Interconnects

[bikerhifinut]

There's a product on the market, comes in a spray can. Called DE-Oxit and its a heady £20 or so but a little goes a very long way. It seems to remove the oxidation from plugs and sockets very effectively and is great on potentiometer wipers and tracks too. Bobs comment made me remember this stuff, It looks expensive but it works and a bit better than traditional switch cleaner/isopropanol. And about the price of a workmanlike interconnect from the likes of QED.
yeah gold plated fuses............ what in swansea is that all about? if you are that convicnced that a fuse is so important why stop there? Gold plated 13 amp plug pins? Silver plated screened mains wire in an armoured sheath made out of organic Armadillo scales? replace the mains switch with a special gold plated one and every single bit of wire run in the amp? Oh I forgot it's already probably been done by somebody!
The point here is, no amount of fancy wire and other witchcraft is much cop if the hardware it serves isnt up to the mark in terms of circuit design and construction technique and layout, you can varnish a turd as much as you like but all you'll get is a shiny turd.
I also am not convinced about more esoteric wire and construction. Oh for sure the physics seems to stack up at face value but in practice I think the frequencies at which "Skin effects" and other properties attributed to insulation are really only relevant at RF in the regions of MHz and signal strengths where it could mean the difference between an intelligible signal and nothing at all.
I may not know how to listen to a system or piece of equipment properly or know what to listen for? But I am very sad to say I get distracted and end up listening to the music instead.
If you hear a difference I am not going to disbelieve you, your kit, your ears, your hard earned cash so forgive me for being an incurable cynic, I'm beyond help now.

(Andy with tongue ever so slightly in cheek)