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Some points to consider.

Posted by Al Sekela (A) on August 11, 2007 at 15:28:47

In Reply to: RE: Oy.... posted by alan m. kafton on August 10, 2007 at 19:21:29:

AFAIK, Oyaide does not use cryo treatment for the outlets as part of the manufacturing process. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

Oyaide appears to be the most dedicated of the specialty audio outlet manufacturers. Simply look at a Furutech outlet next to an Oyaide outlet and compare the details in finish. It seems reasonable that Oyaide would use cryo treatment if they thought it gave even a slight benefit to the performance, and that they would have experimented with it in developing the outlets.

One main feature of specialty audio outlets is higher spring strength in the contacts, to reduce susceptibility to contact resistance modulation from acoustic vibration. This strength derives from the alloy used to make the contacts, and the work hardening that takes place in the alloy when the contacts are formed from sheet stock.

Cryo treatment is a method of annealing stress from metal parts: it is used by race car engine builders in place of high temperature treatment. They want the piston bores to remain round and not be distorted by cast-in stresses in the blocks. Old school bus engines were favored as starting points for race engine builders before cryo treatment, because of the many hours of slow, steady work that slowly annealed out the block stresses.

If cryo treatment reduces contact metal internal stresses from work hardening, it may relax the spring strength and make the outlet more susceptible to external vibration. This would counter any benefits from improved electrical conduction.

Finally, keep in mind that the copper wire attached to the outlet will have suffered from work hardening, especially in cases where the audio outlet replaces some other type. One could obtain a Dewar flask of liquid nitrogen and treat the wire ends, but I don't think any audiophile is THAT dedicated.

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