I needed to replace a 1/8" stereo plug on a cord. I found on ebay a pack of three 1/8" stereo plugs from China, for about $2. I dont normally order from China, but for the price and since I was in no hurry for them, I bought them.
That was a mistake. They are NOT stereo, they are THREE CHANNEL. The tip of the plug has THREE contacts, (plus the grounded base). What the heck are they for? I have never seen any 3 prong 1/8" jacks on anything.
Yea, I could just ground the uppermost terminal so it acts as a stereo plug, but it gets worse. Under the shell, I found a solder on ground contact. But none of the three conductors have any contacts attached to them. There are just three pieces of "rod" sticking out the back, with the insulation in between. I would have to wrap the wires around them, and solder them and by the time I manage to do all that in that tiny space, I'd probably melt the insulation between the sections and unless they wires were hair thin, they would short against the ground terminal.
For the small price, I am not gonna make a big deal out of it. I'll just have to order some properly made plugs from an American manufacturer, and use these worthless plugs for a conversation piece.