Getting The Best Performance From RCA Connectors

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Connections Tips by Noel Lee

These articles are an excellent read for Home AV enthusiasts who want to take their system to the next level. Written by the Head Monster - Noel Lee.
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Getting The Best Performance From RCA Connectors

Even though the RCA connector has been with us for decades, it's still going strong. It's by far the most common connector found on consumer audio and video gear. You've seen it before. It's basically a metal-cylinder shield surrounding a metal pin and, other than your speakers, it's used to connect virtually every component in your system. But the demands on the RCA plug have risen dramatically over the years. Fifty years ago, RCA connectors had to carry only low-quality audio signals like AM radio. Now, RCA connectors have to carry the high-quality audio from CD and DVD players, satellite receivers and video game consoles, plus the high-bandwidth video signals from VCRs, DVD players and satellite dishes.

At Monster Cable, we've analyzed the increasing demands placed on an RCA connector, and have come up with several innovations that allow our connectors to deliver the highest performance and durability in the business.

One key element of RCA performance is the material used in the connector itself. Typical RCA connectors are made of nickel-plated steel. Monster uses a much more conductive material: 24k gold over high-conductivity brass.

The thin metal sleeve found on most RCA connectors can't form a tight connection, so the plug may not conduct electricity well, often coming loose. Monster's patented Turbine Design® connectors solve this problem completely. Each Turbine Design connector has an extra thick, rugged sleeve with angled cuts that grip the jack tightly for a solid, high-performance connection and the best signal transfer. A split-center-pin design also improves the grip for the tightest possible fit. Monster's special connector design acts like a spring, providing greater tensile strength and an extremely high level of contact pressure. The grip's so strong that after a recent earthquake, one Monster Cable user in California found his system components hanging from the equipment rack.

Inexpensive RCA connectors use no strain relief inside the cable. They rely on the solder joint itself for the cable-to-connector strain relief. Over a period of time, as the cables are handled, the joint can work loose causing intermittent contact or buzzing. Even some expensive RCA connectors will often use a clamped-metal strain relief that is squeezed onto the cable. This also can cause problems over time. The clamp causes noticeable problems, especially with video cable. When the clamp smashes down on the cable, it changes the cable's impedance and diminishes its high-frequency response. This cuts down on the detail in your TV picture, Monster's concentric strain relief, a plastic collar inside the RCA connector with tiny teeth that grab the cable's outer insulator, eliminates these effects and keeps Monster cables working even after years of rough use. We also maintain consistent impedance by using true 75-ohm connectors on our better video cables.

Monster RCA connectors provide a snug contact for the best connection. They are attractively designed with a distinctive, secure finger grip to make them easier to insert or remove. We taper each barrel toward the pin to give you plenty of leverage and we also surround each barrel with four rubber O-rings to keep your hand from slipping.

Advances like these help Monster Cable RCA connectors achieve top performance, even in applications the RCA plug's inventors never could have imagined. And no matter what new technologies you add to your system, like direct broadcast satellite, DVD, or even HDTV, our high-tech RCA connectors will still provide the best possible performance.