So all in all, silver coils are of notable benefit only in the context of phono cartridges?
This seems very intuitive of course, but why then, there are some fringe equipment that do utilize silver in (relatively large) transformers? I’ve understood that Audio Note uses their famous Italian silver in their tube amplifier transformers (and, well, in everything inside those amps, no?)
Surely not for show, it’s very expensive.
Could someone please speculate on why recoiling speaker crossovers’ inductors with silver plated wire would substantially improve the sound? This I saw in a single statement on this forum, but I trust that person’s ears weren’t lying.
One fact is clear: Silver is a little bit more conductive and therefore it potentially provides better sound.
But only if everything else is perfect.
There are manufacturers that avoid transformers in the sound path as they are poor performers in the bass and silver wiring is not going to change that. Also any inductor which a transformer clearly is (as well as capacitor) in the sound path will cause phase shifts between frequencies this is something else that is not going to be improved by the silver.
So it are all compromises one way or the other.
At the end of the day you have to like the sound and / or have the feeling that you own something truly beautiful and special which is a psychological argument that plays an important factor. It is a main driver in the world of high end sound.