About the importance of good connections.

[ginetto61]

Hi
i have noticed that cheap but also not very cheap equipment have usually connections badly executed.
For instance i have a Fiio headphone amp ... the E9 of which i quite like the sound but the input connections do not provide a quality contact and now the jacks make noise.
So i have thought about connections a little and i have now the feeling that taken a cheap product and rebuild rightly the connections only could give a very sensible boost to performance.
Have you ever tried something similar on an equipment ?
I have amps where the connections between the board and the output terminals are made with aluminum small strips (where copper wires would be a much better option, i think).
Thanks and regards, gino

 

[fas42]

...taken a cheap product and rebuild rightly the connections only could give a very sensible boost to performance.

Very much so, gino. Most cheap products are badly crippled by poor quality execution of connections, and similar, and if your hearing tunes into the subtleties of what the impact is here, then the improvements are obvious if one, say, hardwires the connections.

My cheapy PC speakers have had this treatment done on them, and now they are very listenable - the treble in particular comes to life, has sparkle and verve to it. Doing this sort of thing is a no-brainer for me, I can't stand the grubbiness of the sound when this area of tweaking is ignored ...

 

[ginetto61]

Very much so, gino.
Most cheap products are badly crippled by poor quality execution of connections, and similar, and if your hearing tunes into the subtleties of what the impact is here, then the improvements are obvious if one, say, hardwires the connections.
My cheapy PC speakers have had this treatment done on them, and now they are very listenable - the treble in particular comes to life, has sparkle and verve to it. Doing this sort of thing is a no-brainer for me, I can't stand the grubbiness of the sound when this area of tweaking is ignored ...

Hi and thanks a lot sincerely for your very valuable confirmation
I am not an expert of course but some connections are so poorly executed that even my un-trained eye can see this.
For instance i am quite convinced that this little FiiO E9 has a big potential indeed. The sound is very clean indeed and it is working with a poor switching PS ... a good linear one can only be beneficial.
But as i said the inputs are for mini jacks
I have to find the time to take out the internal and put them in a decent box with decent rcas connectors.
I am very optimistic on the outcome.
I have also the weird idea to put the electronics in a fiberglass box like this one here 🙄

But i need some time 😱
Thanks again. Kindest regards, gino