Abstract: A device for producing electrical discharges in an aqueous medium, the device has a first electrode 3 and a second electrode 4, where each electrode 3, 4 is made of a metal alloy 5 and each has an electrode tip 3C, 4C integral or otherwise affixed to said electrode 3, 4. Each tip 3C, 4C is made of a metal alloy and at least the outer surface of such tips includes a percentage of gold or platinum. Preferably the entire tip 3C, 4C portion is made of an alloy 5 having between 0.02 to 20 percent weight percent gold or platinum. The tip metal alloy 5 preferably has a base composition of steel, more preferably a base composition having either at least 4 percent cobalt or at least 4 percent nickel in combination with the small amount of gold or platinum. The use of gold or platinum provides exceptional electrical conductivity, but improves the ductility of the tip material such that the explosive and corrosive effects of the high voltage plasma discharges in the acoustic shock waves are greatly diminished.