RCA jacks on SEX going south?

[Maxwell_E]

I have a nickel [i think] plated RCA cable coming into the input on my SEX amp and after about about 18 months i'm noticing that some of the gold plating is coming off. I'm curious if it may be my low-quality interconnects and some kind of dissimilar metal reaction going on. I don't remove and replace the plugs often at all, so I don't think it's just wear and tear.

Question part II: If I were to purchase the same part from Parts Express and use some better gold-plated RCA cables, would that solve the problem? I see that the Dayton jacks are only 7bucks a pair.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=091-1120

[Paul Birkeland]

If you are going through the trouble, these will drop in and should last a very long time:

http://www.partsconnexion.com/product7390.html
http://www.partsconnexion.com/product9700.html

[Jim R.]

Yes, I use those second ones Paul links to -- the copper body Vampires, and like them a lot.

Also, there shouldn't be any dissimilar metal reaction as a lot of metals require a base plating of nickel before they can be gold plated.  That said, the vampires are direct gold on copper, and IMO, Nickel can sound really terrible in a low-level signal application so I avoid it at all costs and whenever possible.

HTH,

Jim

[Maxwell_E]

Wow, those look nice. I found these today during lunch, same supplier.

http://www.partsconnexion.com/product7547.html

I'm a little new to this game, not sure which brands to trust yet.

[Jim R.]

Vampire, DH Labs -- more or less the same thing.  Check out their mailing addresses -- they used to either be the same or right next to each other.  They are equivalent if not identical, and both are really high quality.

-- Jim