Gold plated optical connectors? WTF?

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-- Gold plated optical connectors? WTF?

Posted by EnerJen on Apr-18-2004 21:31:

Gold plated optical connectors? WTF?

I went to radioshack a couple weeks ago and bought a box of their Digital GOLD series digital optical cables. I look at the tips of where the red light goes out, and yes it's plated gold. Now why would optical cables be tipped gold? It would seem that only analog cables that actually pass electricity would be plated gold, not light cables!!

Their product claims to have "Gold-tipped connectors keep the signal aligned for more precise signal transfer"

The quality is pretty good, but is this just a scam? for a nearly unaffordable price of $22 US, tax included. I can return it since it's still in the 30 day period.

Posted by jdat on Apr-18-2004 23:22:

it's a scam. Return it.

Do you know how much margin is on these cables at radio shack? I don't know stats but I'd say it's close to 90% margin easy!

Posted by las3rjock on Apr-18-2004 23:42:

I cannot think of any benefit to using gold-plated connectors on optical cables. "Gold-tipped connectors keep the signal aligned for more precise signal transfer" sounds like some marketing type trying (unsuccessfully) to sound like an engineer. Gold is a pretty soft metal, so it's a bad metal to use for precise mechanical alignment. As far as it's optical properties go, it's also a bad choice, since like most metals, it's pretty opaque at most visible (and near infrared) wavelengths. The marketese sounds like they're trying to describe phase-matching of some sort, but metals are bad materials to use for that because they introduce a random phase shift.

As far as why gold-plated connectors are good for electrical cables, it's because unlike silver, copper, or aluminum (all of which are better electrical conductors than gold), gold does not tarnish, and thus its electrical properties do not degrade over time.

Bottom line: Save gold-plating for electrical cables, and exchange the gold-plated optical cables for non gold-plated ones.

Posted by Rememberence_ on Apr-19-2004 15:30:

well said laserjock, but you're still ugly mate

Posted by las3rjock on Apr-19-2004 17:24:

quote:
Originally posted by Rememberence_
well said laserjock, but you're still ugly mate

Posted by dj chex on Apr-19-2004 18:18:

i think all radio shack's "gold series" are a scam. imho i think they just use gold spraypaint and call it high quality. At least the gauge of their rca cables seems ok.

Posted by Nemesis44 on Apr-19-2004 18:21:

Not being a sound engineer I'm not the best person to comment but the way I understand it also is that if it's analogue then sure, you will get an improvement but digital is all 0s and 1s. Don't see how gold plated anything could help optical.

I am willing to learn though.

Cheers
Nem

Posted by dukes on Apr-19-2004 18:27:

quote:
Originally posted by Nemesis44
Not being a sound engineer I'm not the best person to comment but the way I understand it also is that if it's analogue then sure, you will get an improvement but digital is all 0s and 1s. Don't see how gold plated anything could help optical.

I am willing to learn though.

Cheers
Nem

yup spot on nem. in analogue it would reduce noise but noise aint a problem in digital

any chance of a link to where you got these connecters or to them in general. i wouldnt mind a looksky out of curiosity.

side not good to see your still in the land of the living nem!

Posted by EnerJen on Apr-20-2004 11:31:

Returned that cable.

Posted by DjJade on Apr-20-2004 13:25:

regarding analog... goldplated connecters is thought to be better beucase if you look at the periodic table you see copper...then under it, silver...then gold. so logically gold has more electrons so they are father away from the nucleus so they should be easier to conduct but if you really look at physical conductivity and resistivity ratings, silver is actually better than gold in that respect.

Posted by EnerJen on Apr-20-2004 20:19:

quote:
Originally posted by DjJade
regarding analog... goldplated connecters is thought to be better beucase if you look at the periodic table you see copper...then under it, silver...then gold. so logically gold has more electrons so they are father away from the nucleus so they should be easier to conduct but if you really look at physical conductivity and resistivity ratings, silver is actually better than gold in that respect.

Yes, silver is also a better heat conductor than copper. Too expensive in the computer heat disappation industry though and aluminum and copper is used more commonly.

Posted by Rememberence_ on Apr-21-2004 04:28:

quote:
Originally posted by DjJade
regarding analog... goldplated connecters is thought to be better beucase if you look at the periodic table you see copper...then under it, silver...then gold. so logically gold has more electrons so they are father away from the nucleus so they should be easier to conduct but if you really look at physical conductivity and resistivity ratings, silver is actually better than gold in that respect.

but like lasercock said, gold isn't susceptable to as much corrosion as other metals, so will continue to conduct well over time.

Posted by DjJade on Apr-21-2004 04:32:

ah didnt see that..heh

but if you really think about it... what kind of timeframe are we talking about? becuase i have silver interconnects that have lasted for about 5 years on my amps... and i have never really heard about silver interconnects and connecters getting messed up. is it really just a matter of care?

Posted by EnerJen on Apr-21-2004 06:38:

What are the typical metals used for audio electrical conductivity? Gold and Tin right? Do you really mean tin, althought it looks silver in color to you, Dj jade?

Posted by DjJade on Apr-21-2004 10:08:

when i think of the main conductors being used today i think copper. i know lots of connections are silver and gold plated. is that tin? i donno. i have never heard of tin being used.

i talk about silver becuase i use pure silver wire in my amps and interconnects just as many audiophiles do... so i know that it is infact silver.

Posted by EnerJen on Apr-21-2004 19:49:

Well I have a computer hardware background prior to becoming a tranceaddict and audiophile. Gold and tin connectors were really popular for the old style memory sticks (SIMM). Didn't realize that there was silver also.

So when I go to radioshack and buy anything that is not gold plated and looks silver, what metal is that then?

Posted by DjJade on Apr-21-2004 22:29:

wood?

heh i have no idea i acutally thought it was copper. i know my soldering heads are usually copper...looking after the silver color rubs off.

Posted by aoc007 on Apr-22-2004 06:10: