Abstract: An electrical coupling configured to prevent voltage surges during coupling and uncoupling. A plurality of ground terminals and a plurality of signal terminals are arrayed to open onto an exterior mating surface of an electrical coupling such as a D-sub type electrical connector, with the distal ends of the ground terminals protruding outwardly farther from their corresponding pinholes towards the exterior mating surface than the distal ends of the signal terminals. These configurations prevent the input and output controlling circuit stages from being disabled by the occurrence of noise superimposed upon the power lines or momentary surges of voltage generated while the system is temporarily ungrounded during coupling, with an assurrance that during coupling, the ground terminals establish electrically conducting paths before the signal terminals. These configurations are suitable for printer cables, repeater cables and connector cables of other devices.