Why are audio jacks... | xltronic messageboard
 
You are not logged in!

F.A.Q
Log in

Register
  
 
  
 
Now online (2)
big
datautel
...and 365 guests

Last 5 registered
Oplandisks
nothingstar
N_loop
yipe
foxtrotromeo

Browse members...
  
 
Members 8025
Messages 2614089
Today 2
Topics 127542
  
 
Messageboard index
Why are audio jacks...
 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2007-01-18 04:21 [#02033918]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag



...so crap.

Seriously, I take good care of my gear and a lot of it is
fairly expensive/high quality stuff, but I get stuff only
coming out in one channel unless I wiggle the jack about all
the time. It's a little thing, but it's so frustrating. It
happens more on mini jacks, but also on 1/4" ones too.

Is it only me this happens to, or are audio jacks just
incredibly poorly designed?


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2007-01-18 04:25 [#02033921]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



they suck. I have one that comes apart in the connector and
then I have to pull out the part that's stuck with a toenail
clipper.


 

offline unabomber from Palma de Mallorca (Spain) on 2007-01-18 04:26 [#02033922]
Points: 3756 Status: Regular



Well, neutrik ones work quite well for me.

And it's also possible thet what's broken is the output of
the gear... dunno.


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2007-01-18 04:28 [#02033924]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #02033918 | Show recordbag



oh, and here's an answer to a question you asked.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2007-01-18 04:38 [#02033925]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #02033924 | Show recordbag



Ta for that, that explains it nicely.

Also, "I will apparently be receiving an oral presentation
of the subject the next time we get drunk so I may be able
to give you some random broken sentences about it if that
article doesn't make sense." is pure quality!

One question you could ask him that I'd appreciate is, is
that sort of thing degree-level maths, or last years of high
school? I only ask because I will probably do a maths
A-level (16-18 year old's qualification) in it next year and
wanted to get an idea of the difficulty.


 

offline Dannn_ from United Kingdom on 2007-01-18 04:59 [#02033930]
Points: 7877 Status: Lurker



the mini jack output of walkmans has always been the first
thing to go screwy for me, I think its so easy to wiggle the
jack within the port that its bound to get damaged in your
pocket. Havent had problems otherwise though.


 

offline aphextriplet from your mothers bedroom (United Kingdom) on 2007-01-18 05:09 [#02033931]
Points: 4731 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #02033918



spend more money on them.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2007-01-18 05:17 [#02033936]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to aphextriplet: #02033931 | Show recordbag



What, on the jacks? Even the jack on my £125 sennheiser
headphones (which is only ever plugged into mixers/pc
soundcards- not carried around on walkmen) has the problem,
so I don't think that's the answer.


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2007-01-18 05:22 [#02033938]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #02033925 | Show recordbag



it's probably degree level because even though it may in
certain cases be pretty simple to actually do it seems to me
to be more of a metamathematical thing, and that's the sort
of stuff you don't bother with until university.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2007-01-18 05:26 [#02033940]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #02033936



I don't think its a matter of quality so much as what
condition you are keeping them, and how violently you pull
out. If you pull out or push it in too sharply, the might be
more likely to dislike it, and cause you trouble later on. I
find a swift backhand is all you need to pull them back in
line. Funny thing, is after they get used to expecting it
they stop complaining entirely.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2007-01-18 05:28 [#02033941]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker



What I mean is, it will happen in time regardless of what
you pay for the equipment, however the higher you pay for
your equipment is usually a good indication of how quality
it is. Just be carefull with the high end stuff. Its not
meant to be indistructable if you are too jarring with it.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2007-01-18 07:39 [#02033974]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Taxidermist: #02033941 | Show recordbag



It just seems a very poor design. I mean, I must of plugged
and unplugged my ps1 dual shock pads literally thousands of
times over the years, but have had no such problem with
them.

I'm always very gentle with my audio gear and don't bang it
about.


 

offline ebolawasher from Dublin (Ireland) on 2007-01-18 07:44 [#02033977]
Points: 229 Status: Lurker



Even expensive cables can lose it after a while.
It's an awful expense when you buy good ones.


 

offline uviol from United States on 2007-01-18 09:11 [#02034001]
Points: 2496 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #02033974



That's an excellent point. I've got 15+ year old Nintendo
control pads that still work flawlessly, yet I buy a pair of
headphones and a year later the audio jack wiggling begins.
Something's off.. it's not just you.


 

offline sadist from the dark side of the moon on 2007-01-18 09:15 [#02034002]
Points: 8670 Status: Lurker



if you have a lot of gear and you change the setup a lot you
could consider buying a ultrapatch



 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2007-01-18 09:18 [#02034003]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to sadist: #02034002 | Show recordbag



Wow, I know it's behringer, but £22 sounds really good
value for money. Might have to look into that. Thanks
Sadist.


 

offline OK on 2007-01-18 09:18 [#02034004]
Points: 4791 Status: Lurker



there's that spray thing that improves conections


 

offline sadist from the dark side of the moon on 2007-01-18 09:19 [#02034006]
Points: 8670 Status: Lurker



i actially like jacks more than chinch - this connection
type creeps the hell out of me.

the problem with jacks is that they aren't locked so they
cannot turn - i understand this in walkmens but in
proffesional audio gear it's a fuckin mistake. most of the
jacks fuck up because of the turning around.


 

offline sadist from the dark side of the moon on 2007-01-18 09:21 [#02034009]
Points: 8670 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #02034003



i know it's behringer but i read a few reviews in
professional magasines about it and they liked it.

i mean there is really nothing you coul do wrong in a
patchbay - it's just inputs soldered together.

okay - you could audio quality on poor cables inside it but
the connections are so short i doubt it would be ever
noticeable.


 

offline Brisk from selling smack at the orphanage on 2007-01-18 09:23 [#02034014]
Points: 4667 Status: Lurker



I hate audio jacks too. Pretty much all my headphones have
had the familiar "stutter, drop to mono then die" syndrome
despite being gold plated and of supposedly high quality.

I've had my sennheiser 650's for about 2-3 years now though,
and they still work perfectly. And my shure e4cs are still
kicking it too. So maybe my bad luck is finally over.


 

offline dave_g from United Kingdom on 2007-01-18 10:40 [#02034050]
Points: 3372 Status: Lurker



Audio jacks are awful. The design is so bad. Why does the
signal connect before the ground?!?!? BAD BAD BAD. They
should have an optional screw cap over them which locks it
in place when it is screwed up.

The most frequent failure mode is breakages where the cable
connects to the plug assembly. I always buy ones with
excessive strain relief and I never seem to have any
problems.


 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2007-01-18 10:58 [#02034056]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker



Definitely. I (and many other sound techie people I know)
don't understand why someone hasn't made the mini XLR yet...


 

offline OK on 2007-01-18 11:02 [#02034060]
Points: 4791 Status: Lurker



the reason is that if they lasted, people wouldn't buy as
much.

it's capitalism baby!!


 

offline dave_g from United Kingdom on 2007-01-18 11:56 [#02034076]
Points: 3372 Status: Lurker | Followup to futureimage: #02034056



XLR are not that good either. mini anything is generally
rubbish. Should design a brand new small connector, not try
and miniturise an existing format, 3.55mm jack plug for
example. arghhh

I don't see why you would need mini XLR though. Just use
jack plugs. The thing is, they work. The design is poor and
they can break if abused, but that is true for all cables.
Mini jacks are clearly the spawn of satan, but 1/4" ones are
alright, despite the ground being the last thing to connect!


Like I said earlier, decent strain relief and well looked
after 1/4"s will work fine for a studio context. Headphones
are a different matter though.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2007-01-18 13:55 [#02034132]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ceri JC: #02034003



You can get much higher quality patchbays for only a few
dollars more. The ultrapatch has major issues with channels
bleeding into eachother.

I think it has something to do with the nature of the
electronics inside. There is a moving part in most phone
jacks that is an active part in the audio channel. That
might have something to do with it.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2007-01-18 13:57 [#02034133]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to sadist: #02034009



Not totally. There are different wiring selections that
allow you different options in how the audio is distributed.


 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2007-01-19 10:47 [#02034509]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker | Followup to dave_g: #02034076



The clip of XLRs stop them falling around.


 


Messageboard index