JACK PLUGS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Just who doesn’t know it, the good old jack plug? For a long time, the jack plug was simply the go-to connection for headphones, and the pin-shaped plug was found on almost all wired headphones. The mini jack was a snap to connect to any smartphone, tablet or MP3 player to enjoy music in top quality. For decades, the jack was the standard connection for audio devices. The professional audio industry still swears by it.
However, smartphone manufacturers like Apple have unceremoniously dumped the headphone socket. Such a change has complicated life for those individuals who still want to use headphones with a jack plug. They now need a Lightning or USB-C adapter for these devices.
Or they can give Bluetooth® headphones a try. In this article, we will take you on a deep dive into the pros and cons of the alternatives to the jack plug.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STANDARD IN THE AUDIO SECTOR
Unlike the latest trend in the smartphone sector, the professional audio sector still has a true passion for the jack connection. Every professional audio device boasts a headphone socket that helps produce excellent sound quality with wired headphones. The secret sauce: The cable transmits audio signals directly and purely to the connected audio output device, such as an amplifier, loudspeaker or headphones.
Music lovers who have their minds set on enjoying authentic and high-quality sound should still opt for wired headphones because they always offer a stable connection.
WHAT TYPES OF JACK PLUGS ARE USED?
Jack plugs come in all sorts of sizes and with different numbers of contacts. The most common types of jack plugs include:
This version can generally be called the jack plug of choice and turns up in a wide array of headphones and speakers. It has a diameter of 3.5 mm and normally has three contacts for stereo sound.
This jack plug is larger than the 3.5 mm plug and is often used for professional audio and music equipment. It has a diameter of 6.35 mm and normally has three contacts.
This plug has a diameter of 2.5 mm and is often used for small electronic devices such as mobile phones and MP3 players. It normally has three contacts.
This plug is often used for high-end audio and headphone amplifiers. It has a diameter of 4.4 mm and normally has five contacts.
WHAT DO THE RINGS ON THE JACK PLUG MEAN?
The rings on the jack plug, also known as TRS or TRRS plugs, mean different things depending on the number of rings:
A jack plug with one ring is a TRS plug that is normally used for stereo audio. The ring separates the right and left audio channels, while the plug itself provides the common earthing contact.
A jack plug with two rings is a TRRS plug that is normally used for headsets with a microphone. The first ring separates the left audio channel from the right. The second ring is for the microphone, and the plug itself is for common earthing.
Overall, the rings are used to separate and transmit various audio and microphone signals to ensure clear, high-quality audio transmission.
Overall, the rings are used to separate and transmit various audio and microphone signals to ensure clear, high-quality audio transmission.
Example: A 6.35 mm stereo jack plug with one ring that separates the left and right audio channels:
ALTERNATIVES TO THE JACK PLUG
Because people on the go now often listen to music on their smartphone, many users are already turning to practical Bluetooth® headphones that save them the hassle of dealing with a tangle of cables every day. But this solution has a big downside: Standard Bluetooth® does not hold a candle to the quality of direct transmission produced with a jack plug. To guarantee good audio quality, we rely on Bluetooth® aptX for our headphones. The high-quality Amiron wireless copper with Qualcomm® aptX™ HD and AAC – plus aptX™ LL – also guarantees a latency-free sound transmission by compressing audio data more efficiently.
Another option is the transmission path via a USB-C plug. Unlike classic transmission with a jack plug, the digital transmission path can often avoid noise or transmission interference.
THE UPSIDE AND DOWNSIDE OF THE ALTERNATIVES
Bluetooth® headphones are indeed quite handy. They provide users with true freedom of movement and enable several audio sources to pair with the same headphones. The benefit: Headphones can be connected to a smartphone and computer at the same time, for example. But there is a catch: annoying interruptions caused by transmission problems. The cause of these interruptions may have something to do with the distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
Some wireless models that are not equipped with Bluetooth® aptX currently sound worse than headphones with a jack plug. Bluetooth® models are also often more expensive than wired devices. What’s more, users have to deal with another power-craving device. If you forget to charge your Bluetooth®-powered headphones regularly, your favourite song may cut off halfway through.
However, some models, such as the Amiron wireless copper already have a battery life of up to 30 hours. You can head off on a long journey and never have to worry about recharging your headphones.
The USB-C slot performs two jobs: It is used for charging and for connecting the headphones. This turns out to be a problematic arrangement, though, because you cannot listen to music and charge the device at the same time. Obviously, the more stable transmission path outperforms Bluetooth® transmission. There is a catch here, too: Pairing devices can sometimes lead to problems because the sound card is integrated into the headphones.
THE JACK PLUG: PROS AND CONS
Headphones with a jack plug are more compatible than those with USB-C. The reason? They work with the internal sound card of the end device rather than their own. They also usually cost less than Bluetooth® models. Unlike digital transmission via USB-C, digital data must first be converted into analogue signals when a listener uses headphones with a jack plug.
Furthermore, depending on usage habits, the cable can restrict the user’s freedom of movement and is sometimes subject to defects like loose contacts. If you like to switch back and forth between audio devices, you have to reconnect the cable beforehand because the conventional jack plug can be connected only to one device.
SUITABLE JACK ADAPTER
Are you looking for the right jack adapter? Then we have three for you to choose from:
Screw-on jack adapter, M8 thread
Adapter 1/8” (3.5 mm) to 1/4” (6.35 mm)
It can also be used for headphones with a M5 thread, but only as a plug-in adapter
CONCLUSION: PERSONAL PREFERENCES
Now that you know about the pros and cons of headphones equipped with a jack connection and been introduced to the alternatives, you can decide for yourself which model best suits you.
The Amiron wireless is certainly a solution for Bluetooth® lovers. For non-stop music, the Amiron wireless is always supplied with a jack plug. The cable makes it possible to listen to music even when the battery has run out of juice or to connect to devices that lack Bluetooth® compatibility. For example, you can listen to music via Bluetooth® while you travel and via cable at home. In addition to the Amiron wireless, the design version Amiron wireless copper is always supplied with a jack plug to guarantee unlimited music enjoyment.
There is no doubt about it: The jack plug is far from obsolete – even if some smartphone makers have already moved on from it. When everything is said and done, there is simply no suitable successor to the jack. Bluetooth®, USB-C or Lightning connections are alternatives. But these technologies still do not have what it takes to completely replace the jack plug. The jack remains gold standard as a result.