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Nickel vs. gold plated comnectors
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Jonathan Johnson:
As I understand it, nickel is preferred for connectors that are frequently disconnected and reconnected because nickel is more durable than gold, and the frequent exercise wipes off oxidation that can occur.
But gold is preferred for connectors that are “plug and done” because gold doesn't corrode. Since the connector is exercised infrequently, you want a material that doesn't corrode, and the lower durability of gold doesn't matter as much.
Is that a fair assessment?
John Roberts {JR}:
--- Quote from: Jonathan Johnson on February 14, 2023, 03:29:24 PM ---As I understand it, nickel is preferred for connectors that are frequently disconnected and reconnected because nickel is more durable than gold, and the frequent exercise wipes off oxidation that can occur.
But gold is preferred for connectors that are “plug and done” because gold doesn't corrode. Since the connector is exercised infrequently, you want a material that doesn't corrode, and the lower durability of gold doesn't matter as much.
Is that a fair assessment?
--- End quote ---
If price is no object gold is always good.... but gold is not cheap.
If connectors are self wiping and exercised often solder tin is probably OK.... IIRC most gold is plated on top of nickel.
JR
PS: On my last generation drum tuner I used carbon ink instead of gold plating for printed circuit switch patterns, because cost matters (and I'm cheap).
Riley Casey:
To the best of my knowledge yes. High current connectors ( say speaker connectors ) are also problematic for gold plating unless the plating is quite thick. At some point Neutrick made gold plated XLRs. Not something I bought but had some in inventory on cables that came as part of a package. The gold plating was visibly wearing off after only two years of stage XLR cable use. Even with gold plated ribbon cables I've found that unmating and remating on analog consoles and digital gear needed to be part of regular ( think annual ) maintenance. Gold ain't magic.
Brian Jojade:
Gold is a better conductor than nickel, so there's ever so slightly less resistance in the connection. In our application, that's really not much of a concern.
Durability of gold isn't quite that of nickel, depending on the particular alloy and application of the plating.
Some like the look of gold connectors over nickel ones. Personally, I like the look of nickel better, so this difference is a wash.
Pure gold doesn't corrode, but often the gold used on connectors isn't pure gold, but an alloy of some sort, so not 100% corrosion free.
Nickel is very corrosion resistant as well, but not quite as good as gold.
Unless you're in a very harsh environment, both should be adequate for years of worry free connections.
Where it gets interesting is when you mix and match the connectors. Dissimilar metals can potentially cause a corrosive reaction. Get the wrong gold alloy with the wrong nickel alloy and you COULD see more problems than if you matched things up. Of course this probably would take far more time than the life cycle of products being used, so I wouldn't put a whole lotta thought into it.
In most cases, the extra $$ on gold connectors would be much better spent on a golden liquid in an aluminum can. :)
Geoff Doane:
--- Quote from: Brian Jojade on February 14, 2023, 06:00:56 PM ---Gold is a better conductor than nickel, so there's ever so slightly less resistance in the connection. In our application, that's really not much of a concern.
Durability of gold isn't quite that of nickel, depending on the particular alloy and application of the plating.
In most cases, the extra $$ on gold connectors would be much better spent on a golden liquid in an aluminum can.
--- End quote ---
Neutrik connectors don't use nickel though, they use silver plated pins.
https://www.neutrik.us/en-us/product/nc3fxx?c=audio
Silver has a lower resistance than gold (find your own link for that one), although it does oxidize. I've been told silver oxide is also conductive, so that may or may not be a problem. I know that silver plating is used for high power RF tubes and other components in transmitters, and other than keeping things clean, we didn't worry about some tarnish on the surfaces.
Personally, I'd rather spend the extra money on a golden liquid in a can than gold pins in XLRs, but some of my customers feel differently, so I do stock the NC3*XX-B connectors for them.
In over 40 years in this business I can't remember a single instance of poor contact in an XLR made by one of the quality manufacturers (Cannon, Switchcraft, Neutrik). Some Asian knock-off connectors perhaps (poor fit, anybody?), but not the respectable ones.
GTD
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