Conductors are simply any electrically conductive material that will carry an electrical audio signal. They can be made from various metals.

Oxygen free copper is the most commonly used conductor in quality interconnects and speaker cables. Oxygen free copper is produced in a way that virtually eliminates the oxygen content. As there are fewer impurities in the conductor, the performance is far better than standard copper.

Silver plated oxygen free copper is an excellent choice of conductor for both interconnects and speaker cable. Used well and carefully matched with the correct insulation, silver-plated cables can allow you to enjoy higher levels of detail and an extremely neutral tone.

Conductors can either be stranded or solid core. A stranded cable will have a number of fairly thin conductors grouped together. A solid core cable has one single conductor.

Research shows there are no definite advantages or drawbacks to either solid or stranded conductors when used for analogue interconnects. However, digital and video interconnects will work at their best when produced with solid core conductors.

Co-axial is the most commonly used cable geometry for hi-fi interconnects. Co-axial cable has a central conductor that carries the signal. Surrounding this is the insulator and shield. The shield protects the signal and also completes the circuit.

A balanced cable has two identical sets of insulated conductors, one to carry the signal, the other to complete the circuit. There are real improvements to sound quality to be gained from balanced cables and the majority of Chord analogue interconnects are built this way. A balanced cable is wired so that the shield is connected to the return conductor at one end. The shield protects the signal but does not form part of the circuit.

Insulation is used to separate conductors from each other and the conductors from the shield. Often referred to as the dielectric, each type of insulator has different electrical properties, the critical one being called the dielectric constant; the lower this is, the better. The best choice of insulation is Teflon™ (PTFE). This has a low dielectric value and is also very strong and resistant to air and moisture. After Teflon™ comes Polyethylene and finally PVC. The performance of Polyethylene and Teflon™ can be improved by injecting air or gas into them during production. This is referred to as gas or air foaming.

The type of dielectric used in a cable design not only affects the sound because of its dielectric measurement but also each type of material has a tonal effect. To get the best results from each type of conductor,it is important to carefully match it to the right insulator.

Effective shielding is really important and one of the most critical areas of cable design. There is so much electrical equipment in most houses today that interference has become a real problem. A shield does what it says and protects the signal from external interference. Types range from a simple foil wrap, through lapped (wound) and braided (woven) shields up to very complex combinations.

New cables used to connect hi-fi or home cinema components need some time to burn-in and sound at their best. The reasons for this are the subject of much debate but it is very easy to hear the difference between a new cable and one that has been connected for a month or so. A new cable tends to sound slightly bright and can bring an almost mechanical quality to the bass. As a cable burns in, the tonal qualities become more natural and music becomes more coherent and enjoyable.