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?

Thanks

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk\oddimage.htm

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?

Thanks

http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/

--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS
Honda Civic 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com - now online

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?

Rapid electronics part number 20-0066 are very high quality and only £0.55
(less in bulk). The catalog is on their website as pdf.

If you file away the end they accept cables up to 1cm, which I find handly
because I can wire them straight to thickish coax and phono plugs without
adaptors.

In article ,
Malcolm Stewart wrote:
RS Components do some at around £5+ each which seems high when complete
earphones (with gold plated plug) can be bought for £9.

That's because RS ones are gold plated rather than gold coloured.

--
*The most common name in the world is Mohammed *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Andy Hewitt" wrote in message
...
Malcolm Stewart wrote:
Any ideas before I go down the cannibalise route?

http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/

Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS

Just what I was looking for. Thanks

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK

Malcolm Stewart wrote:

"Andy Hewitt" wrote in message
...
Malcolm Stewart wrote:
Any ideas before I go down the cannibalise route?

http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/

Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS

Just what I was looking for. Thanks

No worries, I buy lots from them, you have to check prices though, they
aren't always cheapest, but their service is superb.

--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS
Honda Civic 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com - now online

"Malcolm Stewart" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm on the lookout for gold plated mono and stereo audio connectors in the
popular 3.5mm diam. fitting. Any ideas before I go down the cannibalise route?

http://www.techlink.uk.com

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

RS Components do some at around £5+ each which seems high when
complete earphones (with gold plated plug) can be bought for £9.

That's because RS ones are gold plated rather than gold coloured.

Are you saying that CPC's 65p ones aren't gold plated, in spite of being
described so on their web site?


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk

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

"Pooh Bear" wrote in message
...

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

Thanks for the info. 3.5mm is what is on the input of my MiniDisc recorder.
My comparisons are based on what my ears tell me. If I extend the
microphone cable using stereo leads with gold plated jacks (as supplied by
Sony on their Fontopia & W.ear phones, there is minimal noise when the
connection is made, and rotating the plug is a "quiet" operation. Not so
with the tin or nickel plated varieties which seem to tarnish quite rapidly,
and produce quite noticeable noise until rotating plug in socket has scraped
it clean again.
As stated in my original post, I'm aware of XLR connectors etc. but am
trying to keep size down in this instance.

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm