Is the metal material of the connector also important for sound quality, not just the headphone upgrade cable material?

In the previous post, we briefly introduced common plugs and headphone pin. In this post, we will delve into the impact of their materials on sound quality, as well as the production process and material selection. Common materials include brass, phosphor bronze, tellurium copper, and silver, while gold and rhodium are common electroplating materials. OC Studio's plugs and terminals use a non-nickel plating process to provide high-quality sound performance. Additionally, cryogenic treatment is an essential process for high-end audio and Hifi headphone cable, which can improve the physical properties and sound performance of metals. Furthermore, this post will also introduce how to differentiate nickel and non-nickel gold plating terminals by color.

• Understanding the impact of metal production processes on sound
• Understand the material and plating material of Headphone pin and plugs
• Understand the use of cryogenic treatment to enhance physical performance

Quickly understand the advantages of different terminal and plug production processes

1.Metal conductors:Terminal metal conductors are usually produced by two methods: lathe processing or stamping. The highest quality is made by lathe processing, which causes the least deformation to the metal and is several times the price of ordinary stamped terminals. OC Studio's plugs and pins use lathe processing for many parts to provide high-quality sound performance. For example, OC All plugs and pins are mainly using Lathe processing.
2.Metal plating:Plating can be divided into two types: "nickel plating" and "non-nickel electroplating". Although nickel plating negatively affects sound quality, it significantly improves the plating layer's strength. To enhance sound performance, OC Studio uses a "non-nickel (also known as non-magnetic) process" to first plate pure copper, then pure gold, and increase the gold plating thickness to enhance ​the plating layer's durability and provide

 high-quality sound. We also individually plate each part, which is more expensive but results in higher quality, such as in our terminal joints and TCGP-CM products. Non-magnetic plating is widely used by Hi-Fi audio brands, and many prefer it over nickel plating. Note: non-magnetic is sometimes referred to as low-magnetic. Some brands use nickel-free plating for rhodium-plated materials, but the plating layer may peel off or cause wear and tear. In summary, while nickel plating improves strength, non-nickel plating provides high-quality sound. You can't have your cake and eat it too!

Identifying nickel and non-nickel classrooms without magnets
​​If you don't have a magnet on hand: if you want to quickly identify whether a gold-plated terminal is nickel or non-nickel plated, you can actually distinguish it by color! As pic, which use nickel plated is lighter in color than non-nickel of gold plated, while non-nickel gold is similar in color to real gold jewelry, slightly less shiny.

3. Cryogenic treatment:
This is almost a necessary process for high-end audio and headphone cable brands, which can significantly improve the physical properties of metals and provide a quiet background and high-resolution sound performance! OC Studio not only uses cryogenic treatment for plugs and terminals but also for cables to give you the best sound performance.

Cryogenic treatment is a method of cooling a substance to "as close as possible" to absolute zero (at least -185 degrees Celsius). In this process, the substance will reduce the stress caused by the production process from the inside out, thereby strengthening its physical properties. Cryogenic treatment is widely used in the aerospace industry.

The crucial : metal materials

Next, let's talk about the materials. Unlike wires, pure copper is too soft. To balance processing, durability, and usage, a series of copper alloy materials with different characteristics have been developed.
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• Common copper materials include brass, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, tellurium copper, and silver.
• Brass: Excellent sound performance, with a certain degree of metal strength and durability, is the most widely used.
• Phosphor bronze: A copper material with excellent elasticity and a certain degree of sound performance.

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• Beryllium copper: Wear-resistant with excellent elasticity and a certain degree of sound performance.
• Tellurium copper: Pure copper has the best conductivity, but due to its softness, it is difficult to process and not durable. Therefore, adding a small amount of tellurium can achieve excellent sound performance close to pure copper, while maintaining a certain degree of metal strength.
• Silver: Silver is an excellent conductor, but pure silver is too soft. As far as we know, most silver terminals are made of so-called processed silver, made of 925 silver, and are expensive and rare.

Most of OC Studio's headphone pins and plugs use brass and tellurium copper, especially as much tellurium copper as possible, to provide excellent sound performance and affordable price for audiophiles.

Common plating materials is gold and rhodium plating

Both materials can provide excellent anti-oxidation, but they have completely different sound performances.

• Gold plating: Natural, wide, and balanced sound with a charming vocal (represented by products such as Oyaide P-3.5GL and OC 35CFGT, which we also sell).
• Rhodium plating: Clear and linear sound with a distinctive grainy feel, bright and high resolution! (Represented by products such as FURUTECH's carbon fiber CF and stainless steel FT 735SM (R) 3.5mm terminal, Oyaide P-3.5SRL, and OC 35CFRT).
• Multilayer electroplating: The high-end ATL terminals use multilayer electroplating, with a brass substrate~copper plating-silver plating-gold plating-rhodium plating (represented by products such as PH-3504RG, PH-3506RG, PH-3504RH, PH-3506RH 3.5mm terminals).

OC Studio offers a 3.5mm terminal, specifically designed for those seeking the best sound quality. The terminal is made of brass, with a pure (red) copper outer layer, an excellent conductor second only to silver(mention last time). The 35CFCT provides superior sound quality, but requires regular cleaning due to its tendency to oxidize.

Conclusion

In this post, we explained the deeper knowledge of Headphone pins and plugs, hoping to help audiophiles choose the right product. You can refer to the instructions to choose the right product based on price and sound considerations. In the next post, we will teach you how to order an upgraded headphone cable~

Q&A

Q: Does the material of plugs and terminals affect sound quality?


A: Yes. Different materials have different effects on sound quality, so when choosing connectors, you need to consider the impact of materials. For example, the production process of metal conductors, electroplating materials, and cryogenic treatment will affect sound performance.


Q: What materials does OC Studio use for plugs and terminals?
A: OC Studio mainly uses brass and tellurium copper for plugs and terminals. To provide better sound quality, OC Studio's terminals and plugs use a nickel-free electroplating process, first plating pure copper and then electroplating pure gold, and increasing the thickness of the gold plating to greatly enhance the durability of the electroplating layer and provide high-quality sound.


Q: What is cryogenic treatment? What is its impact on sound quality?
A: Cryogenic treatment is a method of cooling a substance to "as close as possible" to absolute zero (at least -185 degrees Celsius). In this process, the substance will reduce the stress caused by the production process from the inside out, thereby strengthening its physical properties. Cryogenic treatment has a significant impact on sound quality and can provide a quiet background and high-resolution sound performance.


Q: What are the common metal materials for pins and plugs?
A: Common copper materials include brass, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, tellurium copper, and silver. Each material has different sound performances and needs to be selected according to actual needs.


Q: What is the difference between gold and rhodium plating materials?
A: Both gold and rhodium electroplating materials can provide excellent anti-oxidation, but they have completely different sound performances. Gold plating has a natural, wide, and balanced sound with a charming tone, while rhodium plating has a clear and linear sound with a distinctive grainy feel, bright and high resolution.