Gold on jack and phono plug/socket

Alex Coleman wrote in news:Xns97CD764DC5DDF71F3M4@127.0.0.1:

I doubt it's worth quantifying for signal connectors, not even those from moving coil cartridges, where electrolytic action in corrosion is the problem, not the initial resistance. Nickel is used with chromium in high temperature resistance wire, for heaters, but in a thin plate with large surface area, it will be micro-ohms or less, probably.

Alex Coleman wrote in news:Xns97CD76889628571F3M4@127.0.0.1:

Easy thing to fall for, progression through the masses in the periodic table might indicate that it ought to be.. I've wondered about this one. If anyone has a nice laymans-terms explanation, now would be a very good time to post it. :)

Gold over copper virtually always has a much thicker layer of nickel underneath anyway (as a barrier). Often nickel is used on other metals as well before gold plating. The bling is just a surface treatment, and the metals used underneath will dominate the total connector resistance.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

they wipe - some of the RCA connectors, on the other hand, turn a pleasing fuzzy tan

That's nicotine stain!

Try "Coolamp" silver plating, if you want to repair the worn contacts. It is used to replate large roller inductors and antenna switches at AM radio stations. I'm told that it lasts as long as a new part would, if the plating is thick enough. Replating the contacts of a small switch wouldn't be easy, but don properly it would outlast the original part.