Audioquest "Water" - discolored?

[KongeLaser]

Hey everyone,

I recently got hold of a pair of Audioquest Water RCA cables with DBS, and I’ve noticed what appears to be oxidation or discoloration on the connectors. I’m unsure whether this is actual oxidation or just a natural aging effect of the materials.

To the best of my knowledge:

• The cables have been kept in a stable environment, with no extreme humidity or exposure to harsh conditions.
• Sound quality remains unaffected, but I’m curious whether this could lead to degradation over time.

Has anyone else experienced this with these, or other, Audioquest cables? Could this be damage, or is it simply a cosmetic change over time?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

- KL

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Worth watching the Audioholics video on Youtube about the Audioquest Thunderbird Zero speaker cable which also has DBS.

By the way - the connectors appear to be silver or silver plated. Silver tarnishes naturally. Silver Oxide does conduct electricity, though.

 

[KongeLaser]

Thank you for replying. Based on your knowledge, does the cables seem to be damaged/worn or is this a natural occurrence? I've never owned silver plated cables before, so it's all new to me.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Thank you for replying. Based on your knowledge, does the cables seem to be damaged/worn or is this a natural occurrence? I've never owned silver plated cables before, so it's all new to me.

Well be can only see the connectors. Why would you think they are damaged?

 

[KongeLaser]

Just the fact that I've never owned silver plated interconnects before, so this "discoloring" seemed a bit off to my eyes.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Silver oxidises like I said. You can google it and read up on it.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Silver is prone to oxidize just like iron.
Your problem is not the oxide but the DBS. DBS make the cable very sensitive to external influences like EMI/RFI: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../audioquest-wind-high-end-cable-review.17065/
Better stay away from audiophile cables.....

 

[Gray]

Nothing but gold plugs for me.
(Even if silver is the better conductor).

 

[davidf]

Easy to clean. Nothing to see here people, movie along...

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Silver is prone to oxidize just like iron.
Your problem is not the oxide but the DBS. DBS make the cable very sensitive to external influences like EMI/RFI: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../audioquest-wind-high-end-cable-review.17065/
Better stay away from audiophile cables.....

You're a braver man than me posting a link like that here 😉

 

[davidf]

You're a braver man than me posting a link like that here 😉

Those that are prone to outside influences, rather than actually listening to the cable...

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Those that are prone to outside influences, rather than actually listening to the cable...

People listen to cables? I'll take the outside influence of a Smashing Pumpkins album please, bob.

 

[KongeLaser]

Thanks for all the answers! I reached out to AQ after reading through your posts. AQ has addressed this issue before with some of their high end cables. It's apparently harmless and can be removed with care. Thanks!

 

[davidf]

People listen to cables?

You know what I mean.

 

[Friesiansam]

It has never struck me as sensible to plate plug and socket contacts with silver, precisely because, as stated above, it does oxidize. Rhodium is much better because it is very corrosion resistant and, gold is best because it is chemically inert. If a cable needs to be disconnected and reconnected often, rhodium has the additional advantage of being much harder, so more wear resistant.

 

[Jasonovich]

Hey everyone,

I recently got hold of a pair of Audioquest Water RCA cables with DBS, and I’ve noticed what appears to be oxidation or discoloration on the connectors. I’m unsure whether this is actual oxidation or just a natural aging effect of the materials.

To the best of my knowledge:

• The cables have been kept in a stable environment, with no extreme humidity or exposure to harsh conditions.
• Sound quality remains unaffected, but I’m curious whether this could lead to degradation over time.

Has anyone else experienced this with these, or other, Audioquest cables? Could this be damage, or is it simply a cosmetic change over time?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

- KL

Probably my eyes, the brown hue around the edges appears to be the result of intense heating from soldering. @Gray would know! 🙂

 

[Friesiansam]

Probably my eyes, the brown hue around the edges appears to be the result from intense heating from soldering. @Gray would know! 🙂

Didn’t see anything like that, when I was in electronics manufacturing.

 

[Winter]

Didn’t see anything like that, when I was in electronics manufacturing.

Looks like normal use to me !

 

[Jasonovich]

Didn’t see anything like that, when I was in electronics manufacturing.

Really weird that.
It's kind of reminds me of heat related colouration you see typically on a laundry iron.

 

[Al ears]

Sounds like a time for a squirt of this :-
www.amazon.co.uk/DeoxIT-D5S-6-Contact-Cleaner-Integrated/dp/B0002BBV4G/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1173179805309745&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kdoBuDcY5mSw2OmSBvb9SB8QaRFp8rcub9lTlAUcO40.YbiH7g6IVn2PZq5WnM7fkfBjnzcqJogBO3-OHzFAY24&dib_tag=se&hvadid=73323937219629&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=69290&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-73323875860980%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=25723_1971998&keywords=deoxit+gold+g5&mcid=932136aec73030ee88fc6549a515cf11&msclkid=2b91b08336a915b2895bd8a3d240fef3&qid=1746986251

 

[davidf]

Probably my eyes, the brown hue around the edges appears to be the result from intense heating from soldering. @Gray would know! 🙂

Which isn't there when you buy them new...

 

[Gray]

Probably my eyes, the brown hue around the edges appears to be the result from intense heating from soldering. @Gray would know! 🙂

The soldering heat should have been well away from those parts.
Looks like part of the general contamination.
True, silver polish would have the pins sparkling again - though not quite so easy to clean up the screening points.

No doubt a fair bit of the original cost was for the plugs, but I'd be tempted to fit new, decent gold ones.

 

[Jasonovich]

Sounds like a time for a squirt of this :-
Fwww.amazon.co.uk/DeoxIT-D5S-6-Contact-Cleaner-Integrated/dp/B0002BBV4G/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1173179805309745&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kdoBuDcY5mSw2OmSBvb9SB8QaRFp8rcub9lTlAUcO40.YbiH7g6IVn2PZq5WnM7fkfBjnzcqJogBO3-OHzFAY24&dib_tag=se&hvadid=73323937219629&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=69290&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-73323875860980%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=25723_1971998&keywords=deoxit+gold+g5&mcid=932136aec73030ee88fc6549a515cf11&msclkid=2b91b08336a915b2895bd8a3d240fef3&qid=1746986251

Remove the F in front of www.
🙂👍

 

[Al ears]

Remove the F in front of www.
🙂👍

done, thanks.

 

[daytona600]