Dumb question #643: should speaker cables last a lifetime?

corrosion will take place on exposed areas - like the connections to the amp and speakers

gold plate is useful on connectors for interconnects, and on equipment, and I always use a Caig product (it is an electrically conductive polymer solution) - Ciag also makes a good corrosion cleaner in a spray can

you always want to break & make the connections periodically - maybe every year(??)

Tweakers will mess with their gear so often corrosion cannot form

I replace my Maggie speakers with a new model every 20 years... that helps with the connections

Thanks for info. I unhook speaker side of cables probably once a year (cleaning floor etc) but have never really unhooked amp side ( bare wire connection). I will unhook that as well and ruffle wife ends next time).

I'm looking at a new pair of Zu Event cables this year and would like them to be the last ones I purchase ($1000 or so- which is expensive to me for cables).

 

Like your car needs a regular oil change - speakers cables pick up all kinds of crap and gunk as well as carbon build up from the power amplifier - best to change cables every six months.