The headphone connector. Does it make a difference if it's gold plated, or is that just sort of a gimmick?
Gold-plated versus non
- Thread starter Reputator
- Start date
HiWire
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2004
- Posts
- 2,410
- Likes
- 167
They should be gold-plated... nickel-plating is supposedly horrendous for sound quality. Even the el-cheapo manufacturers are capable of selling gold-plated jacks at $2 or $3.
NotJeffBuckley
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2005
- Posts
- 1,479
- Likes
- 564
Gold is not as good of a conductor as silver, but isn't prone to corrosion like silver and nickel.
Jokes on us, though, because silver oxide is still a better conductor than gold, but even nickel wouldn't corrode under most usage conditions (we all take pretty good care of our headphones, I assume).
Voted senseless-but-not-really-a-gimmick-since-it-doesn't-cost-any-extra-to-the-consumer-why-the-hell-am-I-using-dashes?
Quote:
Nickel doesn't do anything to the signal passing through it aside from conduct it, and it does so roughly as well as gold or silver (at least, the differences in conductance of a jack like that would be totally negligable under anything more than a 2ohm load).
Jokes on us, though, because silver oxide is still a better conductor than gold, but even nickel wouldn't corrode under most usage conditions (we all take pretty good care of our headphones, I assume).
Voted senseless-but-not-really-a-gimmick-since-it-doesn't-cost-any-extra-to-the-consumer-why-the-hell-am-I-using-dashes?
Quote:
| Originally Posted by HiWire They should be gold-plated... nickel-plating is supposedly horrendous for sound quality. Even the el-cheapo manufacturers are capable of selling gold-plated jacks at $2 or $3. |
Nickel doesn't do anything to the signal passing through it aside from conduct it, and it does so roughly as well as gold or silver (at least, the differences in conductance of a jack like that would be totally negligable under anything more than a 2ohm load).
I ask because a lot of Senn's headphones aren't gold-plated.
Teerawit
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2005
- Posts
- 3,988
- Likes
- 11
Gold won't spontaneously oxidize, unlike other metals.
ATAT
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2005
- Posts
- 1,025
- Likes
- 11
a). Gold looks nicer
b). Gold does not oxidize.
c). Gold's a good conductor...
Copper oxidizes rapidly, silver tarnishes, and nickel just isnt pretty. Gold fulfils all the above.
The conduction changes should be minimal in a connector where the metal is just a few inches at most.
b). Gold does not oxidize.
c). Gold's a good conductor...
Copper oxidizes rapidly, silver tarnishes, and nickel just isnt pretty. Gold fulfils all the above.
The conduction changes should be minimal in a connector where the metal is just a few inches at most.
wnewport
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2005
- Posts
- 1,203
- Likes
- 10
Quote:
What are the px100's connector plated with? They are silver in color.
| Originally Posted by ATAT a). Gold looks nicer b). Gold does not oxidize. c). Gold's a good conductor... Copper oxidizes rapidly, silver tarnishes, and nickel just isnt pretty. Gold fulfils all the above. The conduction changes should be minimal in a connector where the metal is just a few inches at most. |
What are the px100's connector plated with? They are silver in color.
Teerawit
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2005
- Posts
- 3,988
- Likes
- 11
Quote:
Probably nickel.
| Originally Posted by wnewport What are the px100's connector plated with? They are silver in color. |
Probably nickel.
jerb
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2005
- Posts
- 1,771
- Likes
- 10
nickle
EDIT-Teerawit you beat me by like 2 sec.
EDIT-Teerawit you beat me by like 2 sec.
smeggy
Member of the Trade: ThunderpantsTP1
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Posts
- 6,299
- Likes
- 29
Ety's not gold neither
Users who are viewing this thread
