Marty: Thank you a fantastic thread that has proven extremely informative and based in real fact and science. It has also generated some healthy debate that I appreciate very much that is similarly well thought out and fact-filled. Thank you all!
Fun with Metallurgy
- Thread starter marty
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Hi Marty!
It is interesting that you found both the PS Audio nickel-plated copper outlet and the Hubbell brass outlet to sound good.
What is your theory as to why a brass outlet sounds good? I doubt that Hubbell selected brass for its sonic attributes.
If all of these metals have their own sound then brass, too, must have a sound of its own. Yet we don’t have speaker cables or interconnects made out of brass conductors. Why is that if brass is good and uncolored?
I don’t understand why brass is uniquely good and uncolored as a material for outlets but not for any other application in audio?
It is interesting that you found both the PS Audio nickel-plated copper outlet and the Hubbell brass outlet to sound good.
What is your theory as to why a brass outlet sounds good? I doubt that Hubbell selected brass for its sonic attributes.
If all of these metals have their own sound then brass, too, must have a sound of its own. Yet we don’t have speaker cables or interconnects made out of brass conductors. Why is that if brass is good and uncolored?
I don’t understand why brass is uniquely good and uncolored as a material for outlets but not for any other application in audio?
Good question Ron. Not sure I know the answer. But remember that brass is mostly copper! The amount of zinc is generally in the range of 30% so its no surprise that brass AC outlets sounds good as brass is mostly copper.
This seems like a revival of an old thread. I can comment on the corrosion/ plating part but have no idea about the audible differences in various metal plating schemes.
The primary reason for plating precious metals on contacts is to prevent oxidation of the contact surface and thereby maintain a predictably low contact resistance.
The reason that there is a nickel barrier plate over the copper/under the gold is to prevent pore corrosion. Electrolytic plating of precious metals is very thin - only micro-inches thick. This is insufficient to absolutely guarantee coverage of the base metal. The result is what Marty talked about - galvanic corrosion in the right circumstance. The copper erupts thru the pores in the gold plate if there is no nickel. The copper corrosion by-products migrate across the gold to the point where the contact resistance goes crazy high.
Using dissimilar metals in contacts is almost always a problem. The most famous example is when computer boards initially used DIMM connectors with Tin plated contacts. The memory module were plated gold. These failed in time for what is called fretting corrosion. Micro-motion induced from the computer cooling fans wore out the interface quickly.
The primary reason for plating precious metals on contacts is to prevent oxidation of the contact surface and thereby maintain a predictably low contact resistance.
The reason that there is a nickel barrier plate over the copper/under the gold is to prevent pore corrosion. Electrolytic plating of precious metals is very thin - only micro-inches thick. This is insufficient to absolutely guarantee coverage of the base metal. The result is what Marty talked about - galvanic corrosion in the right circumstance. The copper erupts thru the pores in the gold plate if there is no nickel. The copper corrosion by-products migrate across the gold to the point where the contact resistance goes crazy high.
Using dissimilar metals in contacts is almost always a problem. The most famous example is when computer boards initially used DIMM connectors with Tin plated contacts. The memory module were plated gold. These failed in time for what is called fretting corrosion. Micro-motion induced from the computer cooling fans wore out the interface quickly.
Keith,
I have not tried Albert's outlets. There are several others unplated such as the Cruz Maestro outlets (also copper/brass unplated; likely made by Hubbell as are Albert's). However, I'm quite satisfied with the outstanding Sunyata CopperCoNN's. It's still my overall favorite although there is a "sound" with the Oyaide R1 plus the 004 connectors with the Tunami V2 power cables that is damn alluring. Kind of a "system approach" from you panel to your gear that has captured my attention. Even better, the Tunami V2 with special "004" plugs, direct from Japan, cost a whopping $300 bucks on E-bay. Add the modest cost of the R1 outlet and its hard not to like that entire package as the sound is very euphonic. On some gear, it just might be the preferred approach.
Marty
I have not tried Albert's outlets. There are several others unplated such as the Cruz Maestro outlets (also copper/brass unplated; likely made by Hubbell as are Albert's). However, I'm quite satisfied with the outstanding Sunyata CopperCoNN's. It's still my overall favorite although there is a "sound" with the Oyaide R1 plus the 004 connectors with the Tunami V2 power cables that is damn alluring. Kind of a "system approach" from you panel to your gear that has captured my attention. Even better, the Tunami V2 with special "004" plugs, direct from Japan, cost a whopping $300 bucks on E-bay. Add the modest cost of the R1 outlet and its hard not to like that entire package as the sound is very euphonic. On some gear, it just might be the preferred approach.
Marty
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