output jack: contact pressure

[BassinCT]

I have an output jack that may need to be replaced, but I first wanted to get some input from those who do repairs on electronics. A few months ago, I heard a loud pop produced when my leg made contact with the connector in the side-mounted jack. It seemed as if the contact pressure against the plug may be a little weak- I bent the positive terminal inward a little, and it did help… until yesterday.

My question is: are certain brands of jacks more or less prone to this due to being made from varying quality of metal? (I have never had this problem before with Switchcraft)
This is a 3-terminal jack that came with a my John East Uni-Pre. Thanks for your help!

 

[Geri O]

I’m kinda surprised that the John East came anything less that the usual Switchcraft unit. Regardless, it’s really easy to replace. And if it’s not the Switchcraft, be sure to replace the shaky output jack with the Switchcraft.

I keep a half-dozen Switchcraft jacks on hand if, and usually when, a jack gets noisy.

 

[Spidey2112]

My question is: are certain brands of jacks more or less prone to this due to being made from varying quality of metal?

I'm not sure which jack Sadowsky (Japan, '16) and G&L ('19) used... but, I don't worry about any disconnects once plugged in... very secure.

 

[Geri O]

Any Switchcraft 1/4” output jack has way sufficient contact pressure to securely hold the plug in.

 

[byacey]

If it's an open frame jack, it's possible someone bent the tip contact out of shape. I've also seen incidents where it wasn't the jack, put the plug itself. Switchcraft plugs have a phenolic insulator between the tip and sleeve. If dropped on the floor tip first, this insulator can crack causing the rivet to loosen up causing the connection to go intermittent.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Switchcraft is the gold standard for connectors. That's not to say there aren't other's who manufacture quality connectors. But there are definitely a lot of inferior ones on the market. In the 1/4" jack, the robustness of the tip connector can be pretty bad in some of the off brands. They tend to use a thinner gauge metal more prone to being easily bent out of shape and less likely to hold the plug which is a friction fit.

As the old saying goes, "No one ever got fired for buying IBM." (That was probably in the 60's.)
Meaning if you spec cheap and it doesn't work out that's on you. But if you go with the gold standard and it fails, you can't be faulted for going with the best reputation.

 

[Warpeg]

I do a seemingly weird thing. Whenever one of my output jacks (TS) go out, I replace them with a Switchcraft TRS jack. Assuming a passive circuit, the unused “ring” connector adds an additional contact point that helps keep the tip and sleeve electrical contacts in full contact with the plug. Maybe something to consider?

 

[byacey]

Switchcraft is the gold standard for connectors. That's not to say there aren't other's who manufacture quality connectors. But there are definitely a lot of inferior ones on the market. In the 1/4" jack, the robustness of the tip connector can be pretty bad in some of the off brands. They tend to use a thinner gauge metal more prone to being easily bent out of shape and less likely to hold the plug which is a friction fit.

As the old saying goes, "No one ever got fired for buying IBM." (That was probably in the 60's.)
Meaning if you spec cheap and it doesn't work out that's on you. But if you go with the gold standard and it fails, you can't be faulted for going with the best reputation.

I regarded them as the best at one point in time. In the 90s, Alcatel came out with a 280 knockoff that in my opinion was superior to the Switchcraft 280. They were riveted better, had a non-breakable tip insulator, and a more robust crimp for the strain relief. The Neutrik NP2C is also better in most respects aside from being somewhat bulkier in diameter.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I regarded them as the best at one point in time. In the 90s, Alcatel came out with a 280 knockoff that in my opinion was superior to the Switchcraft 280. They were riveted better, had a non-breakable tip insulator, and a more robust crimp for the strain relief. The Neutrik NP2C is also better in most respects aside from being somewhat bulkier in diameter.

Thanks for pointing out other manufacturers who have step it up.
My comments were more geared towards the jack, but good info on the plugs.
Thanks.

 

[byacey]

F

Thanks for pointing out other manufacturers who have step it up.
My comments were more geared towards the jack, but good info on the plugs.
Thanks.

On open frame jacks, I have yet to see anything that beats Switchcraft. Neutrik has an offering, but I've never examined one close-up, but I imagine it should be of good quality. Even Neutrik's Re-an product which is made in China is reasonably good stuff.