Why Rhodium?

I work at a steel mill and just called our head metallurgist and asked him. He said that Rhodium is a very good conductor.

Maybe the more appropriate question is, when comparing a Porter Port which is unplated Copper against an Oyaide or other recepticle made with Rhodium, among other alloys, does the Rhodium outperform the Copper in terms of neutrality, or does it color the resulting signal like we all know that the Oyaide recepticles do.

Is the coloration a characteristic of Rhodium? Is it a characteristic of Copper? Or does the alloy matter?

I picked up a Furutech FI-28M (R) which is rhodium over pure copper. It's very smooth with great dynamics and soundstaging. I also use Kaplan cables. Several with all copper ends, and one with rhodium over copper for my source.

In my experience, the rhodium is generally tonally neutral while adding smoothness, dynamics, and detail. Other platings such as gold or silver may tilt the tonal balance.

Rhodium is a good conductor of electricity but not as good as copper, gold or silver. As Mofi stated it resists oxidation well. It is more durable then the above metals and gives a very smooth finish which is one of the keys to its use.

My experience with rhodium plated plugs is that there is a glare to them BUT I have not tried all the rhodium plated plugs out there (notably not the FI-28M and not the one Paul uses).

Also it is very important to realize that the wire in between the plugs drastically affects the sound as a whole. A plug that results in a great sound on one cord can sound like poop (technical term) on another.

I have never really got on with Rhodium plugs myself although I understand the properties are useful (durable/resistance of oxidation etc).

I think Cpk has it right and it is the wire connecting between that is as important. I think you should try to stick to the same metal through the chain as much as you can.

While I have furutech plugs, in my set up the Oyaide plugs seem to have the edge. A little more solid through the mid and bass.

I use gold over copper (Furutech F1 25 gold series/Oyaide P079/C079) as it seems to let a little more richness through.

Some may consider Rhodium an, "excellent" conductor of electricity, but- to what are they comparing it? Silver's conductivity is 106, Gold's- 65 and platinum is 15 on the Electrical Conductivity chart(copper is considered the reference at 100). Rhodium(rated at 38) is better than platinum, but not as good as gold. It's attributes are durability and finish. Rhodium or Cardas? Personally: No- thank you. The better the conductivity of the material in question; the more transparent it will be. That means you will hear more of what your source(or whatever is upstream) is delivering(good OR bad).