whole difference discussions. Theoretically there should be no difference between well made cables with either metal. In practice, some cables may sound difference. remember, a cable cannot make the sound better. A cable can only degrade the sound. Different cables might degrade the sound differently, and at different frequencies. A passive cable cannot add anything.
That's one theory, anyway. Silver is a slightly better conductor in the prevailing theoretical sense. It is postulated that this is due to the greater number of particles in the silver nucleus than the copper nucleus, particles which are balanced with a greater number of electrons in the shells beneath the valence shell that contains the free electron. This better shields the free electron from nuclear attraction, so it is easier to move away from the nucleus.
That all looks really good until reality sets in and your silver wire tarnishes faster than your copper, or the solder joints on one cable are better than the other, or one set of wires gets work hardened and gets microfractures, overriding the small differences in conductivity of the wire. IME construction quality has a very large influence on how a cable sounds.
IME silver tends to sound a little more bright on average, a bit of emphasis that is often associated with the audiophile term "detailed" - which of course sounds like they rubbed the paint with clay and shampooed the carpets.
A cable can only degrade the sound compared to the sound heard through a different cable. And that will be entirely subjective, since degradation is not a quantitative measurement in itself. However it's probably safe to assume that not using a cable degrades the sound more than using a cable.
AllanMarcus
New member
Doc B. said:
I think I can get behind this statement, but I might need citations.
