Gold plated or Rhodium plated connectors are better

gaborbela · 17th June 2010, 05:26 AM

Hello
I would like to know if there is any difference sound wise between the gold plated connectors , binding post or the Rhodium plated .
Please if you have any experience share it with me .
Thank you very much
Greetings

ChrisR1983 · 17th June 2010, 05:49 AM

Hi

I think you posted in the wrong place but...

I use cardas rhodium and I don't really like them. I can't tell a difference in the sound but gold is a lot easier to get hold of and usually cheaper. I'd go for gold.

Cheers

Chris

sangram · 17th June 2010, 05:56 AM

A lot of boutique Japanese manufacturers use nothing but nickel-plated brass for their connectors and interconnects. Even on the highest-end Shindo aplifiers, all you see is regular nickel sockets and plastic-capped binding posts, nothing fancy at all.

I've been using regular Switchcraft nickel-plated RCAs with silver and/or silver-copper alloy wires twisted together (similar to what Shindo does with theirs) and the results are simply stunning. I get a local jeweller to make the wire, sleeve it with some cloth and solder the (very basic) RCAs to it.

More than sound, I think the plating affects the life and corrosion resistance, and therefore durability of the plug/socket. Gold plated connectors seem to dull or wear out, the Rhodium plating on the Cardas I also use seems to look like new even after hundreds of insertions. I think that the better contact and durability plays a bigger role in the sound quality than absolute properties of the metal itself.

gaborbela · 17th June 2010, 06:10 AM

Thank you very much .
I have the same experience with gold plated connectors , they don't last long .
Since I do lot of testing very easy wear out .
I never tried rhodium so that is the reason I ask .
Greets

17th June 2010, 05:26 AM	#1
gaborbela diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2005	Gold plated or Rhodium plated connectors are better Hello I would like to know if there is any difference sound wise between the gold plated connectors , binding post or the Rhodium plated . Please if you have any experience share it with me . Thank you very much Greetings

17th June 2010, 05:49 AM	#2
ChrisR1983 diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2009	Hi I think you posted in the wrong place but... I use cardas rhodium and I don't really like them. I can't tell a difference in the sound but gold is a lot easier to get hold of and usually cheaper. I'd go for gold. Cheers Chris __________________ Chris R -------

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17th June 2010, 05:56 AM	#3
sangram diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: India	A lot of boutique Japanese manufacturers use nothing but nickel-plated brass for their connectors and interconnects. Even on the highest-end Shindo aplifiers, all you see is regular nickel sockets and plastic-capped binding posts, nothing fancy at all. I've been using regular Switchcraft nickel-plated RCAs with silver and/or silver-copper alloy wires twisted together (similar to what Shindo does with theirs) and the results are simply stunning. I get a local jeweller to make the wire, sleeve it with some cloth and solder the (very basic) RCAs to it. More than sound, I think the plating affects the life and corrosion resistance, and therefore durability of the plug/socket. Gold plated connectors seem to dull or wear out, the Rhodium plating on the Cardas I also use seems to look like new even after hundreds of insertions. I think that the better contact and durability plays a bigger role in the sound quality than absolute properties of the metal itself.

17th June 2010, 06:10 AM	#4
gaborbela diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2005	Thank you very much . I have the same experience with gold plated connectors , they don't last long . Since I do lot of testing very easy wear out . I never tried rhodium so that is the reason I ask . Greets

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