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Do 3.5mm plugs/jacks just tend to suck, or what?

I've been having problems with them ever since I can remember--but especially recently with mp3 players. The plug has to be rotated to exactly the right position to get the sound to be full strength without crackling, one channel comes in weak, etc. Just a couple of weeks ago I got a nice mp3 player and even better earbuds, and already I'm having problems.

I usually attack the problem with contact cleaner and cloth. (I'm afraid to use anything more abrasive because I don't want to loosen the fit.) Usually it works...for a little while. But I swear, there have been times when I've wanted to just solder a permanent connection.

Surely I'm not the only one who has this problem. Is it a design issue? Is there anything that can be done about it?

- Tom

Reply to
Weltanscha
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The jack on my Palm Tungsten E works fine, and I've had it for a couple of years. It makes a very nice click when you plug in, requiring a good push to overcome, which is possibly indicative of relatively high contact force. Try installing a better jack if you can find one that fits :-(

-- Joe

Reply to
J.A. Legris

hi, what kind of enviroment are u using it in ? ii`ve bought a 128 meg mp3 player from ebay , used , and the 3.5 mm jack works fine . mark k

Reply to
mark krawczuk

it is bad tolerances between plug/jack (usually too sloppy to allow easy insert/release)

it is contact metals that are NOT gold plated, they corrode, rot and clog fast when subjected to human skin crud and chemicals

it is the manufacturer that fails to wash away all fabrication goooes and soldering flux

the tiny plugs are usually molded with such extremely bad methods from plastic that is so crappy, the connections within the molded plug are iffy to begin with.

remeber how difficult it is (was) to keep your home 900 mhz roaming handphone charged? those contacts are just as bad and subject to bad connections samely

try gold plated plug (if you can find)

try gettng rid of all that music/vdeo crap anyhow, it distracts you from paying attention to your gurl or mate....

mp3

Reply to
HapticZ

A couple of weeks? Take it back; it must still be covered by the warranty.

Yup. Its a cheap jack made with poor tolerances and materials. You could change brands of mp3 player. If that's not an option, see if you can find a right angle adapter (they lie flat against the device's case). Plug it in and stick it to the case with a spot of hot glue or RTV. Then, you will be wearing out the contacts in the adapter by plugging/unplugging headphones. After a while, when the adapter wears out, you can replace it more easily than the devices internal jack.

--
Paul Hovnanian	paul@hovnanian.com
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Reply to
Paul Hovnanian P.E.

There's a quite large and very experienced Yahoo group all about Tek scopes. You could probably get a few tens of answers from members. Suggest you join and ask there.

Good luck,

--
DaveC
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Reply to
DaveC

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