The strange thing, to me, is that the tonality is more accurate (fuller), even though the ends are apparently rhodium. A metal that has always sounded thin and harsh to me.
Rhodium does not sound thin or harsh... it is simply more accurate.
Thin and harsh might not have been the most accurate terms. I was quickly trying to translate the problem, especially with the highs, that I've always heard from rhodium plated RCAs, spades and plugs (on some high end cables where I've also heard copper and/or gold plated connectors). It has always sounded forward, with a "glaze" - like a heavily poly coated gym floor or wood bar - to it. Never tonally accurate compared to pure copper, or even gold, IMO.
rpf is spot on! Rhodium is a
HORRENDOUS electrical conductor and typically sounds that way, characterized as "harsh & analytical". Most audiophiles with a high resolving system can easily discern these rhodium anomalies...
Rhodium's conductivity is ~ half that of Gold, and keep in mind that Gold is a lesser conductor than pure copper by 40%!!!
It's super expensive since it's in the platinum family of metals and is very useful in super high temperature & harsh industrial environments and best used there, but not in audio. Sounds like some audio marketing gurus are capitalizing on rhodium's "bling" & "jewelry" effect!
With that said, in my Rhodium bashing, there are two companies that get Rhodium plating done right IMHO, one is Cardas (but not Furutech)... My hypothesis is that Cardas' use of pure copper with silver plating and then rhodium plating synergizes exceptionally well for audio applications.
If you want to talk about accurate conducting materials, one should speak about silver (without platings), the "best" practical electrical conductor there is... however, pure copper is very close in conductivity & a lot more cost efficient in most audio applications. How many recording studios use silver in their cabling??? Aren't we trying to reproduce the same event?
My rant & $0.02,
Pete
