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| Letters -- June 2004 Oxidation and silver cables June 21, 2004 To Dan Davis, While reading your review of the Siltech Classic cables, I noticed you've fallen for the same trick many other reviewers have: You've suggested that silver both oxidizes and that this oxide is a good conductor. The reality is that silver only oxidizes at extreme temperature, so you and I are very unlikely to ever see it. The tarnish that you see on silver over time is actually silver sulphide, whose conductive and insulative properties I'm not sure of. This is perhaps simply being pedantic, but the whole "silver oxide being a good conductor" thing is perpetrated by manufacturers of silver cables with very little basis in fact. I use silver cables, by the way, but I still get frustrated with this myth. Craig Since I'm don't have the technical expertise to assess your take on Siltech's claim (or, for that matter, Siltech's), I have asked them to comment on your letter. The following is Siltech sales manager Ethan Wood's response in consultation with Siltech's experts in Holland. "The reader is only partially correct. Silver metal will oxidize spontaneously upon exposure to free oxygen. This process is commonly referred to as 'tarnishing.' The chemical reaction describing this process is shown below. 4 Ag (s) + O2 (g) ® 2 Ag2O (s) "He is correct in that silver will oxidize quicker at higher temperatures, but he is incorrect when he states that it 'only oxidizes at extreme temperatures.' It does not take much surface oxidation to affect the propagation of audio signals through traditional copper wires, whereas surface oxidization with silver cables has little effect on surface signal propagation. "Silver's oxidization properties are only a small part of what makes Siltech cables special. The purity of the silver and gold, the advanced mixing technique, our proprietary ultra quiet X-Balanced Micro-Technology geometry, these are all ingredients that when combined craft the world's finest cables." ...Dan Davis Comparing cables June 11, 2004 To Mike Silverton, With great interest I read your review of the Silversmith Palladium interconnects and speaker cables. You mention Nordost Valhalla as your reference. Do I understand you right in that the Palladium cables improve over the Valhalla cables in midrange purity (musicality) and at least equal them in all other aspects? I am considering upgrading my cables as I have upgraded my system in the past two years. I read about (and heard myself) beautiful music to be produced through MIT Oracle v2.1 interconnects. How would you compare the Palladiums in the most important midrange (musical) area to the Oracles? In comparing these cables myself, are there any areas to which you would advise me to pay particular attention? Marcel Mourits I'm not familiar with the MIT Oracle cables you like. However, with respect to cables -- or indeed anything having to do with high-end audio -- received wisdom is always open to question, and I mean from me or anyone else. For what it's worth to you, I remain convinced that Nordost's top of the line is a remarkably fine product. Silversmith is everything I said it is, at least here in my system. As I write these comments I am in the midst of another cable review that has taught me to be both humble in my assessments and skeptical of the exalted position in which respected subjectivist audio journalists place favored products. In other words, I'm in love. The review of these cables will be up in due course. Meanwhile, have faith in your own ability to decide what's best. From your note, you impress me as an audiophile who knows what to listen for....Mike Silverton Gryphon in India June 3, 2004 To Jeff Fritz, Hello! This is a small note of thanks sent to you from India. I am a very, very proud owner of Gryphon electronics -- a satisfied one too, if I may add. I would like to thank you for your kind words about the Antileon Signature Stereo power amp and Sonata Allegro preamplifier. Thank you for your kind attention and the wonderful review of Gryphon products. Mazher Bashir Jaffar
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