Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?

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Anaconda

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Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?
« on: 14 Mar 2009, 05:06 am »
Cardas seems to have very nice quality RCA plugs.  However, I notice there seems to be a very serious design flaw that nobody has mentioned.  There's no screw to secure the wire.  How do you secure the wire from moving in and out of the RCA plug body?  If you push the wire in, it'll ramp the signal pin inside and maybe will disconnect the solder joint of your ground wire.  Vice versa, if you pull the wire out, you might break both internal solder joints. Heatshrink tube is the only solution I could think of to secure the wire.  Even that, I think heatshrink tube is not strong enough to hold the wire and it can still move since heatshink tube is rubber material.  What if you don't want to use heatshrink tubes? Then the RCA plug will be free to move in/out and around and can disconnect from the wire anytime! Anybody had Cardas RCA plugs? Could you please advice? Thanks.

JohnR

Re: Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?
« Reply #1 on: 14 Mar 2009, 09:24 am »
Hm... I have some that I bought from Kevin that have been in use for several years (7? 8?). I guess I don't recall there being anything clamping the insulation specifically, but I did use heatshrink around the cable and plug. I think it's generally understood that you remove the plug by pulling on the plug, not the cable. So far mine seem as bulletproof as ever.

Anaconda

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Re: Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?
« Reply #2 on: 14 Mar 2009, 01:53 pm »
I bought some Cardas plugs and they have 9mm opening, I believe, and my cable is 8mm.  Let's see how it'll turn out.  This worries me  a bit, especially, with their gorilla grip of the RCA socket. If they would just make the screw like all others, these plugs would be perfect.

JohnR

Re: Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?
« Reply #3 on: 14 Mar 2009, 02:06 pm »
Gorilla grip is about right ;) I would worry that screws would short circuit.

markC

Re: Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?
« Reply #4 on: 14 Mar 2009, 02:45 pm »
I've been using Cardas SLVR rca's for years with fine silver wire. Never had a problem. They've been plugged & unplugged many, many times. Heed John's advice and remove/insert using the rca body and not the wire. I cant see you having a problem.

TomS

Re: Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?
« Reply #5 on: 14 Mar 2009, 02:58 pm »
I bought some Cardas plugs and they have 9mm opening, I believe, and my cable is 8mm.  Let's see how it'll turn out.  This worries me  a bit, especially, with their gorilla grip of the RCA socket. If they would just make the screw like all others, these plugs would be perfect.

You might just wrap a layer of shrink wrap around the jacket to expand the 8mm to 9mm if it bothers you.  Like the others, never had a problem with these when used properly.  Tough as nails.

Kevin Haskins

Re: Cardas RCA Plugs Design Flaw?
« Reply #6 on: 14 Mar 2009, 05:00 pm »
If they have a design flaw, then 99% of the RCAs on the market have one too.    Those set-screws on the body of the RCA are next to useless.    They are too small to provide any real strain relief. 

I typically use hot-glue inside the body of the RCA when I'm assembling cables for myself.   I don't do assembly for the finished cables that I sell, Cardas does all my terminations.    In the eight years I've been selling them, I've not seen any issue with the terminations of consequence.    When I've had a problem, Cardas has corrected it free of charge.

So... I think your making a mountain out of a mole hill.   If it concerns you, use the hot glue.   You can pick up some sticks & the glue gun for under $10 at Walmart.