Output Cable Material
Output cable material identifies the metal carrying the cartridge signal from the tonearm to the phono stage.
It describes signal conductors, not plug plating or insulation. Oxygen-free copper (OFC) is copper, even with gold-plated plugs. Silver-plated copper has a silver coating; silver alloy mixes metals; a copper/silver hybrid combines copper and silver conductors. A brand, purity or process label without a stated metal leaves the material unclear. Material alone cannot rank sound quality.
Output Cable Material — Tonearm
Check the cable supplied or fixed to the actual arm, including the fitted arm on a turntable. An optional lead does not describe the standard version. Without a supplied output lead, there is no supplied-cable material to report.
Separate internal arm wires may use a different material. When the same continuous wire runs from cartridge to phono stage, its internal and output portions have the same material.
Sources
Sources
- Connect it S conductor and connector specifications — Pro-Ject Audio Systems
- The Isis conductor specifications — Van den Hul
- Conductor materials and processes — Furutech
- Silver-gold alloy composition — Siltech