[nalth]

Quick question, does it make sense to save money when buying a set of Furutech power connectors by going for the CU version?

Copper conducts better, but oxidates. So looking at the short term copper is better, but what happens after a while? How long does it take for copper to actually oxidate significantly?

Using copper in conductors makes perfect sense, but using it in connectors (a product that relys on the surfaces to conduct perfectly) seems quite strange, or am I missing something?

Also, does a 24K gold plated connector conduct as good as gold itself is specified to conduct? I imagine that the underlying metal + the plating process itself might affect the conductivity. Did I make any sense?

Thanks for any help!

 

[meat01]

Of course it depends on where you live (humidity, proximity to salt water).

 

[Zorander]

If you're going to keep them plugged in constantly, the risk of oxidation is greatly reduced. However, if you leave them out in the open, and worse, near moist, they will oxidise quicker than you'd anticipate. So bottom line is, keep them plugged in.

I also don't see the point of using pure gold for a power connector (other than grossly boosting the price and being snake oil); gold-plated brass/copper will be better, more practical and just as good in warding oxidation. The thin gold-plating should present negligible barrier to the massive power that goes through the cable.

All IMHO, of course. Cheers!

 

[nalth]

Hmm, so keeping them plugged in shouldn't degrade the contacting surfaces as fast... sounds reasonable. But still, how fast do they really oxidize in a "normal" (if there is such a thing) climate?

Or, better just buy the gold plated once and stop worrying

 

[Zorander]

IME it takes many many years, often more than a decade, before you start to notice any significant surface degradation.

 

[mrarroyo]

Or you can use nickel instead of gold to protect the connectors. IMO both work equally well, at least I can not hear a difference.

 

[Chu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif IME it takes many many years, often more than a decade, before you start to notice any significant surface degradation.

I don't know about this, I have some high gauge home depot copper speaker that's about three year old, with a clear insulator. The unterminated ends are completly corroded, and the copper in the cable itself has started to take on a green tinge.

 

[Zorander]

Either you are living in a highly humid/coastal area and/or those copper wires of yours are plain bad in quality (yes, I've seen bad copper wires, hence why it pays to go for good OFC wires). My parents have a 15-year-old Sony sound system and even now the (unexposed) cables and connectors are still in pristine condition. I know because I once unplugged them, expecting to reterminate any rusty connectors, only to find they are still mint. OTOH I've bought ultra-cheap speaker wires and they rusted in a few months time. YMMV.

Cheers!

 

[Logistics]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know about this, I have some high gauge home depot copper speaker that's about three year old, with a clear insulator. The unterminated ends are completly corroded, and the copper in the cable itself has started to take on a green tinge.

Part of this is your touching/twisting the ends with your bare fingers. (if you did)

I work in autobody & paint and I've stripped entire cars down to bare steel and even in a barn type environtment, it takes a LONG time for them to rust, unless they are exposed to an area with lots of dew. When I say LONG time I mean months on end, even over a year, and even then it's very minor. But touch it ever so briefly with your finger and that spot will rust very quickly.

 

[Prozakk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know about this, I have some high gauge home depot copper speaker that's about three year old, with a clear insulator. The unterminated ends are completly corroded, and the copper in the cable itself has started to take on a green tinge.

I had this happen in a few weeks using Radioshack 12ga. Gold series wire. I replaced it 3 years ago with Monstercable 11ga. and it looks just like it did when I bought it.