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Benfits of upgraded connectors

I've been looking into upgrading/changing my ic's and of course have noticed that many mfg's offer and charge for "premium" connectors.
Is there a sonic benefit with these connectors? For example, will an upgraded Cardas connector sound better than a standard RCA connector on the same cable?
greh
geoch's avatar
geoch
354 posts
 
You mean the patent of 47Labs for RCA plugs I suppose.
It is interesting but very restricted by design, for it is only permits a plain symmetrical solid core configuration.
But for speaker cable, if the conductors (and the braid) are silver, it is true.
Now even if it is true for the power cords, it is also very inconvenient to the point of masochism.
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
Yes, indeed. No connector is better than any connector. We use connectors because they make life easier, not because they improve the sound.
ckoffend
684 posts
 
I removed the connectors from my speaker cables and can tell you I was extremely dissapointed with the change in performance. Even my 10 year old daughter could her the difference. She immediately commented - Dad, where did the music go?

I put the connectors back on the cable and connected them again to my speakers - low and behold - music started playing again.
horchai
67 posts
 
that;s strange. What speaker cables are u using? kind to share?
raks
468 posts
 
Well... I took the plunge and replaced the terminations on the Kubala-Sosna Expression power cord that runs to my amp. I replaced them with Oyaide M1 / F1 terminations. The difference is impressive.

One of my reference CD’s is the first cut on the Chris Rice album “What A Heart Is Beating For” (So Much For My Sad Song). On that song there’s a rhythm guitar that comes in on the right channel that either gets more or less pronounced as I make changes to my system. With the Oyaide M1 / F1 terminations, the rhythm guitar is much more pronounced.
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