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Cheap input/output jacks

Started by taeagan, April 05, 2005, 12:45:13 PM

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taeagan

April 05, 2005, 12:45:13 PM
Anybody have any recommendations?  I'm placing a Mouser order soon, and it looks like the cheapest they have are on p.755, Neutrik p/n 550-10021 and 550-NMJ6HC-S.  $0.52 and $1.13 each, respectively, if you buy 10 or more.  I've never used these particular parts, so if anybody has any advice, please fire away.  Thanks.

Triffid

#1
April 05, 2005, 12:55:22 PM
To be honest...  my advice would be to stick to good quality jacks.  It just isn't worth the $1-$2 savings (even in bulk) to have one flake out on you.  You can't go wrong with switchcraft.

There are some parts you can get away with searching for the cheapest possible (resistors, caps, etc....) Jacks aren't one of them.

Rodgre

#2
April 05, 2005, 01:12:29 PM
I tend to agree. I've never found a more economical solution to jacks, and I've never been able to rely on anything BUT the Switchcrafts. I used to buy Radio Shack jacks all the time and they always failed on me. I vowed never to use them again.

I'm not sure about the Neutriks. They may be great as well, but I know that I can trust Switchcrafts.

Roger

Fret Wire

#3
April 05, 2005, 01:27:33 PM
Fret Wire
(Keyser Soze)

MattAnonymous

#4
April 05, 2005, 01:29:14 PM
It's people like us who contribute to dead fx pedals selling on eBay for what they'd cost new!

taeagan

#5
April 05, 2005, 01:38:30 PM
Fret Wire - perfect!  Thanks a lot.  I was doing some searches on the site and didn't come up with these.  Much cheaper than the Neutrik jacks I usually use (and never have any trouble with), p/n 502-111 and 502-112b.

ExpAnonColin

#6
April 05, 2005, 05:20:33 PM
I use some enclosed switched stereo jacks that I buy in GIGANTIC lots... they are amazing, I have sold/used over 200 and none of them have acted up.  Not to spam but I have some for sale if you want any... they are cheap because they are in such big lots.

-Colin

Mark Hammer

#7
April 05, 2005, 07:18:58 PM
People have discussed "failing jacks" but nobody describes what it is that goes wrong.  

Jacks are essentially rivetted things.  The threaded collet that sticks out of the hole passes through several phenolic and metal slugs and is compressed on the "inside" side of the structure, so that all the layers are rivetted together.  When jacks "fail" it is certainly not because of the quality of contact, but rather because the layers have loosened enough that contacts start to slide around like a bunch of stack frying pans, or because the rivetted end of the shield has opened up and the layers are falling right off.

Once in a while' I find I am able to "save" a jack by squeezing it appropriately with pliers so that the inside end of the collet is once again splayed out and tightly compressed against the layers of phenolic, etc.

This begets the question that if the difference between better and lesser quality jacks is the security of that rivet action, and if jack failure CAN be reversed, does anyone have any tricks they use or devices they can recommend for squeezing jacks back together (nondestructively) and rehabilitating them?

Rick

#8
April 05, 2005, 08:58:05 PM
One thing I always do now to prevent the cheap jacks from twisting and contacts sliding together is putting a blob of epoxy (hot melt glue may work in a pinch)  on the side of the jack layers so they do not spin. Press the glue right in the grooves and let it harden.  The cheap jacks will easily spin and short the contacts together when tightening them in the case. This twisting with the cheap jacks is a pretty regular occurance and I now put glue on all the ones I buy a day or so before the build. They are quite sturdy after doing this though.   ...Rick

Alex C

#9
April 05, 2005, 09:08:13 PM
Neutrik stuff is also viewed favorably in this thread.

Brian Marshall

#11
April 05, 2005, 10:37:53 PM
Quote from: Fret WireNeutrik does make good quality 1/4" jacks and phone plugs. The NYS229 (mono) and NYS230 (stereo) jacks are high quality, like the Switchcrafts.

http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?handler=displayproduct&lstdispproductid=368679&e_categoryid=329&e_pcodeid=56807

http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?&handler=data.listcategory&D=*nys230*&terms=nys230&Ntt=*nys230*&Dk=1&Ns=SField&N=0&crc=true

i would actually say that they are better.
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