Are gold plated plugs really that much better than standard plugs, is the difference even noticeable?
Answer:
It's mainly a gimmick to sell components/misc. at a higher price. Radio Shack and Guitar Center (Monster Cable) are notorious for trying to push the "superior gold plated" product.
doenst make a difference, its a scam.
it doesnt matter, unless you have some freakishly sensitive eyes
No. Maybe over dozens of years the gold would hold up better, but I doubt it. Theoretically they're better, but no they're not, just more expensive.
gold is more conductive than nickle or what ever the standard plugs are. as far as it being a noticeable difference no. you wont be able to tell.
I've used both types and really saw no difference.
All he answers so far are technically correct in Theory !!.
However in practice if you use gold plated plugs and sockets etc there will be no discernible difference in video or audio fidelity.
The difference however becomes more apparent when the said plugs are a couple of years old , there will be less noise and less crackles when the leads with the gold plated plugs are flexed or moved !!.
I would say then that if the price difference is not great then by all means get the gold plated ones !! anyway they look nicer don`t they ? .. Cheers Pete
Noticeable difference? Not right away.
After awhile, yes... absolutely. As Pete says, the nickel plated connectors corrode quicker requiring periodic cleaning. The gold plated connectors last far longer with less cleaning.
And to add my two cents worth...
I have owned cables without gold connectors and have actually seen the corrosion when I moved my system in just a couple years. Not only was that corrosion on the cables but on my expensive receiver that I had to clean off.
More than worrying about gold and if that should be a deciding factor, there are many other factors to pay attention to.
Cables made of better materials for audio or video, good insulation from EMI (electromagnetic interference) and RF (radio frequencies) ((Which can happen when crossing electrical cords or just from frequencies coming in)), cables with good flexibility so there is no loss of signal, and particularly how the connectors are attached to the cable, with good flexibility and strong soldering, etc.
Connectors that create a snug connection like split pins, or turbine connectors that can't loosen, will create the greatest amount of surface to transfer the signal and not wobble out.
These are qualities that equate to a VISIBLE difference. Cables with the above qualities will also have gold connectors.
Cables make a BIG difference. Quality cables in particular. A component or TV is only as good as the cable that can carry the signal. If the signal doesn't fully arrive, or if there's interference the picture won't be as clear or there can be sparkly or blocky interference.
I've always found that Monster Cables make good cables even at their entry level cables. The more of the above features, the better the conductors, and the better the quality of picture and sound (like high definition) the more important it is to have a cable that can handle it.
The simple advantage to gold is that it does not oxidize. Silver is actually has better conductive qualities. Also, the gold plating on plugs has to be stuck to nickel; therefore, a nickel connector would actually give you a better connection (with less materials to travel through) untill it begins to oxidize, which can be cured by cleaning it, which usually invovles disconnecting it and reconnecting it.
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