2.5 mm mono, 3.5 mm (1/8") mono and stereo, and 6.3 mm (1/4") stereo jack plugs

Audio Jack

A jack plug (UK) or phone plug (U.S.) is a common audio connector. It is cylindrical in shape, with two or more contacts. It was invented for use in telephone switchboards in the 19th century and is still widely used, both in its original 1/4 inch size and in miniaturized versions. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1626x1513, 306 KB) Summary Description: Jack plugs Author, date of creation: selfmade by Shaddack, 6 November 2005 Source: self-made Copyright: Public Domain (PD) Comments:Jack connectors 2. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1626x1513, 306 KB) Summary Description: Jack plugs Author, date of creation: selfmade by Shaddack, 6 November 2005 Source: self-made Copyright: Public Domain (PD) Comments:Jack connectors 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 442 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (536 × 727 pixel, file size: 200 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Jack plug ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 442 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (536 × 727 pixel, file size: 200 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Jack plug ... For other uses, see American English (disambiguation). ... Audio Audio connectors are electrical connectors designed and used for audio frequencies. ... Telephone switchboard, 1974 A switchboard (also called a manual branch exchange) is a device used to manually connect a group of telephones from one to another or to an outside connection. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The terms phone plug, and phone jack for the corresponding socket or jack, are sometimes used colloquially to refer to telephone plugs and the corresponding jacks that connect wired telephones to wall outlets. Also the similar terms phono plug and phono jack normally refer to RCA connectors. To unambiguously refer to the connecters described here, the diameter or other qualifier is often added, e.g. 1/4 inch phone plug, 3.5 mm phone jack, or stereo phone plug, for the three contact version. In electronics, a jack is a socket. ... A telephone plug is a plug which allows a telephone to connect to the local telephone network. ... A panel of four RCA jacks, and three RCA (cinch; phono) plugs of various quality RCA jack in PlayStation 2 An RCA jack, also referred to as a phono connector or CINCH/AV connector, is a type of electrical connector which is commonly used in the audio/video market. ...

Modern jack plugs

Modern jack plugs are available in three standard sizes. The original 1/4" (6.35 mm) version dates from 1878, for use in manual telephone exchanges—making it possibly the oldest electrical connector standard still in use. The 3.5 mm or miniature and 2.5 mm or subminiature sizes were originally designed as two-conductor connectors for earpieces on transistor radios. The 3.5 mm and 2.5 mm sizes are also referred to as 1/8" and 3/32" respectively in the United States, though those dimensions are only approximations. All three sizes are now readily available in two-conductor (mono) and three-conductor (stereo or tip ring sleeve) versions. The telephone is a telecommunications device which is used to transmit and receive sound (most commonly speech) across distance. ... Regency TR-1. ... Label for 2. ...

Four and five conductor versions of the 3.5 mm plug are used for certain applications. A four conductor version is becoming a de facto standard output connector for compact camcorders, providing stereo sound plus a video signal. This interface is also seen on some laptop computers. Proprietary interfaces using both four and five conductor versions exist, such as the audio connector on the first four generations of iPod MP3 players (the 5th generation player now uses a standard 3 conductor cable), where the extra conductors were used to supply power for accessories. There is also an optical connector used for TOSLINK (mainly on things like portable equipment; hi-fi separates and similar tend to use the standard square connector) that is the same size as a 3.5 mm jack. Sockets exist that can make either an optical connection to such a plug or an electrical connection to a stereo jack plug. Sony DV Handycam A camcorder is a portable electronic device for recording video images and audio onto an internal storage device. ... An ultraportable IBM X31 with 12 screen on an IBM T43 Thin & Light laptop with a 14 screen A laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer or notebook), is a small mobile computer, which usually weighs 2. ... A BlueGene supercomputer cabinet. ... iPod (fifth generation) in Apple Universal Dock, iPod nano (second generation) and iPod shuffle (second generation) iPod is a brand of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple and launched in 2001. ... MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a popular digital audio encoding format. ... TOSLINK is a standardized optical fiber connection system. ...

A three or four conductor version of the 2.5 mm plug is widely used on cell phone handsfree headsets, providing mono (three conductor) or stereo (four conductor) sound and a microphone input. It should be noted that the use of common stereo headphones with the 2.5 mm plug are often not compatible with this type of socket. Motorola T2288 mobile phone A mobile phone is a portable electronic device which behaves as a normal telephone whilst being able to move over a wide area (compare cordless phone which acts as a telephone only within a limited range). ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Both two-conductor and three-conductor versions of the three standard sizes are readily available in male (plug) and female (socket or simply "jack") line versions, and panel-mounting female versions. Panel-mounting male versions of these also exist but are rare, as they are vulnerable to mechanical damage and therefore unreliable. Female line versions are also notoriously unreliable and are avoided by many users. In electrical and mechanical trades and manufacturing, each of a pair of mating connectors or fasteners is conventionally assigned the designation male or female. ... In electrical and mechanical trades and manufacturing, each of a pair of mating connectors or fasteners is conventionally assigned the designation male or female. ...

The most common arrangement remains to have the male plug on the cable, and the female socket mounted in a piece of equipment, which was the original intention of the design. A considerable variety of line plugs and panel sockets is available, including plugs suiting various cable sizes, right angle plugs, and both plugs and sockets in a variety of price ranges and with current capacities up to about 15 amperes for the 1/4" version. Current can be measured by a galvanometer, via the deflection of a magnetic needle in the magnetic field created by the current. ...

Non-standard sizes, both diameters and lengths, are also available from some manufacturers, and are used when it is desired to restrict the availability of matching connectors.

An obsolete six conductor, two pin jack plug

Several obsolete versions of the 1/4" jack plug exist, including: the normal jack Double jack plug. ... Double jack plug. ...

• A two-pin version, consisting of two mono 6.3 mm jack plugs at a centre spacing of 1". The socket versions of these can be used with normal jack plugs provided the plug bodies are not too large, but the plug version will only mate with two jack sockets at 1" centre spacing, or with line sockets, again with sufficiently small bodies. These connectors were commonly used on early stereo tape recorders. A similar type of 3.5 mm connector is often used in the armrests of aircraft, as part of the on-board entertainment system. It is intended to frustrate flyers from using personal headphones on planes, and encourage rental of proprietary airline headphones (when rental is necessary). Plugging a stereo plug into one of the two mono jacks typically results in the audio coming into only one ear. Adaptors are available.
• A short-barrelled version, once used on high-impedance mono headphones, and in particular those used in World War Two aircraft. It is physically possible to use a normal plug in a short socket, but a short plug will neither lock into a normal socket nor complete the tip circuit. These are still manufactured but are now regarded as a non-standard size.

Sony reel-to-reel tape recorder. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

Mono and stereo compatibility

Old profile jack plugs. The leftmost plug has three conductors; the others have two.
At the top is a three-conductor jack from the same era.

Modern profile 2-conductor 1/4" jack plugs.

In the original application in manual telephone exchanges, many different configurations of 1/4" jack plug were used, some accommodating five or more conductors, with several tip profiles. Of these many varieties, only the two-conductor version with a rounded tip profile was compatible between different manufacturers, and this was the design that was at first adopted for use with microphones, electric guitars, headphones and many other items of audio equipment. Download high resolution version (600x619, 18 KB)Old style jack plugs This is an original photograph by Andrew Alder, taken on 11 November 2003. ... Download high resolution version (600x619, 18 KB)Old style jack plugs This is an original photograph by Andrew Alder, taken on 11 November 2003. ... Jack plugs This is an original photograph by Andrew Alder, taken on 11 November 2003. ... Jack plugs This is an original photograph by Andrew Alder, taken on 11 November 2003. ... A microphone, sometimes referred to as a mike or mic (both IPA pronunciation: ), is an acoustic to electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. ... Left: Rosa Hurricane, a heavy metal-style solid body guitar. ... // Fig. ...

When a three-conductor version of the 1/4" jack was introduced for use with stereo headphones, it was given a sharper tip profile in order to make it possible to manufacture jacks (sockets) that would accept only stereo plugs, to avoid short-circuiting the right channel amplifier. This attempt has long been abandoned, and now the normal convention is that all plugs fit all sockets of the same size, regardless of whether they are mono or stereo. Most 1/4" plugs, mono or stereo, now have the profile of the original stereo plug, although a few rounded mono plugs are also still produced. The profiles of stereo miniature and subminiature plugs have always been identical to the mono plugs of the same size. Label for 2. ...

The results of this physical compatibility are:

• If a two-conductor plug of the same size is connected to a three-conductor socket, the result is that the ring (right channel) of the socket is grounded. This property is deliberately used in several applications, see "tip ring sleeve", below. However, grounding one channel may also be dangerous to the equipment if the result is to short circuit the output of the right channel amplifier. In any case, any signal from the right channel is naturally lost.
• If a three-conductor plug is connected to a two-conductor socket, normally the result is to leave the ring of the plug unconnected (open circuit). In the days of valves ("tubes" in the U.S.) this was also potentially dangerous to equipment but most solid state devices tolerate this condition well. A stereo socket could be wired as a mono socket to ground the ring in this situation, but the more conventional wiring in this case is to leave the ring unconnected, exactly simulating a mono socket.

For alternate meanings see Short circuit (disambiguation) A short circuit (sometimes known as simply a short) is a fault whereby electricity moves through a circuit in an unintended path, usually due to a connection forming where none was expected. ... Generally, an amplifier is any device that uses a small amount of energy to control a larger amount of energy. ... In electronics, a vacuum tube or (outside North America) thermionic valve or just valve, is a device generally used to amplify, switch or otherwise modify, a signal by controlling the movement of electrons in an evacuated space. ...

Uses

Some common uses of jack plugs and their matching jacks are:

• Headphone and earphone jacks on a wide range of equipment. 1/4 in. plugs are common on standalone equipment, while 3.5 mm plugs are nearly universal for portable audio equipment. 2.5 mm plugs are not as common, but are sometimes used on communication equipment such as two-way radios and mobile phones.
• Microphone inputs on tape and cassette recorders, sometimes with remote control switching on the ring.
• Patching points on a wide range of equipment.
• Personal computer sound cards. Stereo 3.5 mm jacks are used for:
  • Line in (stereo)
  • Line out (stereo)
  • Headphones/loudspeaker out (stereo)
  • Microphone input (mono, sometimes with 5v power available on the ring)
• Electric guitars. Almost all electric guitars use a 1/4 in mono jack (socket) as their output connector. Some makes (such as Shergold) use a stereo jack instead for stereo output, but more commonly a second mono jack is provided (as with Rickenbacker).
• Instrument amplifiers for guitars, basses and similar amplified musical instruments. 1/4 in jacks are overwhelmingly the most common connectors for:
  • Inputs. A shielded cable with a mono ¼ in jack plug on each end is commonly called a guitar cord or a patching cord, the first name reflecting this usage, the second the history of the jack plug's development for use in manual telephone exchanges.
  • Loudspeaker outputs, especially on low-end equipment. Speakon connectors are generally considered superior and so are usually preferred on higher-end equipment, although it is not uncommon to find both provided for compatibility.
  • Line outputs.
  • Foot switches and effects pedals. Stereo plugs are used for double switches (for example by Fender). There is little compatibility between makers.
  • Effects loops, which are normally wired as patch points.
• Electronic keyboards use jacks for a similar range of uses to guitars and amplifiers, and in addition
  • Sustain pedals.
• Electronic drums use jacks to connect sensor pads to the synthesizer module or MIDI encoder. In this usage, a change in voltage on the wire indicates a drum stroke.
• Some compact and/or economy model audio mixing desks use stereo jacks for balanced microphone inputs.
• The majority of professional audio equipment uses mono jacks as the standard unbalanced input or output connector, often providing a ¼ in unbalanced line connector alongside (or in a few cases in the middle of!) and as an alternative to an XLR balanced line connector.
• ¼ in stereo connectors are used to connect external processing devices to mixing consoles' insert points (see Insert (effects processing)). An unbalanced signal can be both sent and received using a single connector.
• Some small electronic devices such as audio cassette players, especially in the cheaper price brackets, use a two-conductor 3.5 mm or 2.5 mm jack as a DC power connector.
• Some photographic studio strobe lights have ¼ in or 3.5 mm jacks for the flash synchronization input. A camera's electrical flash output (PC socket or hot shoe adapter) is cabled to the strobe light's sync input jacks. Some examples: Calumet Travelite, and Speedotron use a ¼ in mono jack as the sync input; White Lightning uses ¼ in stereo jacks; Pocket Wizard (radio trigger) and Alien Bees use 3.5mm mono jacks.
• Some miniaturized electronic devices use 2.5 or 3.5mm jack plugs as serial port connectors for data transfer and unit programming. This technique is particularly common on graphing calculators and some types of amateur and two-way radio, though in some more modern equipment USB mini-B connectors are provided in addition to or instead of jack connectors.

In-ear headphones Headphones (also known as earphones, stereophones, headsets, or the slang term cans) is a transducer that receives an electrical signal from a media player or receiver and uses speakers placed in close proximity to the ears (hence the name earphone) to convert the signal into audible sound... In-ear headphones Headphones (also known as earphones, stereophones, headsets, or the slang term cans) is a transducer that receives an electrical signal from a media player or receiver and uses speakers placed in close proximity to the ears (hence the name earphone) to convert the signal into audible sound... A two-way radio is simply a radio that can both transmit and receive (a transceiver). ... A microphone, sometimes referred to as a mike or mic (both IPA pronunciation: ), is an acoustic to electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. ... A sound card is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ... Left: Rosa Hurricane, a heavy metal-style solid body guitar. ... 1976 Shergold Modulator guitar Shergold Guitars, or Shergold Woodcrafts Limited, was established in October 1967 by former Burns employees Jack Golder and Norman Houlder. ... Mod revivalist band The Jams Bruce Foxton (left) on a Rickenbacker bass and Paul Weller on a Rickenbacker guitar Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker (IPA pronunciation: ) [1]), is an electric guitar manufacturer, notable for having invented the first electric guitar during the 1930s. ... An instrument amplifier is an electronic amplifier designed for use with an electric or electronic musical instrument, such as an electric guitar. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... Neutrik Speakons are a type of cable connector commonly used in pro audio systems for connecting loudspeakers to amplifiers. ... It has been suggested that Fender Amplifier History be merged into this article or section. ... An electronic keyboard is a keyboard instrument which uses electricity to produce or amplify its sound. ... Basic electronic drum set made by Pintech. ... A synthesizer (or synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument designed to produce electronically generated sound, using techniques such as additive, subtractive, FM, physical modelling synthesis, phase distortion, or Scanned synthesis. ... Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is a system designed to transmit information between electronic musical instruments. ... BBC Local Radio Mark III radio mixing desk In professional audio, a mixing console, mixing desk (Brit. ... The XLR connector is a rugged electrical connector design. ... BBC Local Radio Mark III radio mixing desk In professional audio, a mixing console, digital mixing console, mixing desk (Brit. ... In effects processing and sound reinforcement, an insert is a tip-ring-sleeve connector on the back of a sound board, used for creating a loop through an effects processor. ... Connectors for supplying direct current (DC) power are poorly standardized compared to domestic AC power plugs and sockets. ... U-shaped Xenon Flash Lamp A xenon flash lamp is a gas discharge lamp designed to produce extremely intense, incoherent, full-spectrum white light for very short durations. ... In a camera, flash synchronization is required for the firing of a photographic flash to coincide with the shutter admitting light to the photographic film. ... Canon 350D Hot shoe A hot shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit. ... A male DE-9 connector used for a serial port on a PC style computer. ... A typical graphing calculator. ... Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD display and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called Ham radio, is a hobby enjoyed by about six million people[1] throughout the world. ... A two-way radio is simply a radio that can both transmit and receive (a transceiver). ... Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard to interface devices. ...

Switch contacts

A jack plug breaks the contact of a normally closed switch.

Miniature jack plugs and jacks. All are 3.5 mm except the gold-plated plug, which is 2.5 mm. All the jacks are two-conductor (TS). The tan-colored jacks have a normally-closed switch.

Panel-mounting jacks are often provided with switch contacts. Most commonly, a mono jack is provided with a single normally closed (NC) contact, which is connected to the tip (live) connection when no plug is in the socket, and disconnected when a plug is inserted. Stereo sockets commonly provide two such NC contacts, one for the tip (left channel live) and one for the ring or collar (right channel live). Some designs of jack also have such a connection on the sleeve, as this contact is usually ground it is not much use for signal switching but could be used to indicate to electronic circuitry that the socket was in use. Image File history File linksMetadata Jack-plug--socket-switch. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Jack-plug--socket-switch. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1314x749, 133 KB) Jack plugs and. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1314x749, 133 KB) Jack plugs and. ...

Less commonly, some jacks are provided with normally open (NO) or change-over contacts, and/or the switch contacts may be isolated from the connector.

The original purpose of these contacts was for switching in telephone exchanges, for which there were many patterns. Two sets of change-over contacts, isolated from the connector contacts, were common. The more recent pattern of one NC contact for each signal path, internally attached to the connector contact, stems from their use as headphone jacks. In many amplifiers and equipment containing them, such as electronic organs, a headphone jack is provided that disconnects the loudspeakers when in use. This is done by means of these switch contacts. In other equipment, a dummy load is provided when the headphones are not connected. This is also easily provided by means of these NC contacts.

Other uses for these contacts have been found. One is to interrupt a signal path to enable other circuitry to be inserted. This is done by using one NC contact of a stereo jack to connect the tip and ring together when no plug is inserted. The tip is then made the output, and the ring the input, thus forming a patch point. In electronic audio technology, a patch point is a connection that allows a signal to be withdrawn from a device, modified in some way, and returned. ...

Another use is to provide alternative mono or stereo output facilities on some guitars and electronic organs. This is achieved by using two mono jacks, one for left channel and one for right, and wiring the NC contact on the right channel jack to connect the two connector tips together when the right channel output is not in use. This then mixes the signals so that the left channel jack doubles as a mono output.

Where a 3.5 mm or 2.5 mm jack is used as a DC power inlet connector, a switch contact may be used to disconnect an internal battery whenever an external power supply is connected, to prevent incorrect recharging of the battery. On some DI units and guitar effects units, a normally open switch contact on one of the signal connectors is used to connect an internal battery whenever a cord is connected. The desired effect is to switch the unit off whenever the cord is removed. A side effect is to discharge the battery if it is not removed, for example if equipment is left connected overnight. A DI unit or DI box is an electronic device designed for connecting a piece of equipment with an electronic audio output to a standard microphone or line level input. ... It has been suggested that Effects pedal be merged into this article or section. ...

If it is desired to activate the switch contacts without actually inserting a plug in a 1/4 inch jack socket, a rod of the construction toy K'NEX can be used. However care should be taken to use a rod long enough that it can be pulled back out. A bridge made from Knex. ...

Tip Ring Sleeve

2.5, 3.5 and 6.35 mm TRS plugs

Tip Ring Sleeve (TRS) connectors are three-conductor jack plugs and the corresponding sockets, used in many stereophonic and other audio applications.
TRS plugs This is an original photograph by Andrew Alder, taken on 11 November 2003. ... TRS plugs This is an original photograph by Andrew Alder, taken on 11 November 2003. ... Look up connector in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Label for 2. ... Methods and media for sound recording are varied and have undergone significant changes between the first time sound was actually recorded for later playback until now. ...

Terminology

1. Sleeve: usually ground
2. Ring: Right-hand channel for stereo signals, negative phase for balanced mono signals, power supply for power-requiring mono signal sources
3. Tip: Left-hand channel for stereo signals, positive phase for balanced mono signals, signal line for unbalanced mono signals
4. Insulating rings

The term is associated with telephone usage. In twisted pair wiring to this day, the non-inverting and/or "live" wire of each pair is known as the ring, while the inverting and/or "earthy" wire is known as the tip. If the pair is shielded, or if the pair is accompanied by a dedicated earth wire, this third conductor is known as the sleeve. This usage corresponds to the connection to a three-connector jack plug in a manual telephone exchange. This appears to have originated with the use of TRS jacks by switchboard operators with the tip and ring wires attached to the corresponding parts of the jack. Originally, the hot and ground were reversed, but often the metallic desktops of the switch boards were scarred by the discharge from the tips and the system was reversed to the present usage. Image File history File links Jack_plug. ... Image File history File links Jack_plug. ... The telephone is a telecommunications device which is used to transmit and receive sound (most commonly speech) across distance. ... 25 Pair Color Code Chart 10BASE-T UTP Cable Twisted pair cabling is a common form of wiring in which two conductors are wound around each other for the purposes of cancelling out electromagnetic interference known as crosstalk. ... Telephone switchboard, 1974 A switchboard (also called a manual branch exchange) is a device used to manually connect a group of telephones from one to another or to an outside connection. ... This article is about operators in mathematics, for other kinds of operators see operator (disambiguation). ...

The term tip ring sleeve is more common in some English-speaking countries than others. Outside of the USA the term stereo jack plug is probably more common, even for connectors not used for stereo. The modern profile three-conductor jack plug was originally designed for stereo signal connections, with left channel on the tip, right on the ring and common return on the body or sleeve. The term TRS is particularly appropriate to distinguish these three-conductor (stereo) plugs used in other than stereo applications.

Usage

Audio

When a TRS is used to make a balanced connection, the two active conductors are both used for a monaural signal. The ring, used for the right channel in stereo systems, is used instead for the inverting input. This is a common use in small audio mixing desks, where space is a premium and they offer a more compact alternative to XLR connectors. Another advantage offered by TRS connectors used for balanced microphone inputs is that a standard unbalanced signal lead using a mono jack plug can simply be plugged into such as input. The ring (right channel) contact then makes contact with the plug body, correctly grounding the inverting input. Balanced audio connections are extremely important in sound recording and production because they allow for the use of very long cables with reduced introduction of outside noise. ... Monaural (often shortened to mono) sound reproduction is single-channel. ... BBC Local Radio Mark III radio mixing desk In professional audio, a mixing console, mixing desk (Brit. ... XLR3 cable connectors, female on left and male on right The XLR connector is a rugged electrical connector design. ...

The disadvantage of using TRS jacks for balanced audio connections is that the ground mates last and the socket grounds the plug tip and ring when inserting or pulling out the plug. This causes bursts of hum, cracks and pops and may stress some outputs as they will be short circuited briefly, or longer if the plug is left half in. Professional audio equipment uses XLR connectors which mate the ground signal on pin 1 first.

TRS connectors are also commonly used as audio patch points (or insert points, or simply inserts), with the output on the tip (left channel) and the input on the ring (right channel). This is often expressed as "tip send, ring return." One advantage of this system is that the switch contact in the panel socket, originally designed for other purposes, can be used to make the circuit when the patch point is not in use. Another is that if the patch point is used as an output only, use of a mono jack plug correctly grounds the input. Use of 6.35 mm TRS connectors in this way is seen in almost all professional and semi-professional audio mixing desks.

In some, the concept is extended by using specially designed TRS jacks that will accept a mono jack plug partly inserted ("to the first click") and will then reliably connect the tip to the signal path without breaking it. Most standard TRS jacks can also be used in this way with varying success, but neither the switch contact nor the tip contact can be relied upon.

At one stage some mixing desk manufacturers, notably Soundcraft, standardized on the opposite configuration for patch points/inserts: output on the ring, input on the tip. This allowed for the insert jack to serve as a standard-wired mono line input that would bypass the mic preamp (and likely a resistive pad, as well as other circuitry, depending on the design), and thus improve sound quality. However tip send has become the generally accepted standard; Soundcraft changed their practice in the early-to-mid 1990s. Soundcraft, established in 1973 and now part of Harman International Industries, is a producer of professional quality Front-of-House, Monitor, Studio, and Recording mixing consoles. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

In some very compact equipment, 3.5 mm TRS jacks are used as patch points.

Some sound recording devices use a TRS as a mono microphone input, using the tip as the signal path and the ring to connect a standby switch on the microphone. Methods and media for sound recording are varied and have undergone significant changes between the first time sound was actually recorded for later playback until now. ...

Computer sound

Personal computer sound cards from Creative Labs, Sound Blaster or compatible to these use a 3.5 mm TRS as a mono microphone input, and deliver a 5 V polarising voltage on the ring to power electret microphones from the card manufacturer. Sometimes called phantom power, this is not a suitable power source for microphones designed for true phantom power and is better called bias voltage. Compatibility between different manufacturers is unreliable. A sound card is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ... Creative Technology Ltd. ... The Sound Blaster family of sound cards was for many years the de facto standard for audio on the IBM PC compatible system platform, before PC audio became commoditized, and backward-compatibility became less of a feature. ... Electret (formed of elektr- from electricity and -et from magnet) is material that has been permanently electrically charged (polarised). ... Phantom power (labeled as +48 V on some audio equipment) is a method that sends an electrical current through microphone cables. ...

Normally, 3.5mm 3-conductor sockets are used in computer soundcards for stereo output. Thus, for a soundcard with 5.1 output, there will be 3 sockets to accommodate 6 channels - front left & right, rear left & right, and center & subwoofer. But the 6.1 and 7.1 channel soundcards from Creative Labs are equipped with 1 and 2 sockets of 3.5mm 4-conductor sockets respectively. This is to accommodate rear-center (6.1) or side left & right (7.1) channels without additional sockets on the sound card. But speaker have normal 3-conductor sockets. In Creative's documentation, the word "pole" is used instead of "conductor".

The Apple PlainTalk microphone jack used on some Macintosh systems is designed to accept an extended 3.5mm TRS; in this case, the tip carries power for a preamplifier inside the microphone. If a PlainTalk-compatible microphone is not available, the jack can accept a line-level sound input, though it cannot accept a standard microphone without a preamp. Apple Inc. ... PlainTalk is the collective name for several speech synthesis (MacInTalk) and speech recognition technologies, developed by Apple Computer. ... An example of a typical high-end stereo preamplifier. ... Line level is a term used to denote the strength of an audio signal used to transmit analog sound information between audio components such as CD and DVD players, TVs, audio amplifiers, and mixing consoles. ...

Plug-in power ( from: http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/microphone_powering.html )

Recording equipment

Stereo devices which use "plug-in power": the electret capsules are wired in this way

Many small video cameras, laptops, Minidisc recoders and other consumer devices use a 3.5 mm microphone connector for attaching a (mono/stereo) microphone to the system. These fall into three categories: Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1900x2600, 23 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1900x2600, 23 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... See also IBMs VM operating system family, where minidisk refers to a logical unit of storage. ...

• Devices (usually of the "toy" variety), which use a un-powered microphone: usually a cheap dynamic or piezo microphone. The microphone generates its own voltage, and does not require power.
• Devices (usually very expensive recorders, for hi-fi or broadcast use) which use a self-powered microphone: usually an expensive dynamic microphone with internal battery-powered amplifier.
• Devices (most consumer equipment) which use a "plug-in powered" microphone: an electret microphone containing an internal FET amplifier. These provide a good quality signal, in a very small microphone. However, the internal FET requires a DC power supply, which is provided as a bias voltage.

Plug-in power is supplied on the same line as the audio signal, using an RC filter. The DC bias voltage supplies the FET amplifier (at a low current), while the capacitor decouples the DC supply from the AC input to the recorder. Typically, V=1.5 V, R=1 kΩ, C=47 µF. A microphone with a cord A microphone, sometimes called a mic (pronounced mike), is a device that converts sound into an electrical signal. ... A microphone with a cord A microphone, sometimes called a mic (pronounced mike), is a device that converts sound into an electrical signal. ... A microphone with a cord A microphone, sometimes called a mic (pronounced mike), is a device that converts sound into an electrical signal. ... A microphone with a cord A microphone, sometimes called a mic (pronounced mike), is a device that converts sound into an electrical signal. ...

If a recorder provides plug-in power, and the microphone does not need it, everything will usually work ok, although the sound quality may be lower than expected. In the converse case (recorder provides no power; microphone requires power), no sound will be recorded. Neither misconfiguration will damage consumer hardware, but it could destroy a broadcast-type microphone.

Aircraft Plugs and Jacks

Aviation plug type U-174/U, commonly used on military aircraft and civil helicopters.

Commercial and general aviation civil airplane headset plugs are similar, but with a difference. A standard 1/4-inch monaural plug, type PJ-055, is used for headphones, paired with special tip-ring-sleeve, 0.206 inch diameter plug, type PJ-068, for the microphone. The extra connection in the microphone plug is used by an optional push-to-talk switch. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... General aviation (abbr. ...

Military aircraft and civil helicopters have another type similar to a standard 1/4-inch stereo plug, but with a 0.281-inch diameter short shaft with an extra sleeve, known by the designation U-174/U. This provides four connections in one plug, allowing for a pair of monaural headphones, a microphone, a push-to-talk switch and a common ground conductor.

Configurations and schematic symbols

Image File history File links Phone_jack_symbols. ...

These examples are meant to illustrate each possible component of such jacks, but many other configurations using these basic components are available.

A. A simple two-conductor jack. The connection to the sleeve is the rectangle towards the right, and the connection to the tip is the line with the notch. Wiring connections are illustrated as white circles.

B. A three-conductor, or TRS, jack. The upper connector is the tip, as it is farther away from the sleeve. The sleeve is shown connected directly to the chassis, a very common configuration. This is the typical configuration for a balanced connection. Some jacks have metal mounting connections (which would make this connection) and some have plastic, to isolate the sleeve from the chassis, and provide a separate sleeve connection point, as in A.

C. This three-conductor jack has two isolated SPDT switches. They are activated by a plug going into the jack, which disconnects one throw and connects the other. The white arrowheads indicate a mechanical connection, while the black arrowheads indicate an electrical connection. This would be useful for a device that turns on when a plug is inserted, and off otherwise, with the power routed through the switches. Electrical switches. ...

D. This three-conductor jack has two normally closed switches connected to the contacts themselves. This would be useful for a patch point, for instance, or for allowing another signal to feed the line until a plug is inserted. The switches open when a plug is inserted. A common use for this style of connector is a stereo headphone jack that shuts off the default output (speakers) when the connector is plugged in.

See also

Electronics Portal

• RCA jack
• XLR connector

Image File history File links Nuvola_apps_ksim. ... A panel of four RCA jacks, and three RCA (cinch; phono) plugs of various quality RCA jack in PlayStation 2 An RCA jack, also referred to as a phono connector or CINCH/AV connector, is a type of electrical connector which is commonly used in the audio/video market. ... XLR3 cable connectors, female on left and male on right The XLR connector is a rugged electrical connector design. ...

References