WBT Copper sockets

[Jimbo]

HC - high conductivity (99.9%, or "3 nines" copper)
OFHC - oxygen free high conductivity (99.99%, or "4 nines" copper).

0.09% difference, I am sure you can hear that.

[CageyH]

HC - high conductivity (99.9%, or "3 nines" copper)
OFHC - oxygen free high conductivity (99.99%, or "4 nines" copper).

You missed the “Alloy” bit. “HC Alloy” has very little to do with copper, and is a specific type of alloy, a chromium alloy steel.
For me, the description and title don’t match for me. It says it is an HC Alloy in the title, and pure copper in the description.
Which is it? I am guessing that Barry is correct in that they mean “High conductivity” but an alloy is not pure copper.
I would steer clear if you want pure copper sockets. To be honest, I doubt you would hear a difference.
I only bought mine as I was building the gear, and they only cost a little more than a different socket, probably made of brass.

[Jimbo]

Did you find a difference with the pure copper sockets? I have found plugs certainly make a difference.

[Barry]

Logically if 'pure' copper plugs make a difference, then so ought the corresponding sockets.

BTW, High Conductivity copper, being 99.9% copper is obviously an alloy. The remaining 0.1% consisting of impurities such as iron, nickle, tin, and arsenic etc.

"Pure copper" is defined as having no less than 99.3% copper content.

[sailor]

@Jimbo, I'm now using KLE plugs and sockets exclusively. He eschews metal housings and uses instead a glass impregnated polymer. These sound better than my previous favourite, the Furutech. I've not tried the DH Labs offering but would suspect they would be much like all the others. The sockets start at about 20 bucks/pair. The plugs are well thought out, conform to the 75 ohm standard and are easy to solder.

https://www.hificollective.co.uk/cat...a-sockets.html

https://www.vhaudio.com/kle-rca.html

[Jimbo]

@Jimbo, I'm now using KLE plugs and sockets exclusively. He eschews metal housings and uses instead a glass impregnated polymer. These sound better than my previous favourite, the Furutech. I've not tried the DH Labs offering but would suspect they would be much like all the others. The sockets start at about 20 bucks/pair. The plugs are well thought out, conform to the 75 ohm standard and are easy to solder.

https://www.hificollective.co.uk/cat...a-sockets.html

https://www.vhaudio.com/kle-rca.html

Hi Charles, I am actually using KLE plugs throughout my equipment at the moment but not the sockets. I am very impressed with the plugs so I will have a look at the sockets.

[Firebottle]

The plugs are well thought out, conform to the 75 ohm standard and are easy to solder.

Unfortunately no RCA plug can be 75 ohm due to the excessive pin diameter. Compare the respective diameters of the pin and outer in a true 75 ohm BNC plug, the pin diameter is tiny for a reason.

Looking at the KLE datasheet they say:

"This allows for significantly higher characteristic impedance than conventional RCA sockets"

Agreed, but note they do not say it is 75 ohm.

[Barry]

Agreed - the KLE plugs do not have a true coaxial geometry, so can have a higher characteristic impedance.

Characteristic impedance is totally irrelevant at audio frequencies and is only of concern in digital systems. But even there conventional RCA 'phono' connectors are often used, despite the typical characteristic impedance being about 35 Ohm. Despite this, impedance mismatch is minimised because the plug and socket connection is electrically 'short'.

[Jimbo]

Agreed - the KLE plugs do not have a true coaxial geometry, so can have a higher characteristic impedance.

Characteristic impedance is totally irrelevant at audio frequencies and is only of concern in digital systems. But even there conventional RCA 'phono' connectors are often used, despite the typical characteristic impedance being about 35 Ohm. Despite this, impedance mismatch is minimised because the plug and socket connection is electrically 'short'.

Would it be true to say having a higher impedance when used in an analogue set up is less concern?

[sailor]

Hi Alan, I hear you and have not seen any proof of meeting the 75 ohm standard but neither have I seen any proof of it not. I am using KLE connectors for analogue and digital and find them to better any others. I mentioned that I preferred them to Furutech which I preferred to a bunch of others.

A few months ago my wife and I attended an audio show in Dublin. It was a small event and quite enjoyable, I got to hear the John DeVore Orangutan O/96 speakers which along with the Gryphon system were IMO best of show.

The all Gryphon room was the busiest for a reason. It should be good with a price over Euro 200000 I had with me a pair of 1.2m RCA interconnects hoping for a chance to compare to something as a sanity check so I asked the chap in charge if I could return at close of show to which he agreed. The analogue connection was longer than mine so we tried one as a digital connection. At home when I replaced my favourite Van den Hul Orchid digital with my DIY job I heard something, something clearly quieter and better, much better and the Orchid is no slouch.

The Gryphon digital was by XLR so Rune the friendly guy in charge set the volume 3dB lower than mine so switching between was at the press of a button on the remote. The room was empty save for us and the head honcho from Denmark standing back of room with a friend. Rune, my wife and I sat center front with my wife in the middle and played mostly jazz, some Dire Straits and classical. After about 20 minutes we stopped. I heard very little difference but noticed the chords on grand piano were a little better defined with more power. Rune said my cable was very good and what he heard was that the Gryphon cable had better tonality, a rather vague term. Well he had to say something, his boss was present. The Gryphon cable sells for Euro 5000. My wife said she watched his face and that he looked a bit shocked. This was not entirely a fair test. His cable being balanced is generally considered superior to single ended and had also been playing all day undisturbed whereas mine had not. I was not unhappy with the result. When I asked the big boss his opinion he said he wasn't listening. Yeah sure!

This long ramble is to say that whatever the characteristic impedance of the RCA connector is it is producing quite the finest I've heard. Would a BNC sound better? It should but I sincerely doubt it because of the superior metallurgy of the KLE stuff.

It has taken years and much expense to get to this point and if there is some genuine interest in what I've achieved I may consider sending a cable for some to try.