What's better, matte gold plated or silver tinned for RCA ends?

[06dmax00camss 10+ year member]

Trying to figure out which set of Kicker RCAs I'm going to buy. They offer a K series and S series and I don't know which set is better. The obviously offer them in different lengths. The K series is the gold and the S series is the silver. What's better? Thanks.

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[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Doesn't matter.

 

[06dmax00camss 10+ year member]

So why do they offer both?

 

[Calikid 5,000+ posts]

there is no difference

 

[06dmax00camss 10+ year member]

How come the silver tinned is more expensive? I only make that claim because the S series which is silver is more expensive than the K series which is gold. It may have nothing to do with the ends, that was just my guess.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Who knows why.

Any conductive difference in the finishes isn't enough to be measureable.

 

[xX J Brutal Xx 10+ year member]

$$$$$ cuz they know you will give it to em! $$$$$$"It's gotta be better why else would it be more expensive" that's what they want you to think.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

Pure marketing.

Trying to appeal to every consumer.

Gold works well because it's really soft. When you slide two gold plated connectors together they - for lack of a better term - mush together essentially becoming one piece. Helps reduce the resistance of the connection.

Silver - well - it's just the most conductive metal. So we're led, by numerous mktg deps., to believe it will conduct a "cleaner" signal - when the fact of the matter is Aluminum will conduct just as well if it has enough cross-sec surface area.

This is why I stick to 10-20 signal cables. I personally believe they sound just as good as the high priced stuff.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Gold is used because it is largely non-reactive and thus won't tarnish over time. Silver will tarnish almost instantly, as will copper and brass.

 

[Ignatowski 5,000+ posts]

hype