An electrical connector comprising: a bottom housing ; a plurality of circuit wafers disposed within the bottom housing , each circuit wafer including one or more high-frequency traces for communicating high-frequency signals, wherein the plurality of circuit wafers includes a first group of circuit wafers and a second group of circuit wafers , wherein an arrangement of the one or more high-frequency traces on the first group of circuit wafers is different from an arrangement of the one or more high frequency traces on the second group of circuit wafers ; and a shroud forming a top of the electrical connector that is configured to engage the bottom housing to secure the plurality of circuit wafers between the bottom housing and the shroud , the shroud comprising: (i) a top wall ; (ii) a bottom wall ; and (iii) a plurality of vertical members extending between the top and bottom walls that define a plurality of slots for receiving the plurality of circuit wafers , each vertical member including a first side that faces a second side of an adjacent vertical member, wherein the first side defines top and bottom surface regions, characterized in that the first side also defines a single middle surface region , the top , middle , and bottom surface regions being spaced apart from the second side of the adjacent vertical member by a first distance (D1), and first and second recessed surface regions between the top , middle , and bottom surface regions that are spaced apart from the second side of the adjacent vertical member by a second distance (D2) that is greater than the first distance (D1), wherein the first and second recessed surface regions of the vertical members are arranged in a same relative position for each vertical member and arranged so as to prevent direct contact between the vertical members and the one or more high-frequency traces disposed on both the first and second group of circuit wafers . a bottom housing ; a plurality of circuit wafers disposed within the bottom housing , each circuit wafer including one or more high-frequency traces for communicating high-frequency signals, wherein the plurality of circuit wafers includes a first group of circuit wafers and a second group of circuit wafers , wherein an arrangement of the one or more high-frequency traces on the first group of circuit wafers is different from an arrangement of the one or more high frequency traces on the second group of circuit wafers ; and a shroud forming a top of the electrical connector that is configured to engage the bottom housing to secure the plurality of circuit wafers between the bottom housing and the shroud , the shroud comprising: (i) a top wall ; (ii) a bottom wall ; and (iii) a plurality of vertical members extending between the top and bottom walls that define a plurality of slots for receiving the plurality of circuit wafers , each vertical member including a first side that faces a second side of an adjacent vertical member, wherein the first side defines top and bottom surface regions, characterized in that the first side also defines a single middle surface region , the top , middle , and bottom surface regions being spaced apart from the second side of the adjacent vertical member by a first distance (D1), and first and second recessed surface regions between the top , middle , and bottom surface regions that are spaced apart from the second side of the adjacent vertical member by a second distance (D2) that is greater than the first distance (D1), wherein the first and second recessed surface regions of the vertical members are arranged in a same relative position for each vertical member and arranged so as to prevent direct contact between the vertical members and the one or more high-frequency traces disposed on both the first and second group of circuit wafers . <EOS>