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Gold plated optical connectors? WTF?
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| EnerJen |
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. |
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| jdat |
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! |
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| las3rjock |
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. |
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| Rememberence_ |
| well said laserjock, but you're still ugly mate |
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| las3rjock |
| quote: | Originally posted by Rememberence_
well said laserjock, but you're still ugly mate |
:stongue: |
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| dj chex |
| 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. |
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| 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 |
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| dukes |
| 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! |
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| EnerJen |
| Returned that cable.:) |
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| 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. |
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| EnerJen |
| 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. |
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| Rememberence_ |
| 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 lasersaid, gold isn't susceptable to as much corrosion as other metals, so will continue to conduct well over time. |
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