Hi All,

Any recommendations for good REPUTABLE websites for buying miscellaneous A/V parts? Specifically, I am looking for other sites like "Parts Express". I am trying to find a decent qaulity Y-Adapter 1F-2F for my RCA patch cables. Believe it or not, partsexpress did not have that configuration. So far I found one at the ol' RatShack, but it looks like something that was designed 50 years ago.

TIA,
Will

A 'y' adaptor is simply 3 connectors in parallel....there isn't really any 'design' involved.

A 'y' adaptor is simply 3 connectors in parallel....there isn't really any 'design' involved.
Well, speaking as an Engineer, maybe we are miscommunicating on what I meant by "Design". The ones at RS, are huge blocky things that look like they have about 5lbs of plastic molded around them. The contacts look like they are some old tin plating stuff.

I am looking for something "slim", either and actual Y-Cable or a slim-line block design. And preferably with a gold plating (or high quality nickel etc), as it will be running through my somewhat humid basement.

Markertek.com

Well, speaking as an Engineer, maybe we are miscommunicating on what I meant by "Design". The ones at RS, are huge blocky things that look like they have about 5lbs of plastic molded around them. The contacts look like they are some old tin plating stuff.

I am looking for something "slim", either and actual Y-Cable or a slim-line block design. And preferably with a gold plating (or high quality nickel etc), as it will be running through my somewhat humid basement.

I checked out my local RS at lunch. The design they have is definitely "slimmer" than the ones they usually have, so that would be doable. But as I feared, the plating is really oldschool; the plating was already had distinct tarnish spots while still sealed inside the little "blisterpack" type package. The search continues...

Well, speaking as an Engineer,

really?

I checked out my local RS at lunch. The design they have is definitely "slimmer" than the ones they usually have, so that would be doable. But as I feared, the plating is really oldschool; the plating was already had distinct tarnish spots while still sealed inside the little "blisterpack" type package. The search continues...

And how do you think any of that will effect your sound?

When it wiggles loose from corrosion, it certainly will affect the sound. Or when you get a loose connection because of mechanical weakness.

Some options:

1) Buy a custom cable from gigcables (http://www.gigcables.com/) or some other such place (custom order, it's not in their regular catalog). I've used them, they're OK. Overhead might be high for a single adapter, though.

2) An online cable place like MonoPrice (http://www.monoprice.com/) or BlueJeans (http://www.bluejeanscable.com/).

3) An electronics distributor like DigiKey (http://www.digikey.com/)

4) Your local musical instrument store. If you have one, cultivate a relationship! (hopefully it's not a Guitar Center...)

5) Online places like B&H Photo/Video (http://www.bhphoto.com/) or Sweetwater Sounds (http://www.sweetwater.com/).

really?

I don't know what that is supposed to mean, please elaborate.

Anyhow, yes I am an Engineer - for nearly 20 years now. I have had heavy "Design" experience in all types of harsh enviroment and high reliability applications (Military Weapons/Equipment, Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment, and Sensor Probe Assemblies). While I don't claim to know everything, and probably never will, I can assure you I am fairly qaulified to evaluate when a product's "Design" may not live up to a particular application.

When it wiggles loose from corrosion, it certainly will affect the sound. Or when you get a loose connection because of mechanical weakness..

Thanks for the websites "jwatte".

And, yes, you are 100% right on with your explanation of my concerns.

And for anyone who questions our assesment of the the potential problems, here is my logic:
My current indentured servitude, is for a company that manufactures sensor probe assemblies. These probes are electronic devices, which use: connectors, wire/cable, mechanical components, etc). Many of these are used in harsh enviroments and/or require long term reliabilty (5-15 years typically). I am not terribly concerned about how robust the plastic body is, it will be secured and not subject to mechanical stresses; my concern was how much space it would take up and how heavy it would be (but this is a minor issue). My key concern was whether the contacts would corrode. Even though I have a drain/sump system and keep a dehumidifier running all the time, my high water table combined with bizzare New England wheather pattern can create some pretty funky temperature/humidity fluctuations; this combined with other seemingly innocous factors (chemicals emitted from the combustion of the gas boiler and water heater, and stored cans of other various household chemicals) can slowly do some seriously weird things to low grade platings. How do I know this? Because on a daily basis I run tests on the probes I design in various enviromental chambers, and have seen parts fail very quickly from seemingly mild test parameters.

[QUOTE=jwatte]When it wiggles loose from corrosion, it certainly will affect the sound. Or when you get a loose connection because of mechanical weakness.
QUOTE]

All good places to buy from Jwatte, but why would the cable just sitting there Wiggle loose? The ratshack cables will perform as well as others.

Thanks for the websites "jwatte".

And, yes, you are 100% right on with your explanation of my concerns.

And for anyone who questions our assesment of the the potential problems, here is my logic:
My current indentured servitude, is for a company that manufactures sensor probe assemblies. These probes are electronic devices, which use: connectors, wire/cable, mechanical components, etc). Many of these are used in harsh enviroments and/or require long term reliabilty (5-15 years typically). I am not terribly concerned about how robust the plastic body is, it will be secured and not subject to mechanical stresses; my concern was how much space it would take up and how heavy it would be (but this is a minor issue). My key concern was whether the contacts would corrode. Even though I have a drain/sump system and keep a dehumidifier running all the time, my high water table combined with bizzare New England wheather pattern can create some pretty funky temperature/humidity fluctuations; this combined with other seemingly innocous factors (chemicals emitted from the combustion of the gas boiler and water heater, and stored cans of other various household chemicals) can slowly do some seriously weird things to low grade platings. How do I know this? Because on a daily basis I run tests on the probes I design in various enviromental chambers, and have seen parts fail very quickly from seemingly mild test parameters.

Well I work in a much more harsh place as far as gear goes. I am at a water show, We have high humidity, caustic chems etc.. We use beldin, neutrik, whirlwind,switchcraft and even cheap azz out of the box rca. They do if left in the open over the course of years get some funk on the connector but will still function and clean themselves off after being plugeed in and out a few times.So worry not your heart so much.

Well I work in a much more harsh place as far as gear goes. I am at a water show, We have high humidity, caustic chems etc.. We use beldin, neutrik, whirlwind,switchcraft and even cheap azz out of the box rca. They do if left in the open over the course of years get some funk on the connector but will still function and clean themselves off after being plugeed in and out a few times.So worry not your heart so much.
And I basically agree with you, in 99% of applications, even the most basic stuff from place like Wal-Mart will hold up. After all, if they were not engineered to withstand consumer neglect/abuse and mildly adverse enviromental conditions; then the manufacturers would spend all thier time/money on customer returns and damage claims.

I guess my concern was seeing the tarnish on the RS units. It may simply be discoloration of the plating, perhaps unrelated to any actual oxidation/corrosion. All that being said, if I cant find economical some gold plated ones, I will probably just use the RS ones; since they seem to be identical to some that I found on other websites, which say that the contacts are nickel-over-brass construction.

And I basically agree with you, in 99% of applications, even the most basic stuff from place like Wal-Mart will hold up. After all, if they were not engineered to withstand consumer neglect/abuse and mildly adverse enviromental conditions; then the manufacturers would spend all thier time/money on customer returns and damage claims.

I guess my concern was seeing the tarnish on the RS units. It may simply be discoloration of the plating, perhaps unrelated to any actual oxidation/corrosion. All that being said, if I cant find economical some gold plated ones, I will probably just use the RS ones; since they seem to be identical to some that I found on other websites, which say that the contacts are nickel-over-brass construction.


What's wrong with nickel plated? I would rather use those than gold.

What's wrong with nickel plated? I would rather use those than gold.

I think we might be miscommunicating here. Nothing is wrong with decent nickel plating. I use nickel all of the time in the electrical components I design at work. But the nickel plating I am used to seeing is looks almost like a perfectly polished chrome. I thought the RS units might be some sort of cheap Tin plating, since they looked very dull and tarnished (weird gray spots). But after seeing identical units sold online (under different brand names, described as nickel-over-brass, I am guessing the RS ones are lower quality nickel but with some cosmetic blemishes. So, all things considered, I will likely use the RS ones after all. (after all, 2 x $5 isn't much of an investment risk! :cool: ).

Take care,
Will

I doubt anyone is using tin plating on connectors. The finish on nickel plating depends a lot on the process. You can get Bright Nickel, semi bright nickel, satin nickel etc. There are also a lot of different baths that nickel is plated in from sulfate solutions to chloride solutions. Some allow more rapid plating and others thicker plating with minimal pitting. Typically electrical connectors get some sort of bright nickel. To get bright nickel, organic compounds are added to the bath. Cheap connectors are most likely to have thinner nickel plating to reduce their cost. That may be what you are seeing in the RS connectors. Gold cannot typically be plated or flashed directly onto a steel or brass connector. It needs a barrier plate and nickel is the standard barrier plate. If you see corrosion on a nickel plated connector, it is not likely the nickel that is corroding but the steel underneath due to thin worn through plating.

As mentioned above, Markertek, Digi-key and Mouser all have large online operations with most any connector you could want. Radio Shack is never my first choice for components but here in the Bay Area, we have lots of electronic stores and a number of surplus electronics stores to buy parts from. There is even a monthly Electronic Flea market for those so inclined.
http://www.electronicsfleamarket.com/

..Doyle