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View Full Version : Hi-Fi Jewellery (RCA Caps)


biggzy
09-02-2011, 17:54
Hi all, i have bought some of those caps that go onto your unused RCA inputs/outputs, there not the shorting caps, just the caps with no pin.

As mad as it may seem, i only wanted them coz they look nice, and keep the dust off the RCA sockets, but it says they stop unwanted noise, is this true?

Heres a link (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270703187013) on ebay to the ones i bought (don't they look nice), they was the cheapest metal ones i could find.

Thanks for any info etc.

Adam.
Barry
09-02-2011, 18:46
Hi all, I have bought some of those caps that go onto your unused RCA inputs/outputs, they're not the shorting caps, just the caps with no pin.

As mad as it may seem, I only wanted them coz they look nice, and keep the dust off the RCA sockets, but it says they stop unwanted noise, is this true?

Heres a link (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270703187013) on ebay to the ones I bought (don't they look nice), they was the cheapest metal ones I could find.

Thanks for any info etc.

Adam.

Certainly they won't do any harm but I'm not sure if they will stop unwanted noise. To do that, they would need to be shorting caps (with a centre pin) and even then you would have to live in a very noisy RF environment for their use to be effective. Unless you live right next to a radio transmitter or an airport/airfield with an aircraft landing radar system, you won't notice any difference.

They do look nice though and will, I suppose, keep dust out of your equipment.

Regards
Reid Malenfant
09-02-2011, 18:48
Hi Adam, thanks for the link fella - just the kind of thing i'm looking for as it happens :D

To answer your question the small hole that the centre pin of the phono plug goes into is effectively covered by metal, this will prevent any noise from getting to the centre pin of the phono socket, so yes they prevent noise to a very good extent.. Similar to a screened cable ;)

Not snake oil after all :)

Trust Barry to be different :D
biggzy
09-02-2011, 19:04
Thanks guys for fast replies, not bad then for the money, i did look at the Cardas ones, but i wasn't going to pay £15 for a set of 4 caps, thats mad lol.

Any other things like this out there that makes our kit look nice?

Iv bought some QED micro speaker cable and some of these (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260734331232) banana plugs, got my eye on some quality RCA leads also.

Thanks again,
Adam. ;)
MartinT
09-02-2011, 20:20
Nice one, Adam. I've just ordered some too.
Concerto Audio
09-02-2011, 22:10
Since Adam mentioned it I do sell Telos RCA caps, XLR female and male caps
and BNC caps. Rca caps comes in set of 10 and XLR caps in pair, BNC single one. All the caps got teflon inside and it is very effective.
For more info www.telos-audio.com.tw
High End cable sells it, the link below:

http://www.highendcable.co.uk/Telos%20Home.htm
The Grand Wazoo
09-02-2011, 22:21
A much better way of doing this is to buy the Accuphase ones. When I bought mine, admittedly, they were fairly expensive (OK, very expensive) but they threw in a free CD player!
Clive
09-02-2011, 22:44
I must admit I'd have thought shorting plugs would be much more effective, wiring internal to the equipment would then be grounded too. I'm with Barry on on this.

Some measurements would be a good idea.
Concerto Audio
09-02-2011, 22:51
For your info review done by Neil on Telos caps:
http://www.adventuresinhifiaudio.com/20/07/2010/telos-audio-design-rca-and-xlr-caps-are-these-products-just-mere-audio-jewelery/
Reid Malenfant
10-02-2011, 10:52
I must admit I'd have thought shorting plugs would be much more effective, wiring internal to the equipment would then be grounded too. I'm with Barry on on this.

Some measurements would be a good idea.
I'm sure that shorting plugs would be slightly more effective, yes! However, with the input effectively shielded by the cap itself there is far less chance of noise being injected in the first place ;)

The reason these are perfect for what i want is that i'll need to screen a set of cables from the record output of a pre amplifier, there is no way on this earth i'll be shorting that out as damaging equipment isn't on my list of priorities :eyebrows:
biggzy
17-02-2011, 13:17
My RCA caps turned up today :)
Very well made for the money, looks nice on the ins/outs on the back of my little amp, will keep the dust off for sure lol.

Heres a pic of the back of my Teac A-H300...
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/4174/image000t.jpg (http://img546.imageshack.us/i/image000t.jpg/)
Sorry about the quality.

On the reference systems theres some remote control RCA type connectors, do any of you think it will hurt if i put these caps on those also? thanks.

Adam.
HighFidelityGuy
17-02-2011, 14:11
They look nice but have you noticed any difference to the sound quality?
I don't think you can hurt any connections with them if they don'y short signal to ground. So you might as well go all the way if you have enough spare.
biggzy
17-02-2011, 14:15
They look nice but have you noticed any difference to the sound quality?
I don't think you can hurt any connections with them if they don'y short signal to ground. So you might as well go all the way if you have enough spare.

Not noticed any difference to be honest, but hey, they look good lol.

Personally i don't think im going to hear much of anything with these crap eltax mini speakers i have, will get my new speakers soon and then test.

Thanks for the advice on the other sockets, will get some more of these i think, even if they do only look nice and keep the dust off the RCA connections.

Adam.
HighFidelityGuy
17-02-2011, 14:28
No probs. I might get a bag of these to try out as the price isn't too bad compared to the Cardas and other fancy branded ones.
biggzy
17-02-2011, 14:33
No probs. I might get a bag of these to try out as the price isn't too bad compared to the Cardas and other fancy branded ones.

Yes i think they are a bargain, would be nice to hear other members thoughts who have good kit and see if they do make any difference.

They do take a while to be delivered as there from Taiwan but thats to be expected really.

Adam.
MartinT
17-02-2011, 19:54
Mine have been despatched. I'll also check out what I need in terms of XLR covers and order some later on.
biggzy
17-02-2011, 20:26
Just found out there a bi*ch to get back off lol ;)
It wont be hard if your RCA sockets have lots of room between them, but on standard hi-fi kit with standard spacing between RCA sockets its a bit harder to get them back off.

Adam.