Silver Wire transformers
Perhaps we can say, the famous Ga-Ku-On amplifier, made by Mr. Kondo San of Japan, long ago has started the interest in silver wound transformers. Often I am asked by phone or email what is difference in sound between silver wound transformers, and copper wound transformers, and if the price difference pays off. Of course this is not easy to answer. Resistance of silver is lower than copper, and the crystalline structure of silver is better, because of the larger size of the crystals with silver. May be this is responsible for the better sound of silver would transformers. What is sure, the customers who went for those, each and every one, was very satisfied. These users all report relatively long burn in time of those, they say it takes several months for the final sound to develop. This indicates to me, there is likely a relation between the better crystal structure of silver, and good sound. This makes sense for the long burn in time, and also we have here one of the main electro-physical differences between copper and silver.
Example: Silver wound, Amorphous Core, Moving Coil transformer.
Example: LL1660-Ag-Am-10mA. A silver wound interstage transformer, this version even with amorphous core. Based on the famous LL1660 windings formula, the most popular inter stage in the DIY market. Also many OEM use LL1660 because it is extremely versatile, and it works always perfectly as expected, without complications. There are many applications for 'reversed' use as well, also in the official data sheet. (Like a step up application, just reverse it, and you get a step down application). Voltage capability is amazingly high, and distortion is neglectable at normal signals for inter stage applications. Of course LL1660 is also available with an electro static shield (S-Version) or Push Pull (PP-Version) or Parafeed (PPZ-Version). Any normal combination can be ordered. So if you want an Amorphous core, Parafeed, Statically Shielded, Silver Wound, LL1660.... just order it :)
Compare picture with copper version.
datasheet here
Magnetically shielded housing for this transformer or this transformer
