In article , Jim H
wrote:
more from the 'Dave Plowman school' of uk.rec.audio-ism:

I'd not say the difference would be either measurable or audible. If
an ultra low resistance connector was desirable, you wouldn't use a
phono. ;-)


Good point. Think I'll just go with the 49p plugs I mentioned for now,
they look like they might take the thickish "low loss satelite coax" I
just bought 100m of pretty well.

FWIW I have tended to use the slightly more expensive Maplin "High Quality
Gold-Plated Phono Plug" range with some of their low-loss satellite/TV coax
for most of the phono audio cables I have made up in recent years.

The phonos I mean come in a range of sizes for different cable o/d's. E.G.
for 8mm, the JZ13P and JZ14Q.

The gold plating means I can expect them to make reliable contact with gold
plated phono sockets. (Which I also buy from Maplin.) These plugs have a
neat solder bucket for soldering to the central pin. They also have a
collet system for the outer/braid which I find easy to assemble, and
produces a good mechanical grip on the cable.

The HQ58N will work OK, but I find these fiddly to solder, and they don't
seem to me to be as mechanically reliable in the long term as there is no
real strain relief or strength. This may not matter, of course, if the
cable is just fitted once and not moved about. However the thicker
satellite cables can be quite 'stiff' so can exert a lot of force. You may
also have to drill out the hole in the plastic sleeve to fit a large
diameter cable.

Also, the plastic-backed plugs do not totally screen the inner. Again, this
should not matter in most cases, but may sometimes.

My experience is that gold plating isn't essential for good contacts, but
that non-gold does sometime begin to tarnish after a while. When I used
phono plugs/sockets that were not gold plated I used to clean them about
once a year, and this always removed a greyish deposit which was then left
on the cleaning cloth. With gold they are 'fire and forget' in this respect
so I don't have to remember to clean (or replace) them after a few years.

If the 'High Quality' Maplin phonos seem to expensive, then the "Gold
Plated Plug" FK18U and JH94C are also OK. I use these when I have a small
diameter floppy coax to fit as they work better that the "High Quality"
phonos with such cables in my experience. Unlike the HQ58N, they are gold
plated, have a metal outer, and also a supporting spring for the first part
of the cable to prevent excessive bending.

Slainte,

Jim

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