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AUDIO FORUMS >> D.I.Y. >> For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
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Message started by Arpin on 06/28/22 at 04:32:13

Title: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Arpin on 06/28/22 at 04:32:13

For DIY these are phenomenal plugs: https://www.partsconnexion.com/AECO-88099.html

I have no affiliation with PartsConnexion in any way.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Carlsbad on 07/18/22 at 18:42:45

I saw those and rejected them. They brag about Tellurium copper--tellurium copper is made for it's machinability. It's conductivity is 93% of pure copper. --Jerry

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by 4krow on 07/18/22 at 23:41:12

Carlsbad,

If this type of copper is intended for (better) machining, then it might be due to a kind of knurling process? Very interesting that its conductivity is lessened. I noticed in the ad that the copper was then silver plated. That makes me want to know how that would affect conductivity as a whole. This kind of thing has always interested me. Whether it is an alloy or process of metals, so much can be done.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Carlsbad on 11/20/22 at 01:29:05

Once I figured out these connectors are silver plated, I reconsidered. I have a set of them waiting to be built. For low levels (signal cables) most of the conduction is on the surface so it will be mostly a silver conductor.

There are not many high quality XLR connectors out there.

Jerry

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by EdwardT on 11/20/22 at 16:08:25

This will seem disagreeable but if you posit that there are few quality xlr connectors, how does the logic flow toward finding the rare quality connector when 99.9% of recordings are made with those same low quality xlrs? It’s not like you can upscale analog signal. The best you could hope for would be to maintain the level of “degradation” in one's signal path.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Same Old DD on 11/20/22 at 18:10:56

I can not possibly tell you how many recording studios I have been in and had to "fix" stuff.
Most have always used silver plated, balanced Switchcraft or RCA XLRs and they all worked about the same, built in the '70s.

So, no disagreement, EdT. That is how the industry was built.

Hell, '50s, '60s and well into the '70s most of the connectors were not even as good as the cheapest silver plated Switchcraft available in the '70s.
This is what connectors made the music many of us treasure most.

No way to even imagine how many miles of green copper and powdery white aluminum cables that were still in use at the time and rusty iron bearing connectors I have replaced over that sum of years, doing handy work for others until the touring season began again.

I believe you are right.
Get the best you can afford in our times and enjoy the modern upgrades.
These new ones will probably be better than the music we listen to was recorded with.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by GroovySauce on 11/20/22 at 19:37:38

This is how I look at it.

Think of each connection as a plate of glass. By the time the recording gets to the medium for consumers there are many many plates of glass stacked on top of each other. A speck of dust here, a smudge there. That is locked in and nothing to do about it. However, having less dust and smudges for the part you can control does make a difference.

Second part of this is durning mastering they took what was, spun knobs and pulled levers to make it the best they could. So still worth while to keep the signal as clean as possible.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Lon on 11/20/22 at 19:42:16

I see it mainly the way you do GS, but. . . since the original engineers were doing all this spinning and sliding to get a sound. . . there's no reason we too can't do some tailoring to fit our rooms and likes.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by GroovySauce on 11/20/22 at 20:21:40

Lon, To clarify, I'm not against personal tuning like the ZROCK2. In the context of connections I say it does make a difference to have a quality connection even if the source used poor quality connections. "Make the best of what you got."

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Lon on 11/20/22 at 20:25:51

I agree. I still think my interconnect cabling (VooDoo Cable Stradivarius Cremona and Amati, XLR and RCA) has never yet been a weak link in my system.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Carlsbad on 11/20/22 at 20:56:46

Groovy,
I'm just like you. The master digital file is 100% of best we can get and each time we touch it we degrade it. (I think some people are confused and think with expensive gear they can make it better). Thus our amps with as few things in the signal path as possible, etc.

My system is all about avoiding degradation.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Same Old DD on 11/20/22 at 21:45:42

Oh dear Lordy Gods, did you guys think I was saying all Metallica-like that "Nothing Else Matters?"

Not my message!

I was just reminding a few that the music we treasure was not ever perfect from the start in most cases and we must do the best with what we still have to work with.
That includes getting the best stuff you can for your current rig!

[smiley=tunes50.gif]

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by Carlsbad on 11/20/22 at 21:49:16

Same old DD,
I didn't mean for you to interpret my comment as disagreeing with you. What you say is true.
Jerry

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by JBzen on 11/21/22 at 11:39:56

I agree with all the above. Removing veiled layers is a primary diver of this hobby. It is so satisfying listening closer to the intent of the producer as the next project is completed...along with all the background noise of those releases.

Cheers [smiley=beer.gif]

John

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by EdwardT on 11/21/22 at 17:29:18

Thanks for the thoughtful responses. I find myself in agreement with maintaining as pure a path as possible between the source and speaker and letting the speaker be the weakest link. I’m jaded though, I have over four decades of listening to salesmen trying to convince me that this or that element is vastly superior only to hook up a Neumann to a nice Neve console and hear zero difference. I will say that Gotham Audio marketed a double wrapped shielded cable that was vastly superior to everyone else but the Canon, Switchcraft, or ITT ends were indistinguishable in a/b tests. This predates Neutrik and late in my career I had a preference for them, so there’s that.

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by 4krow on 11/21/22 at 19:24:48

Nothing wrong with trying to do the best with what you have. What sometimes makes me pause is once the connection say via RCA connection is made, just look at the many crappy traces in some equipment not to mention sloppy dull soldering. The list goes on. It is one of the reasons that I like point to point wiring. At least you can work with it and likely not cause damage as is possible with circuit traces.
I just have mention on top of that are the SMD components in a lot of stuff out there. So small, it is out of my league of working on (just like they want >:( )

Title: Re: For DIY these are phenomenal plugs
Post by EdwardT on 11/21/22 at 21:17:20

Yes indeed! Once I spent an entire fall tour chasing down cracked solder lands on circuit boards after an outdoor festival roof fell and hit the keyboard rig (mercifully missing the tube guitar amps.) The cold weather exposed the cracks during line check and gave my magnifying glass and solder station a real work out. Point to point is just better all around.