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How Does Gold Wire Handle?

Thinking of building a pair of XLR interconnects using 26-28 gauge, 99.99% pure gold wire, 2-3 strands per conductor. As soft and malleable as gold is, I'm trying to imagine how it behaves--if you hold a 3-foot length by the ends and bring your hands together to bend it in a wide arc, I am imagining it just stays there, without any return. It would have to be carefully straightened out again, is this correct? It seems you wouldn't want to be bending these interconnects back and forth once made. How about silver and copper strands in these gauges? I hear the OCC in silver and copper handle/move better than non-OCC. I would be running any wire loosely in cotton and then teflon, much like the more successful designs out there. Thanks!
jafreeman

Showing 1 response by williewonka

williewonka
3,110 posts
 
Compared to copper, gold is a poor conductor - you would be building an
inferior cable

If you use a single strand then either copper or silver would be much better

Going to multiple strands of copper you have to think about stopping the
conductors from tarnishing inside the insulator.

This is not such a concern with silver, since the black tarnish also conducts
electricity almost as good as untarnished silver believe it or not.

See this PDF for details http://www.avoutlet.com/images/product/
additional/f/iacs_of_metals_n_solder.pdf

So why do they use gold to plate RCA plugs etc...? Because it does not
tarnish and it looks like a quality product. Not because of its electrical
properties. Rhodium is even worse, but it's a lot tougher than gold and
doesn't wear off as easily.

Good luck :-)
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