Topic: Interconnect Thoughts (RCA Plug Content)

[Nick Culbreth]

Has anyone here ever had the chance to compare the sound of interconnects made with the cable but different connectors?  I guess more specifically I'd like to know if anyone has tried copper cables with silver connectors and similarly designed gold plated connectors and noticed a difference.  I'm looking to audition a pair of Ven Haus Pulsars and I'm trying to decide whether or not to upgrade to the silver Eichmann plugs.  Logic tells me that it really doesn't make sense to upgrade to the silver plugs given that the cables are made of copper and I probably wouldn't notice much of a benefit, am I wrong in this line of thinking?

[Daryan]

What's the rest of your system Nick?  The reason I ask is that, yes, I believe a person is capable of hearing the differnce, as many reviwers swear up and down they can, and who am I to doubt them.  However, a recent review mentioned in hi-fi+ from other side opf the pond made a great point:  to hear a differnce in the small stuff (tweaks, isolation, connectors etc), a persons's system must be capable of reproducing the amount of resolution to hear such differnces.  I also imagine this will be somewhat dependant on amplification, as I would personally be hard pressed to hear a differnce in subtle changes with the amount of warmth I generally associate with tubes.  I say order two pair, one with, one without, and you decide, as I think Chris has a 30 day trial period.

[Nick Culbreth]

My system is pretty far from reference, my main system goes:  APL DV-563a > (undertermined interconnect) > Primaluna Prologue One > VH DIY Speaker Cables > Magnepan MMGs and my headphone system goes: APL DV-563a > (undetermined interconnect) > Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 / Singlepower MPX3 > Sennheiser HD-650s with a Cardas cable / Grado HF-1s.

I might try both cables to satisfy my on curiousity but it just seems to defy logic.  I can understand the principle for using silver connectors with silver cables but I just don't see how adding a plug with better conductive properties helps when the conductivity would be limited by the copper in the wire.  I'd love to hear for anyone who has heard otherwise and can help me see the light.

As a side note I've been using Gregg Straley's Reality interconnects and they're really fabulous, I'll post some sort of review after I add another cable or two as a frame of reference.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I have a pair of cryo'd pulsars with the copper bullets.  I would gladly loan them to you for an audition.  Maybe you can borrow a pair of the pulsars with the silver bullets and do a comparison for us. 

I did a lot of reading on the audiogon discussion forums and on audio asylum and the silver bullets are supposed to be a big improvement over the coppers.  It's widely reported to be the case, not just a few isolated folks.

[Nick Culbreth]

I have a pair of cryo'd pulsars with the copper bullets.  I would gladly loan them to you for an audition.  Maybe you can borrow a pair of the pulsars with the silver bullets and do a comparison for us. 

I did a lot of reading on the audiogon discussion forums and on audio asylum and the silver bullets are supposed to be a big improvement over the coppers.  It's widely reported to be the case, not just a few isolated folks.

That sounds like a great offer, PM sent.

Let the shootout begin. 

[Daryan]

I have read lots on the subject as a result of your questions, and people swear up and down that connectors make a huge, audible differnce.  I am interested in what you find out, as I have never had the opportunity to try it for myself.