Wireless, TRS plug, barrel jack... help?

[John Bigboote]

Okay, so a couple years ago the cable for my Sennheiser transmitter took a dump. The Senn replacement part is silly-expensive, so I found an inexpensive alternative -- a 1/8" TRS to 1/8" TRS with the threaded coupler on the end like the Senn unit. I used a 1/8"F to 1/4"M TRS (headphone) adaptor at the bass end, and it worked fine -- because I didn't have a stereo jack in my gigging bass. Now I do, and the jury-rigged cable doesn't work.

So, simple question: Can I solder a jumper from the ring to the sleeve on the adaptor plug, effectively making it a TS plug? Would this pose any risk to the transmitter's electronics?

Tanks,

-jb

 

[line6man]

Would this pose any risk to the transmitter's electronics?

Why would it? That's normal wiring.

You can modify the connector, but an easier method would be getting a mono cable.

 

[John Bigboote]

A mono cable costs $40, and modifying the connector costs four minutes to warm up the soldering iron...

Guess I'll give it a whirl then.

-jb

 

[ex-tension]

Why don't you cut the 1/8" TRS connector and solder a 1/4" TS connector?

 

[John Bigboote]

Why don't you cut the 1/8" TRS connector and solder a 1/4" TS connector?

Thought about it... but it's a skinny little cable, not a standard instrument or XLR cable. And I don't have any TS plugs. And then it occurred to me that soldering an R-S jumper would be a *lot* faster and easier.

-jb

 

[line6man]

A mono cable costs $40

I've seen 1/8"-1/8" cables at the 99 Cent Store. (Albeit TRS-TRS.) They should never cost $40. Even with the finest quality gold plated connectors and instrument cable, it would cost under $20 to make one yourself.

 

[line6man]

Thought about it... but it's a skinny little cable, not a standard instrument or XLR cable. And I don't have any TS plugs. And then it occurred to me that soldering an R-S jumper would be a *lot* faster and easier.

-jb

Then take an instrument cable and cut off a 1/4" end and buy a 1/8" connector.

 

[John Bigboote]

Then take an instrument cable and cut off a 1/4" end and buy a 1/8" connector.

Why would I dick around with buying a plug, cutting cable, stripping cable, soldering three conductors, and assembling the plug if I'd get the same result by soldering a jumper from R to S???

 

[line6man]

Why would I dick around with buying a plug, cutting cable, stripping cable, soldering three conductors, and assembling the plug if I'd get the same result by soldering a jumper from R to S???

Well, three things came to mind. Firstly, if you had a molded rubber connector that necessitated soldering directly on the ring and sleeve, then the joint would be fragile. Second, there is the matter of cable capacitance, but now that I stop to think about it, that wouldn't be a big deal with a few feet of wire. Third, it can be hard to keep track of which cables are the special, modified ones, when you have a lot of gear. That just causes hassle.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Just do whatever works.