crimped RCA plugs

[timsch75]

I've heard plenty about the superiority of crimping vs soldering. I'm going to be building some interconnects soon and it seems that there are not many crimped RCA plugs, mainly only the solder type. I've seen a couple, but they are definitely too expensive for me.

Can anyone tell me where to get RCA crimped plugs (gold-plated), and if not, what decent solder-type plugs are there for around $5-10 apiece

[Gasho]

I did see crimp metod only in WBT RCA plugs, but they are expensive. Sorry.

[timsch75]

Yeah, I saw those too. Considering how superior crimping is compared to soldering, I'm somewhat confused as to why there are not more crimping options.

[chipco3434]

These are nice... I have used them.

Parts express RCA solder type

If I sold crimpers, I would tell everybody that crimping is better. I THINK the thought is that soldering might embrittle the wire. I work on boats, DIY audio and live next to a lake. I think that solder's sealing ability to prevent corrosion at the joint outweighs the embrittlement possibility. Further, I usually follow up with shrink tube. Regular for audio, the glue filled stuff for marine apps.

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

Can I assume that you read that crimping is superior to soldering because it offers better sound quality?

If changing one connection from solder to crimp is an audible improvement, it follows that replacing any other solder joint in the signal path with a crimp would afford a second similiar improvement.

Taken to its logical end, a pre-amplifier, for example, would sound considerably better if it had no solder joints at all in the signal path.

I am interested in where you heard/read that solder joints are a problem. Frankly, I'm skeptical . . . but open.

[chipco3434]

Bill... This is not uncommon to hear this. Many industrial/machinery/automotive applications that may be subject to vibration use crimping. Car's are a good example. I have also learned that locomotives and the GPS's on locos (Delco) have crimped connections.

But your analogy holds true. I have no crimped amps or preamps or CDP's!

[timsch75]

I read on this forum in several places that crimping is better than soldering given the option. The most compelling reason that I perceive is that better contact is made in the crimp junction. A crimp deforms the metals and ensures direct contact whereas a solder joint could conceivable have no direct contact at all. For example, a wire soldered into an RCA jack might only be held in the center of the mounting hole by solder, forcing the current from the wire to go through the solder to get to the jack. Crimping just removes one more material that the current might have to go through. A crimp would generally also have more surface area contact between the two conducting materials than a solder joint.

You may be right that there may not be a noticable difference between the two, but I don't know that it won't, and if each is just as simple to do, I might as well go with a semi-educated (hopefully) guess.

[sam9]

I really doubt either method is superior if done well. If you have the right (usually expensive) tools crimping is quicker, simpler, and more fool-proof. For the best crimp, fairly precise stripping is called for which means another possibly expensive tool.

My general experience has been that a ratchet type crimping system, when avaliable, is the most uniform. I mostly use these for mains wiring as there is a safety issure regarding mains current and solder. On the other side of the transformer soldering is normally fine. Also I use crimping to make up Molex plugs, although these can be soldered.

Regarding the WBT tool -- gold plating a crimper? -- yeesh! gimme a break!