It is possible that the copper really is better. AFAIK, a lot of wiring that is sold today is made of high grade oxygen free copper, which, thanks to improvemen

It is possible that the copper really is better. AFAIK, a lot of wiring that is sold today is made of high grade oxygen free copper, which, thanks to improvement in manufacturing processes, is barely more expensive than the lower grade stuff. But even more important is the insulation. It has been consistently improved since cloth wires.