Hardwiring is code-compliant, you just need to provide an appropriate junction box. Using "two wire nuts", however, would be a code violation as it would leave one of the 3 conductors unconnected :) Hardwiring individual components may not be ideally convenient, but it would seem appropriate for a power conditioning unit. |
If you can find pure silver wire with pure silver connectors I would assume this would be the best conductivity of signal one could get. https://tempoelectric.com/cables.htm
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Copper is more conductive than gold. If you're worried about tarnishing, put a thin layer of silicone grease on the bare copper surface. But will you hear a difference? Does it matter that you have a pure copper spade with no plating if the jack is nickel plated? Let's assume even the jack is bare copper, will it matter while the leads of any resistors or capacitors in the signal path are a tinned metal inferior to bare copper? Will it matter if you have pure silver speaker wire if the interconnects leading to the inputs of your amp are copper running through plated brass jacks, which are fed by copper traces on a printed circuit board? Honestly, where do you draw the line if you're going to chase nonsensical things like this? There are bigger fish to try, such as upgrading to better quality electronic components within your current equipment. |
In theory sure bare copper or silver is more conductive than gold plated connectors. In use, there’s no way anybody could hear the difference all else being equal. We’d be talking about a fraction of a decibel that’s just not close to being audible. So it makes sense to use gold over copper to avoid corrosion. |
@megabyte - I agree with your post but would add that in my world bare copper is fine too as long as you clean it occasionally.
Absolutely, but if you read these forums, you will find that audiophiles fry very small fish quite frequently. @tommyu - I have seen that info from Furutech and even though they offer unplated options for AC plugs, and IEC connectors, it seems their preference is for plating, and they seem to like rhodium over gold for durability reasons. They indicate that erosion and gold dust build-up occurs over time with gold-plated connectors, which must be rectified by occasionally disconnecting/reconnecting the connections. Oddly, they don't mention cleaning them. They do address perceived sonic differences between gold and rhodium. I have used their gold-plated connectors for years with no issues. Cardas also appears to prefer a silver/rhodium plating and seems to have stopped making their gold-plated and bare copper GRS U Spades (at least I cannot find them on their website). |
