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3.5mm headphone jack or USB-C headphone jack?

Doodski

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For headphone use I'm against switching over to USB-C because it doesn't have the serviceability of a 3.5mm jack, I still own 3 sets of 3.5mm earbuds that I use everyday and the selection of USB-C type headphones is somewhat limited. Imagine soldering on a USB-C jack. It would be trickier than a 3.5mm jack. Does USB-C provide better structural integrity with the PCB it is soldered to versus a 3.5mm jack? Linux Tech Tips tested a USB-C to ~8000 insertions and and disconnections and it never failed. I doubt a 3.5mm jack would withstand this before the locking spring and conductor springs stretched or broke inside the female jack and the PCB copper traces broke or the solder joints broke. Who is for USB-C and who's for 3.5mm?
 

maverickronin

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Plugging/unplugging cycles is really the wrong metric for "durability". Even as the springyness of the contacts drops off with usage it rarely results in an outright failure, just progressively more finickyness with plugging it in. IME some other form of catastrophic destruction of the jack or plug is more likely

The structural integrity of the plug and socket is really what's important. On that front USB C is far superior to the disaster that was micro USB. Still not as good as a 1/8" TRS though.
 

restorer-john

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Who is for USB-C and who's for 3.5mm?

Neither.

1/4" (6.35mm) plug for me.

1627774375435.jpeg
 

eas

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For perspective, if you plugged your headphones in (and out) twice a day, every day, it would take over 10y to reach 8000 cycles.

My first big electronics purchase came in the 8th grade or so. It took a lot of paper route money + cash birthday and Christmas gifts to buy. It was an Aiwa portable stereo cassette recorder with auto reverse. The headphone jack failed at the solder joints in less than three (2?) years. I may have tried to repair it, I doubt I succeeded given the equipment I had access to at the time, and the fact that it would be many years before I really appreciated the value of extra flux when reworking soldered joints.
 

JJB70

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I much prefer the pig tail type 3.5 to 6.35 adapters as the solid ones can result in very high bending moments on the 3.5 jack
 

Jimbob54

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For headphone use I'm against switching over to USB-C because it doesn't have the serviceability of a 3.5mm jack, I still own 3 sets of 3.5mm earbuds that I use everyday and the selection of USB-C type headphones is somewhat limited. Imagine soldering on a USB-C jack. It would be trickier than a 3.5mm jack. Does USB-C provide better structural integrity with the PCB it is soldered to versus a 3.5mm jack? Linux Tech Tips tested a USB-C to ~8000 insertions and and disconnections and it never failed. I doubt a 3.5mm jack would withstand this before the locking spring and conductor springs stretched or broke inside the female jack and the PCB copper traces broke or the solder joints broke. Who is for USB-C and who's for 3.5mm?

Are you talking about taking the analog audio out of the phone via USB (Which I understand is possible and does happen) or putting the DAC in the dongle/ headphone cable?

If all HP and phone manufacturers adopted the former route I would happily use it. But whilst ever HP manufs want to go with 3.5mm and then I need a dongle to get the analog out of the phone via USB C, its not a real world option for me. I'd rather go with a very well measuring USB C dongle and 3.5mm iem/HP of my choice in that case if I still have to use 3.5mm.
 

Katji

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^^^Phone reviews have pages of stuff but good luck with getting that sorted out.
 
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