Dialectric grease any thoughts


Hello everyone, I recently purchased new interconnects(1 meter pair XLR balanced) and the company who makes them recomends "the use of contact enhancement fluid or dialectric grease on all electrical contact serfaces, including audio signal connectors and a-c power plugs and sockets." I am skeptical to use dialectric grease on the XLR plugs and outlets, if I don't like it- it may prove to be difficult to remove if not impossible. I've heard of others who have had good results with it on Power cords, but was told not to do it to the signal cables, and now this company is telling me to use it- so confusing! shed some light on my situation. ~Tim
tireguy
Tim I'd be very hesitant to use any oily substances on contacting surfaces. Even Caig pro-gold contains an oil which is supposed to prevent contact oxidation, but what sonic signature might this impart?
Under the hood of a car you'll find electrical contacts are wiped with silicon such as SilGlyde, and in that environment it makes sense to do that, but not with audio connections IMO.
Any oil or lubricant will attract & hold dust into the connection, causing importation of dirt into your connectors & even somewhat into the equipment itself. Solvents or lubricants might even cause material degradation, which is why Accuphase advises against using any cleaning solvents within their products & instead provides equipment with dust caps on all connectors. I still clean my cables & even the exterior surfaces of equipment contacts with an oil free solvent such as Kontact or Ultraconnect, but I never use anything containing oils or lubricants.
Hi Tim! I'd like to add my .02 to Bob's remarks. For the
past 12+ years I've owned a video editing and media duplication company in Portland, OR. The equipment in my
studio requires hundreds of electrical, audio, video, and
data connections; and I would NEVER use any sort of oily
substance on any of my connections. The best connections
are the ones that provide the best metal-to-metal contact;
and I fail to understand how using any sort of oil-based
substance is going to "improve" anything.
Sounds like these folks are selling audio "snake oil" if
you ask me. And as Bob has already mentioned; if you use
this stuff you will have lots of work (not to mention possible connection problems) getting the oil off.
There is a product called oxgard which is used for pigtailing aluminum wire in homes. Essentially, all it does is to keep the different metals being copper and aluminum from reacting to one another. The different metals would cause the other to oxidize thus increasing resistance and in some cases cause house fires. However, in modern homes using all copper wire this isn't an issue. Furthermore, connectors in hi end audio equipment use either gold or nickle plated connectors although they a susceptible to air born cotaminents they are not susceptible to oxidation.
I really wonder why this company suggests using cable spunk on cables?? seems unusual.