Topic: Silverflex vs. Silverclad???

[tgakidis]

Anyone ever order cables from these guys?

http://jacksmusicstore.com/catalog/cables/silverflex/cbl-sfx-b~nsfmb

Silverflex™ (Lo-Z) Microphone Cable
Sonic excellence is achieved by the combination of quality materials, workmanship and knowledge. This is the attitude Horizon puts forth with the introduction of our silver microphone cable. The cable consists of two 24 AWG silver-plated copper conductors and a 95% silver-plated annealed copper serve shield. By utilizing silver (the number one conductor in the world), horizon is able to achieve a higher standard of musical quality. Horizon's silver microphone cable is the only choice for serious musicians. Available in Horizon, Nuetrik, and Switchcraft connectors

Horizon - nsfmb
 
Microphone Cable, Silverflex (Lo-Z) , 1 ft
Choice of lengths and Neutrik black metal housing, silver contact connectors.

Conductors: (2) 24 gauge Silver
Shield: Silver-stranded serve (95%)
Jacket: Matte black PVC
O.D.: 0.240"
Capacitance: 21 pf/ft. @ 1 kHz
Resistance: 23 ohm @ 20c/1000'

[anechoic]

I notice there isn't a place to choose the type of connector you want
so I'm assuming that the price includes any of the connectors offered?
not a bad price though...

I just got a XLR tail and noticed it is made by the same company that makes the cables listed above:
http://www.rapcohorizon.com/products/cables/specialty/patch/default.aspx

[tgakidis]

Anyone have a clue?

[JasonSobel]

from the description, the silverflex cables are all silver (i.e. "24 gauge Silver"), while the "silver-clad" cables that are popular here on ts.com are typically silver-plated copper conducters (i.e. copper conductors with silver on the outside).  people say that the electrons travel on the outside of the wire anyway, so, in theory, the silver-clad cables have silver where the electrons are flowing, even if the whole cable isn't silver.

Does any of this make a difference?  maybe.  the more people you ask, the wider range of responses you'll get.  Are silver cables better than silver-clad?  only one way to find out which you prefer. (personally, I love the sound of my recording gear using regular Canare star-quad copper cables, so I haven't bother to "upgrade" to silver or silverclad mic cables)

[Javier Cinakowski]

Jason, their cables are not "24 guage silver" 

If you read more carfully they are regular silver clad 24AWG COPPER.  The difference seems they use silver-clad shield as well.

[JasonSobel]

I stand corrected.  thanks for pointing that out, I should have read the details more carefully.

[Javier Cinakowski]

I stand corrected.  thanks for pointing that out, I should have read teh details more carefully.

Their webpage is kinda misleading.  They do list "24 Gauge Silver" in the product details list....

They offer personallized print on the shrink, that is kinda cool!

[cybergaloot]

Horizon has been around for a while, I have a couple of well used stage monitors made by Horizon.

[jlykos]

For pure silver cables at a somewhat reasonable price, check out Moon Audio.  www.moon-audio.com.  They make custom cables and you can ask for microphone cables, even though they aren't on the web page.  The price for my mic cables was also significantly lower than listed on their web site.  They will also throw on any type of connector that you want (straight, right angle, gold, silver, rhodium, etc.).  I asked for some right-angle silver Neutrik connectors and they said that it was not a problem.  The rhodium Furutech ones looked absolutely fantastic, but cost a fortune; something like $130 for a pair.

Zaolla also makes a very nice pure silver cable at a cheaper price than Moon Audio, but I found them too heavy and rigid for easy use in the field.  Audio Magic also makes pure silver cables.  Very nice, but they will cost you a little bit of money.  Some of the other one that I checked out like Analysis Plus and Van Den Hul are either pure copper or silver-plated copper.