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Dialectric grease any thoughts

Hello everyone, I recently purchased new interconnects(1 meter pair XLR balanced) and the company who makes them recomends "the use of contact enhancement fluid or dialectric grease on all electrical contact serfaces, including audio signal connectors and a-c power plugs and sockets." I am skeptical to use dialectric grease on the XLR plugs and outlets, if I don't like it- it may prove to be difficult to remove if not impossible. I've heard of others who have had good results with it on Power cords, but was told not to do it to the signal cables, and now this company is telling me to use it- so confusing! shed some light on my situation. ~Tim
tireguy
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
How about using silver grease for outlets? Would it be OK?
theaudiotweak
2,804 posts
 
The latest generation of Ultraconnect polluted my system!!! Took a long time to remove any trace of it. Audioquest made a running change in the original formula at the request of a certain angency.
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
I'd heard that thay made a change in formulation of Ultraconnect but fortunately I have the old version; thanks for the report tweak. When I run out I'll stick with Kontact.

How did you get it off? Pure Denatured alcohol (without the lanolin, water, & other misc. contaminants of isopropyl junk) might be a good approach. I'll bet you were really scratching your head when you cleaned all the connections & got worse sound! What happened - what sonic signature occurred that you didn't want?
theaudiotweak
2,804 posts
 
At that time, I thought, How did I break my system, what have I done lately to make it so non-musicial. I had in the past used the original Ultra-connect formula and really enjoyed the results. However I lost the original and bought the new. After many headaches, I called the manufacturer and was told the formula was changed! The sound of my system had become grainy, the mids and highs were jangeling and had lost their coherence. Yes Bob, I did try the denatured alcohol though I don't remember that to be the cure. I had read about TPC sold by XLO,, got it tried it,and cured it. Music was back in my system. There maybe a better solution out there, but I will be most reluctant to switch. Tom
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
What's strange about that scenario Tom is that Ultraconnect etc. is supposed to *remove* all of the crusty stuff, leaving nothing behind. It seems that because the solvent did impart a sonic signature of its own, that in fact the solvent did leave some detrimental residue behind. It's NOT suppposed to do that of course.
Lucky for me I have 2 new full bottles of their original formula + the remainder of my original bottle. But I'll keep XLO's TPC in mind for the future in case I decide to try that vs. the highly recommended Kontact.
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