Topic: Sanity Check Mic Cables/ parts

[fozzy]

My old set of cables have been handed down for years and have been rebuild too many times.  

I am going to piece together a new set and want to make sure I get it right.

I am going MK012 > UA-5.  I want right angle on the UA-5 side so I have placed the following in my shopping cart at markertek

Qty   Part #     Description Price  Ext $  
 2    NC3MRC     3-Pin XLR Connectors For Cable Ends, Male Right Angle XLR, Silver by Neutrik    
 2    NC3FX      3-Pin XLR Connectors For Cable Ends, Female XLR, Silver by Neutrik    
 15   L-4E6S BK  Star Quad 4-Conductor Microphone Cable, Black by Canare    
 15   L-4E6S RD  Star Quad 4-Conductor Microphone Cable, Red by Canare    


I think these are the right part numbers but i hate to order the wrong thing. ~30 + shipping

[chase]

that looks right but i would say go for the gold plated Nuetriks instead of the silver ones.

[fozzy]

so

 2   NC3FX-B     3-Pin XLR Connectors For Cable Ends, Female XLR, Black with Gold Contacts by Neutrik    
 2   NC3MRC-B    3-Pin XLR Connectors For Cable Ends, Male Right Angle XLR, Black with Gold Contacts by Neutrik  

instead of

 2    NC3MRC     3-Pin XLR Connectors For Cable Ends, Male Right Angle XLR, Silver by Neutrik    
 2    NC3FX      3-Pin XLR Connectors For Cable Ends, Female XLR, Silver by Neutrik  

[blu666z]

Why would you suggest the gold over silver?

-Kevin

[fozzy]

for a dollar more they have to be better, right?  LOL

[BCostigan]

The silver ones are referring to the housing not the contacts.    I think either the black with gold contacts or black with silver contacts would be fine.  Most people get gold contacts but when the "best" cables use silver I'm not sure why.

[fozzy]

Ok i'm confused now


Resistance.  Silver is less resistant.

silver: 1.59 x10^-8 =  .0000000159
copper: 1.7 x10^-8 = .000000017
gold: 2.44 x10^-8 =   .0000000244

But Gold/Gold connections form a molecular bond which would lower resistance significantly.

So can I assume for MK012's and a UA5 (both silver i believe) Gold would actually be worse (higher resistance no molecular bonding) than silver (less overall resistance).

[jpschust]

yah but you arent figuring for oxidation over time.  all in all i think the gold thing is such hype- the only material over silver that i really find to be any better is copper just because as it oxidizes its resistance decreases and it actually becomes a better conductor

[Ed.]

i ordered the black with gold contacts and they sent me the silvers, maybe its fate.

[fozzy]

I went with the silvers, how long does it usually take for markertek to get stuff out?

[chase]

personally i prefer the black casing over the shiny nickel and markertek doesn't sell the black/silver ones.  after looking at the neutrik website they are basically the same coppper core with the only difference being a 2um (2x10^-6m) coating of either gold or silver over it.  however, i was under the impression previously that the gold ones were somehow better even though silver is less resistant.  i would be curious to know more about the molecular bonding of gold/gold, i sold my chemistry book back last semester.