I've used only stock cables for 2+ years but now I want to use balanced connections for the higher voltage. While browsing for wires I have fallen down the same hifi traps I tell myself not to. I can't tell how much % bs to truth there is about these topics. I'm in the belief that the difference is probably inaudible but I would like more takes on these questions.
1. Say for example you have 8 wires of the same gauge for a headphone, what difference is there compared to 4 wires? There are 2 +'s and -'s per channel compared to 1 but I'm not sure if that makes a technical difference.
Related Headfi Thread: 8 wires increases gauge which decreases the resistance by less than one-hundredth of a percent. Effect of 8 wires is minimal due to low voltage. (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/8-braid-vs-4-braid-difference-for-custom-cable.790098/)
2. I understand that copper has ~95% the conductivity of silver but I'm willing to try it due quarantine. I'm looking at silver from AliExpress and custom shops but there are a couple options that confuse me. There are standard silver wires sleeved in plastic and then there are sterling silver, gold-plated silver, copper-plated silver and double plastic sleeved wires.
-> Is tarnishing a real concern for the longevity of silver headphone wires (over the course of 2-3 years)?
-> In theory to what extent will sterling silver and x-plated silver affect audio quality?
-> In theory which is the best product balancing good audio quality and longevity? <- What I foolishly want to know.
EDIT:
3. In theory, disregarding if it's audible for human ears, is wire gauge more important than the metal used for cables?
1. Say for example you have 8 wires of the same gauge for a headphone, what difference is there compared to 4 wires? There are 2 +'s and -'s per channel compared to 1 but I'm not sure if that makes a technical difference.
Related Headfi Thread: 8 wires increases gauge which decreases the resistance by less than one-hundredth of a percent. Effect of 8 wires is minimal due to low voltage. (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/8-braid-vs-4-braid-difference-for-custom-cable.790098/)
2. I understand that copper has ~95% the conductivity of silver but I'm willing to try it due quarantine. I'm looking at silver from AliExpress and custom shops but there are a couple options that confuse me. There are standard silver wires sleeved in plastic and then there are sterling silver, gold-plated silver, copper-plated silver and double plastic sleeved wires.
-> Is tarnishing a real concern for the longevity of silver headphone wires (over the course of 2-3 years)?
-> In theory to what extent will sterling silver and x-plated silver affect audio quality?
-> In theory which is the best product balancing good audio quality and longevity? <- What I foolishly want to know.
EDIT:
3. In theory, disregarding if it's audible for human ears, is wire gauge more important than the metal used for cables?
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