Tiny voltages run through mechanical connections............

WaynerN

WaynerN

Addicted Member
Perhaps I didn't even realize how vulnerable mechanical connections are when handling such small voltages from an MM (or worse) MC cartridge. While the material used in these connections are not exposed to the highly destructive voltages and arcs seen by on/off switches, they are exposed to environmental air that will film up even gold contacts, and can present a problem passing the low voltage/low current signal.

Those contacts are very common to most turntables, and they are the contacts between the headshell and the arm. Yesterday, during a vinyl playback session, I thought the left channel to be weak on a couple of tunes. Removing the headshell and treating the contacts on both the arm and the headshell, the full glory was restored. The effects of the Caig contact enhancer was instantly detectable. I believe treating these contacts will become part of my maintenance schedule.

This doesn't seem to be a problem with interconnects (or I haven't discovered it yet), but maybe that is because there is so much surface area on the RCA jacks and plugs.

Wayner
 
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I've always thought interconnects also benefit from a spritz now and then. Something I only recently learned was that small signal relays have a hidden problem. Omron warns about relays that are rarely actuated. I think they also mean under power. Apparently the warm coil outgasses and causes a non-conductive film to build up on the contacts. Who'd a thought, but a knowledgeable engineer friend said it's a well known problem.
 
A reason why continuous run leads from cart to terminals are so highly espoused.
 
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I routinely use a Caig Deoxit felt tip pen on all my contacts, even my flashlights and remotes when changing batteries. The stuff is amazing.

Ray K
 
The RCA's on both ends of the interconnects and their corresponding connectors on the back of the amp are just as likely to get oxidation as the ones on the tonearm head. Size doesn't matter in this case.
 
giving a twist every now and then to the RCAs cleans them. One of the causes of failure of caged ball races in tonearms is the arcing across the balls/races from static
 
I'm always wary of twisting an RCA. I've seen too many where the center pin turns, either a little or a lot, and then the wire fails. I only pull 'em straight in or out. As always, YMMV.
 
Maybe it's just my imagination...

If my system hasn't been touched in a while, just moving things around or unplugging things and plugging them back in sometimes seems to give the sound a little more razzle-dazzle. Even switching switches that are often ignored, like speaker selectors, tape monitors, EQ bypass, or sonic filters can wake it up.

Then again, a car always seems to drive better after an oil change, too. :dunno:
 
I don't think it's your imagination. We have similar problems at work with very low voltage instrumentation circuits that start to playup over time. Quite often just disconnecting and reconnecting will sort it out. I just unplug and plug back in every so often. It's enough to scrape the verdigris film off of connectors. The same applies to internal circuit board plugs in amplifiers, CD players and records decks as well.
 
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