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Why Conductive Paste?

post #1 of 8
10/31/10 at 5:54pm
Thread Starter 

I just received a cable which uses conductive paste apparently, though I didn't know what it was at first and thought it was just a marble-like design on my the plugs.  Now that it has been plugged into the 3-pin xlr sockets it left its residue all over the sockets (and inside the sockets) which means it's going to get on my other non SAA cables when I use them in these sockets.  It already got on my hands.

 

What is the point of loose conductive paste?  Why would they do this and is there any way to remedy this residue inside my sockets before it continues to make its way onto other cables?  Can it damage my amp also?

 

-Dave

I've been talking headphones with you for years. Now I can help you with your purchase:) Sales Specialist & Headphone Guru @ Headphones.com
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post #2 of 8
10/31/10 at 8:25pm
Thread Starter 

anyone?

I've been talking headphones with you for years. Now I can help you with your purchase:) Sales Specialist & Headphone Guru @ Headphones.com
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post #3 of 8
10/31/10 at 8:44pm
It was probably put there to keep the jacks from oxidizing while it was in storage. It won't hurt anything and can be wiped off.

By the way, unlike regular paste, you cannot eat conductive paste. wink.gif
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post #4 of 8
10/31/10 at 9:03pm

Some people believe that these pastes improve sound quality. I would bet my guess.

 

Most of it will wipe off. It should not hurt your other cables. depending how its used it may or may not hurt equipment. It takes a lot to harm the equipment (due to shorting any number of interesting things) so Id bet yoru on the safe side.

 

Its interesting to read opinions on contact enhancers from the perspectives of various people. Cable builders love it because its an added feature: the term a little goes a long way certainly applies - $0.10 worth of contact enhancer is a $25 upgrade from some. Well that should not really surprise anyone. Amp builders hate it because when abused it does screw stuff up. badly. I have read several reports of amps completely destroyed by people who went overboard with contact enhancers and tube sockets.

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post #5 of 8
10/31/10 at 10:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikongod View Post
I have read several reports of amps completely destroyed by people who went overboard with contact enhancers and tube sockets.


How would I know if it was overboard?

I've been talking headphones with you for years. Now I can help you with your purchase:) Sales Specialist & Headphone Guru @ Headphones.com
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post #6 of 8
11/1/10 at 7:02am

It needs to be globby or around high voltages for it to have a seriously bad effect. I'd still try to get as much of it off as possible.

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post #7 of 8
11/1/10 at 9:31am

I know when applying the Walker silver "paste" for cable/socket enhancement they tell you in the instructions to use very small amounts especially on your tube sockets, for fear of shorting out the amp, etc.stc..They say there are small silver slivers in the paste that can touch the pos/neg connectors.......so if you use it................ go easy.......

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post #8 of 8
11/1/10 at 2:33pm

I can see conductive paste causing mayhem if it got on the underside of a dense circuit board.  I've never tried paste, but I know that stuff like Deoxit is pretty handy, especially for stiff plugs on old corroded jacks.  

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