silver wire - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteCrow 

But do you understand what I'm saying? Like the process of using the silver solder.

 

How do you solder steel? Can you post links to the various materials you are talking about? Do you mean solder with steel in it, because I'm pretty sure a soldering iron won't melt steel. Couldn't you just use silver solder then use an anti-oxidizing coating?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fin1211 

Ok. so im down to two options now-either get 16 feet(4x4)of 28awg silver insulated with cotton for $40 or 8 feet(4x2)of 28awg silver insulated with SILK for the signal and 8 feet of 28awg copper insulated with cotton for the ground, for exactly the same price of $40. which will bring better sound?

Can't speak as to sound, but the notion of using one type of conductor for "signal" and another type of conductor for "ground" is rather misplaced.

From the perspective of the cable, there is no "signal" wire and "ground" wire.

The "signal" is the singular transverse electromagnetic wave that exists between and around both wires.

se

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danthrax 

How do you solder steel? Can you post links to the various materials you are talking about? Do you mean solder with steel in it, because I'm pretty sure a soldering iron won't melt steel. Couldn't you just use silver solder then use an anti-oxidizing coating?

I have no idea where this steel thing is coming from. It's the silliest thing I've seen in a while.

First, you can't solder steel. Second, steel RUSTS.

It's gotta be a joke or something.

Just solder and be done with it.

se

Although I agree that using steel in an audio cable is silly (to the max, with the possible exception of much older senn headphones that seem to be designed with the old-school steel cables) you can solder steel wires.

Brazing would be better, but for a non-load-bearing application I doubt there is a difference and brazing would not work on anything with plastic anywhere near the joint.

For a good example of how silly the use of steel in a cable is one only needs to put one of the older senn HD414 cables on a set of HD580.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod 

Although I agree that using steel in an audio cable is silly (to the max, with the possible exception of much older senn headphones that seem to be designed with the old-school steel cables) you can solder steel wires.

 

Brazing would be better, but for a non-load-bearing application I doubt there is a difference and brazing would not work on anything with plastic anywhere near the joint.

 

For a good example of how silly the use of steel in a cable is one only needs to put one of the older senn HD414 cables on a set of HD580.

Sennheiser used STEEL wire in their older headphone cables?

Are you sure about that? I can't imagine why on earth anyone would ever do such a thing. Not even with the cheapest freebie cables you can imagine.

se

Yepp, 100% sure. The 414 cable was steel, I think the 424 was too. Im not sure when they stopped though. All of their newer cables are copper AFAIK.

They did it so the cables would be more durable when recording engineers rolled chairs over their headphone cables. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod 

Yepp, 100% sure. The 414 cable was steel, I think the 424 was too. Im not sure when they stopped though. All of their newer cables are copper AFAIK.

 

They did it so the cables would be more durable when recording engineers rolled chairs over their headphone cables. 

Was it at least copperclad?

se

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danthrax 

 

How do you solder steel? Can you post links to the various materials you are talking about? Do you mean solder with steel in it, because I'm pretty sure a soldering iron won't melt steel. Couldn't you just use silver solder then use an anti-oxidizing coating?

yea a solder with steal.

Hi Fin,

The sonic difference between teflon and thread such as cotton or silk has to do with the microphonic resonance, or vibration, of a wire when a signal travels through it.  When the wire vibrates, even though its just a little, it will "rattle" more when encased in a hard substance vs a soft substance.  Think of shaking a rock in a plastic cup versus a cotton sock.  It is especially important before the amplifier, where that rattle will just be amplified. 

Now whether or not there is a difference between cotton and silk, I don't know.  I doubt if there is.  I guess it just depends on whether you are willing to take your cables to the dry cleaners.  ;-)

Hope that helps.

Holly

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homegrown Audio 

Hi Fin,

 

The sonic difference between teflon and thread such as cotton or silk has to do with the microphonic resonance, or vibration, of a wire when a signal travels through it.

Do you have any evidence whatsoever of this microphonic resonance or vibration?

Oh, you you're going to need to change your moniker and your avatar and register as a member of the trade.

se

Thanks, Steve!  I'll do that.  And I'll work on getting a documented source for microphonic resonance.

Holly

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homegrown Audio 

Thanks, Steve!  I'll do that.  And I'll work on getting a documented source for microphonic resonance.

 

Holly

Welcome to HF HGA. I've bought some silver wires from you in the past and plan on buying more in the near future.

I think it has more to do with dielectric constant differences and electrostatic charge carrying capacity.  Try using air as a dielectric and listening.  It's better and obviously has no resonance damping effect at all..  The difference between silk and cotton seems to be audible IMHO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homegrown Audio 

Hi Fin,

 

The sonic difference between teflon and thread such as cotton or silk has to do with the microphonic resonance, or vibration, of a wire when a signal travels through it.  When the wire vibrates, even though its just a little, it will "rattle" more when encased in a hard substance vs a soft substance.  Think of shaking a rock in a plastic cup versus a cotton sock.  It is especially important before the amplifier, where that rattle will just be amplified. 

 

Now whether or not there is a difference between cotton and silk, I don't know.  I doubt if there is.  I guess it just depends on whether you are willing to take your cables to the dry cleaners.  ;-)

 

Hope that helps.

 

Holly

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod 

Yepp, 100% sure. The 414 cable was steel, I think the 424 was too. Im not sure when they stopped though. All of their newer cables are copper AFAIK.

 

They did it so the cables would be more durable when recording engineers rolled chairs over their headphone cables. 

Wasn't the steel used in the 414 in ADDITION to the copper conductor,and used to strengthen the cable?