Malcolm Stewart wrote:

Hi,

I'm on the lookout for gold plated mono and stereo audio connectors in the
popular 3.5mm diam. fitting. I've noted that the tin plated variety are
noisy when used for microphone input purposes.
They're common enough on the small head- & earphones, microphones etc. that
come with audio gear. What I'm after is the bare connector so that I can
make up my own leads. RS Components do some at around £5+ each which seems
high when complete earphones (with gold plated plug) can be bought for £9.
(And XLR types would weigh as much as my MiniDisc recorder!)

Any ideas before I go down the cannibalise route?

Use a better connector than 3.5mm.

There are basic limitations with the 3.5mm connector - not least those of
contact area and contact pressure which is probably where all the noise issues
come from.

Nickel is actually quite a good connector material ( I doubt you're actually
looking at tin - that's normally reserved for permanent interconnections ).
Replacing it with gold doesn't address the basic problems of the connector.

The quantity manufacturers get gold plated stuff to look good mainly. It costs
little in practice. A connector specialist once referred to the process as
'waving the connector around in some gold fumes for a second or two' - lol.

Do you *have* to use 3.5mm ?


Graham