An audio connector guide: Exploring the materials and plating that make or break your sound. From the conductivity of copper to the durability of gold plating, this guide delves into the science behind audio connectors. Learn how different materials and finishes impact sound quality and longevity, ensuring you choose the right connectors for your audio setup.
Table of Contents
What is Audio Connector?
The audio video plug is an interface that connects audio and video devices. It is like a bridge that connects different devices and allows them to transmit signals to each other. Depending on the shape and size, there are a variety of audio connector types such as RCA jack, XLR plug, banana plug, 1/4 jack, 1/8 jack, etc. It is usually composed of metal conductors, insulating materials and shells, and transmits audio signals through physical connections. Different plugs have different functions, such as transmitting audio signals, video signals or both. Choosing the right plug can make your device perform at its best.
Audio Connector Material
Copper is the most commonly used conductor material, with good conductivity and can effectively transmit audio signals.
Brass HCu
Brass HCu is an alloy composed of copper and zinc, mainly H59-H90 (copper content varies from 57% to 90%). The higher the copper content, the better the conductivity, but the worse the wear resistance.
Zinc White Copper BZnCu
Zinc white copper BZnCu is a ternary alloy, the main theme is copper-nickel alloy. The plug is mainly made of zinc white copper. Because the material is relatively hard compared to other copper materials, it is generally used as a connecting column between the plug T and the solder joint. Therefore, if some plugs can be attracted by magnets in the middle, it means that the main core of white copper is used (such as the original 2.5 plug of Avery and Nakamura 2.5 plug, etc.). It is mainly BZn18-8, BZn18-26, etc. (the copper content of zinc white copper is about 55%);
Phosphorus copper QCu
Phosphorus copper QCu (phosphorus bronze) (tin bronze) (tin phosphorus bronze) is composed of bronze with a degassing agent phosphorus content of 0.03-0.35%, a tin content of 5-8% and other trace elements such as iron Fe, zinc Zn, etc., mainly QSn6.5-0.1, QSn6.5-0.4, QSn7-0.2, etc. (the copper content of phosphorus copper is about 93%);
Tellurium Copper TeCu
Tellurium copper TeCu tellurium copper alloy material takes into account good cutting performance and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, and has corrosion resistance and electrical ablation resistance. The grade is QTe0.5 (copper content of about 99.5%)
Oxygen-free Copper/Red Copper OFC
Oxygen-free copper/red copper OFC Because pure copper is purple after the oxide film is formed on the surface, pure copper is generally called red copper, and red copper is a large category that includes oxygen-free copper and oxygen-containing copper. Oxygen-free copper is pure copper that does not contain oxygen or any deoxidizer residues. But in fact, it still contains very trace oxygen and some impurities. According to the standard, the oxygen content is not more than 0.003%, the total impurity content is not more than 0.05%, the copper purity is greater than 99.95%, and the main grades are TU1 and TU2.
In terms of wear resistance: white copper> brass> phosphor copper> tellurium copper> red copper.
In terms of high fidelity, OFC> TeCu> QCu> HCu> BZnCu.
Audio Connector Plated
Copper is a material that is relatively susceptible to external corrosion. The main purpose of plating is to prevent copper from oxidizing due to wear during use. The main plating materials are silver plating, gold plating and rhodium plating.
Silver Plated Audio Connector
Silver plating. Silver is a relatively stable metal with the best conductivity and is often used as the outer coating of the plug. The characteristics are clear sound and best fidelity, and the disadvantage is that it is relatively easy to oxidize.
Gold Plated Audio Connector
Gold plating. Gold is the best conductive metal among inert metals and is often used as a coating for various plugs and plugs. Gold plating is the most stable and comprehensive coating among all coatings. It can be described as comprehensive.
Rhodium Plated Audio Connector
Rhodium plating. Rhodium is very stable as an inert metal, but this material is relatively special as a conductor. It has different conductivity at different temperatures. So often in winter, you will feel that the sound of the rhodium-plated plug is a bit irritating, and in summer, you will feel that it is suddenly not irritating. But in general, the sound of rhodium plating is brighter than gold plating and darker than silver plating.
Nickel Plated Audio Connector
Nickel-plated plugs are widely used in electronic products due to their excellent performance characteristics. They not only feature high hardness and wear resistance, effectively protecting the plug surface and extending service life, but also offer strong corrosion resistance, preventing oxidation and rust while maintaining good conductivity. Compared to precious metal plating like gold, nickel plating is more cost-effective and economical. Additionally, the nickel layer bonds well with other metals, providing excellent soldering properties. Although its conductivity is not as good as gold plating, nickel-plated plugs offer sufficient performance for general audio equipment such as headphones, speakers, and computers.
There are many types of plating for audio and video plugs, and the most common ones are gold plating, silver plating, rhodium plating, nickel plating, etc.
Among them, gold plating has the best conductivity and strong anti-oxidation ability, and is often used in high-end equipment; silver plating also has good conductivity and excellent high-frequency performance, but it is easy to oxidize; rhodium plating has high hardness and strong corrosion resistance, and is often used in wear-resistant plugs; nickel plating has high hardness, wear resistance, low cost, and is suitable for mass consumer products.
The choice of different plating depends on the application scenario of the plug and the requirements for sound quality and durability.
Some Audio Connector Brand
Copper is a material that is relatively susceptible to external corrosion. The main purpose of plating is to prevent copper from oxidizing due to wear during use. The main plating materials are silver plating, gold plating and rhodium plating.
Japanese Oyaide Plugs
Japanese oyaide plugs, the base material is basically brass, but the characteristic of oyaide plugs is that they are silver-plated, then gold-plated, rhodium-plated, and then manually polished.
German VIABLUE Plugs
German VIABLUE plugs, German plugs are mostly brass-plated, but the wear resistance is higher than that of Japanese plugs. From this, two conclusions can be inferred, either the Japanese plugs have a higher copper content (brass has many numbers, generally copper-zinc alloys with a purity ranging from 57 to 90, the higher the purity, the softer) or the heat treatment technology of Japanese plugs is not as good as that of Germany.
China Rasantekaudio Plugs
Rasantekaudio is a factory specializing in the production of audio and video plugs. It can customize plugs with various coatings according to customer needs. Although it can provide a variety of coating options, the most common ones are 24K gold plating and rhodium plating. In order to ensure product quality, Raantekaudio strictly controls the thickness of the gold plating for each gold-plated plug to ensure that each plug is plated with a high-quality coating of 24K gold 2u”. This attitude of striving for excellence has made the plugs produced by Raantekaudio enjoy a good reputation in the industry.
Taiwan AECO Plug
Taiwan AECO plug is a brand that mainly manufactures plugs for other brands. It has fine workmanship and diverse materials. It is one of the smallest plugs on the market.
Top 10 High End Audio Connector Wholesalers, learn more about audio video plug brands
Top 15 High End Audio Cable Wholesalers, learn about audio video cable brands
Conclusion
The selection of audio and video plugs is a science that involves many aspects such as material science and electrical principles. Through this audio connector guide, we can better understand the differences between different plugs and make more informed choices by gaining an in-depth understanding of plug materials, coatings, and brands.
