[brschmid]

I need some new 1/8"(3.5mm if you prefer

) jacks. I bought some from digikey that are ok, but not that great. the input one is getting loose. The cable doesn't make a good and is slightly loose and when it moves it makes an annoying Crackling sound that cuts up the music.

I attached a pic of how much space i have to work with, the red boxed area

 

[tangent]

I like the Switchcraft ones with the clear tops. DigiKey doesn't carry them, but Mouser and others do. Also, Radio Shack carries them...they're the most expensive 1/8" jacks they carry. They have springs backing up all of the contacts, which helps maintain good contact.

 

[brschmid]

i used the switchcraft ones on my CMOY, they started to get touchy too. much worse than the 35xx series i used.

 

[tangent]

If that's not good enough, you need to switch to 1/4" jacks. Those clear-top Switchcrafts are as good as it gets in my experience. There's only so much you can do with mechanical parts in a limited amount of space.

 

[brschmid]

thanks anyways, it was worth a try.

The only reason i have a problem is when i walk, i just throw the mp3 player/amp in my pocket and away i go. even though the amp is attached to the mp3 it still moves a little.

maybe i should just secure it better. i don't thing i could fit a 1/4" jack in there

 

[hottyson]

Quote:

Originally posted by brschmid i don't thing i could fit a 1/4" jack in there

You may be forced to hardwire a cable terminated with a mini on the other end for your mp3 player. If you do this, make certain that you create strain relief!!! Tying a knot in the cable might work.

 

[brschmid]

that is not a bad idea, i have some Mini star quad i will probably never use, maybe this weekend i will work on this, or when i get my new Mp3 player.

thanks

 

[rando]

You can get the Canare jack at Full Compass

http://www.fullcompass.com/

 

[brschmid]

have a link to them??

 

[Tomo]

Hi,

Why not use the cheaper variant that Radio Shack has? There is one that comes in two. Chu used those on his amps. They look crappy, but it lasts very long (longer than the jack with clear top) due to its absurd similicity. In fact, if you look at some more expensive types closely, you will find moving components looks surprisingly frail.

Very unfortunate that 3.5mm jacks aren't considered Hi-Fi at all.

Tomo

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tomo Very unfortunate that 3.5mm jacks aren't considered Hi-Fi at all.

Eh? Hi-fi vs. low-fi jacks? Somehow I think the jack size won't affect overall fidelity too much...

But I dislike 1/8" minijacks myself, I've had a ton of them go bad over the years. Everytime I mention this on Head-Fi a bunch of people come to their defense... strange stuff. The great defenders of the 1/8" minijack

.

 

[brschmid]

i will check them out.

but most likely i will just hardwire the input wire to the amp.

 

[aos]

I don't know... I use PCB mount 3.5mm jacks in SMD and through-hole variants and haven't had much problems with them (perhaps only under extreme abuse, like several solder/desolder cycles). I've never used case-mount ones though.

I have however had problems with DC jacks. Even the sturdy looking all-metal ones from Radio Shack (and Mouser) tend to get loose inside. So just because something looks like it's made out of solid metal doesn't mean it won't break.

 

[Tomo]

Hi,

I haa DC jack problem too. But I upgraded (?) to something more primitive and it's fine now. Then again, nothing really last forever. ...

Don't you remember what that girl in the movie, Conan the Barbarian, said?

"Well ... do you want to live forever?"

No certainly not ... even my connectors don't want to ...

Tomo

P.S. Oh yeah it wasn't even the best part of that movie ... "Conan! What is best in life!? ... To crush your enemies, see them ran before you, and hear the lamentation of the women!" ... It's so utterly bad; it's almost comical.

 

[Dan the audioman]

I just purchased some 1/8 jacks from Digi-Key. They aren't exactly "known", but they have an amazing build quality and my favorite jack now. You can get them at Digi-Key (part # CP-43502PM-ND). You may want to check them out....I did and they turned out to be great.

BTW, they will most likely fit the space you have to work with.