29th August 2002

Question: Is there a difference between gold and "regular" connectors on my sound card and will I ruin the computer if I plug the wrong metal jack into it?

Answer: There is a difference between gold and "regular" connectors, but you don't have to worry about damaging the motherboard by plugging in one or the other. The gold connectors are the best connectors you can get, because they don't oxidize as fast as "regular" connectors and they conduct electricity better, making a faster and cleaner signal to the motherboard. You're probably wondering why oxidation matters, so lets think of this non-technically for a minute. Imagine you are trying to talk to a friend on the phone, but you have placed a sheet over the receiver. Although your friend can hear you and probably make out what you are saying, it will sound muffled and your friend may have to strain to hear it. That is kind of what it is like for your computer to communicate to a card with oxidation on the connectors. Don't worry if you have "regular" connectors on your internal cards; make sure you take your computer in for regular maintenance or buy products online to de-oxidize the connectors yourself.