About Audio Note Silver Wires & the use of Silver in Audio Products
A lot of myth and conjecture surrounds the use of silver in audio products. We shall not try to make this any worse by trying to explain why silver makes such a great difference when used thoughtfully with care and skill in an audio product. Suffice to say, that whether it is used to wire loudspeaker speech coils, in an inductor in a speaker crossover, a signal capacitor, a coupling transformer or as a digital or analogue interconnect, silver brings with it an almost magical quality, especially at very low signal levels.
Its detractors are many and their reasons vary greatly. From the tech types who cannot believe that 6-7% better conductivity is audible to engineers or designers who have tried to use silver and failed. They failed because they did not understand that when you open a sonic window in one place (or several places) you must accompany this in equal measure by using other parts with complimenting properties, otherwise the voice of the system is distorted. Otherwise the better part (in this case the silver) will show up and expose the sonic character of the weaker sounding parts. To those who object on the basis of cost alone (although they may disguise their arguments with techno babble!), their preference is clearly for low cost solutions about which they can make claims that bear little semblance to the sonic reality their products represent.
Yes, silver is much more expensive than copper (and even more so than aluminium, copper plated or not), and it cannot therefore be used in inexpensive products that is fairly obvious, but why exclude it from high priced products?? This is one of many aspects of the specialist audio industry I have never understood, on one hand we profess to seek to make the best possible products for the reproduction of music, however, on the other hand on the whole we refuse to use the best technologies and materials to achieve that goal, this fundamental contradiction between stated goals and actual application seems to us to indicate a serious gap either in comprehension or honesty!
We firmly believe that silver is central to achieving the best possible sound quality and that this view is strongly vindicated in the sound of our better products. In the end, however, it is up to you to make this judgement. We can put all the facts on the table in the form of products with great performance, wonderfully well conceived, designed and considered, and supported by well-argued explanations and in addition to this profess our great love and appreciation of music.
But if you hear no difference you should not buy them on reputation alone, save your money and buy something less expensive!
Audio Note AC cables used judiciously (you don’t need them on all components) complete the chain and unleash a system’s full potential. We have the sense that sound is extended farther up and down the audio spectrum; through to the world where tiny details live; and out into the physical space where the music was recorded. Everything feels more ‘live’ and present. Instruments sounds like better versions of themselves, human voices are more emotionally affecting. Both inflections and innuendos are more noticeable.
Even if you’re used to extremely high end power cables, these AC cables need to be heard.
