What is oxygen-free and linear-crystal copper?
How do they affect sound in cables? There is a continuing debate concerning the use of oxygen-free and linear-crystal copper wire. These types of wire contain lower levels of oxide impurities and fewer crystal boundaries than standard copper. Since these impurities form tiny semiconductors within the cable, the theory is that the cable itself introduces signal distortion, especially of low-level detail information. These claims have been very difficult to document with scientific test equipment, but numerous listening tests suggest there is something to them. What materials are used for insulation of the center conductor? The insulation that surrounds the center conductor can be made from thermoset (rubber, E.P.D.M., neoprene, Hypalon) or thermoplastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, FPE) materials. The thermoset materials are extruded over the conductor and then heat-cured to vulcanize them. This process yields a very high melting point which makes soldering very easy, but the vulc
