So I considered putting this in the "Do speaker cables matter?" thread, but it's kinda a different question and the cables thread is a hundred million pages long as it is...
So I'm modding my t-amp, and I'm trying to decide on the connectors to go into the back of it. I'm looking at RCA(female) and binding posts.
The available ones vary in price significantly. Now certainly, there is an aesthetic quality to the more expensive connectors, and that can be worth money. But is there a sonic reason I shouldn't just pull the RCA's out of a cheapo dead amp to use? I can think of some features that I expect WOULD make a difference, but most of what I see on the really primo ones I would expect NOT to make a difference.
I guess I'll open this thread up to connector style variations as well - spade / bananna plug / bare wire / etc but that isn't really what I'm wondering about.
-A
So I'm modding my t-amp, and I'm trying to decide on the connectors to go into the back of it. I'm looking at RCA(female) and binding posts.
The available ones vary in price significantly. Now certainly, there is an aesthetic quality to the more expensive connectors, and that can be worth money. But is there a sonic reason I shouldn't just pull the RCA's out of a cheapo dead amp to use? I can think of some features that I expect WOULD make a difference, but most of what I see on the really primo ones I would expect NOT to make a difference.
I guess I'll open this thread up to connector style variations as well - spade / bananna plug / bare wire / etc but that isn't really what I'm wondering about.
-A
If you believe connectors make a difference, they do. Otherwise they don't.
Boring answer. But that's how the world works. Even renowned colleges like Harvard and Princeton preach faith over fact. There's no support for homo oeconomicus, for example. The only "argument" for it is circle argument. If that's good enough for Harvard and Princeton...
The idea of "magic" connectors is no more outlandish than homo oeconomicus and Garden City concepts.
Boring answer. But that's how the world works. Even renowned colleges like Harvard and Princeton preach faith over fact. There's no support for homo oeconomicus, for example. The only "argument" for it is circle argument. If that's good enough for Harvard and Princeton...
The idea of "magic" connectors is no more outlandish than homo oeconomicus and Garden City concepts.
AdamThorne said:
For me the important thing with connectors is that they should have a tight fit, that the plug doesn't wiggle when someone touches the cable, and that they STAY that way over time. And, of course, no oxidation.
Probably the single most occurring cause of audible differences between cables and connectors is due to poor contacts and loose fit. Not at all by the type or contruction.
It is also a good idea to regularly (2 /year) take out your plugs, check the fit and oxidation and/or treat with deoxid or something similar.
Jan Didden
Absolutely agree with Jan.
I guess I would say that it's not the connector, but the connection, that matters. Cheap connectors often lead to bad connections. It's just simple mechanics.
Raise your hand everyone who remembers the dreadfully awful connectors on most audio gear of the 50's and 60s. Yuuuck.
Keep your connections clean. You wouldn't put your fingers all over your camera lens, would you?
I guess I would say that it's not the connector, but the connection, that matters. Cheap connectors often lead to bad connections. It's just simple mechanics.
Raise your hand everyone who remembers the dreadfully awful connectors on most audio gear of the 50's and 60s. Yuuuck.
Keep your connections clean. You wouldn't put your fingers all over your camera lens, would you?
analog_sa said:
They do indeed. But what I was trying to say is that the sound of a poor connection will swamp any difference in the conductor material. Be the connector of gold, brass or tin, if the connections bad, it will sound bad. So my priorities go the good mechanical connections first.
Nordic said:
Small caps on inputs are usually to drain off RFI. Can be important in some circuits.
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