Gold or plat. wires?

 

Bronze Member
Username: Adddisorder

Post Number: 43
Registered: Jan-06
iv got the choice between a gold or platinum amp kit the only thing thats really different is the fuse holder, so what should i go with
 

Silver Member
Username: N2audio

Lawrence, Ks USA

Post Number: 577
Registered: Mar-04
gold is more conductive, but platinum is more resistant to corrosion. Either way, I'd be willing to bet they're both solid copper with a few thousandths of plat/gold plating.

I'd get the cheaper one.
 

Nanbakat
Unregistered guest
I think what they mean is what "color" scheme you need so that you can match it to the rest of your audio system. There is likely no gold or platinum present in the amp kit.

Platinum will resist oxidative attack more than gold, but only marginally so. They are both highly inert. But Platinum has the advantage of being a much harder element and will resist physical damage much more than gold will.

I guess if you want the best, you could theoretically opt to get your connections plated with iridium. It is more conductive than platinum but is much harder and even more corrosion resistant.

Silver is the best conductor of electricity that exists followed in second place by copper. In a hermetically-sealed environment where there is no risk of oxidation, a bare silver wire would be the best connector possible (followed by copper). But silver is only used in very specialized applications as a result of its cost. However, silver or copper connections in an oxidative atmosphere rapidly degrade into a surface coating of copper oxide or silver sulfide (respectively). This oxidation layer would then degrade the transfer of electrons in the metal.

Bare copper or silver is more conductive than a gold plated connection, but only until the metal in the wire starts to corrode. At that point, the gold-plated connection will be better.


Platinum
Thermal conductivity 71.6 J/m-sec-deg Electrical conductivity 94.34 1/mohm-cm

Gold
Thermal conductivity 318 J/m-sec-deg Electrical conductivity 446.4 1/mohm-cm

Copper
Thermal conductivity 401 J/m-sec-deg Electrical conductivity 595.8 1/mohm-cm

Silver
Thermal conductivity 429 J/m-sec-deg Electrical conductivity 630.5 1/mohm-cm

Iridium
Thermal conductivity 147 J/m-sec-deg Electrical conductivity 188.679 1/mohm-cm
 

Platinum Member
Username: Glasswolf

Wisteria, Lane USA

Post Number: 11113
Registered: Dec-03
gold is a noble metal. it doesn't oxidize.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Glasswolf

Wisteria, Lane USA

Post Number: 11114
Registered: Dec-03
at least it should oxidize in a normal car setting.
hardness on the interconnect end plating isn't really a good thing. you want the softness of gold. being more maleable means it conforms more easily to the other gender connector to form a tighter connection.

at least those are my thoughts on the topic.
platinum just sounds more impressive..
 

Gold Member
Username: Chaunb3400

Huntsville, Alabama U.S.

Post Number: 5424
Registered: Jul-05
GlassWolf
Platinum Member<<<<<<<Im sure it does.lol
Username: Glasswolf

Wisteria , Lane
USA

Post Number: 11114
Registered: Dec-03
 

Silver Member
Username: Pelona

Post Number: 609
Registered: Dec-05
lol
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