3.5mm to 6.35mm headphone adapter jacks and cables

[Hydrav]

So unfortunately my AKG K371's 3.5mm to 6.35 mm headphone adapter seems to have broken. A couple of days ago I unplugged the headphones from my DAC/AMP and put it away. Today I plugged them back in and the right channel signal was gone. If I push on the adapter a bit, I can barely get a faint signal in right channel. Thinking back I think I have actually had less signal in the right channel for a while, but chalked it off as bad source material.

I took the adapter from an old pair of ATH-A900x I had lying around, screwed it on and luckily it works perfectly. The K371's adapter doesn't work with the A900x either btw, right channel completely gone.

So my issue is solved for now (I'm happy it was just the adapter, I thought for a moment my EX5 headphone out had broken!), but I got to wondering if anyone could recommend a good quality adapter? Again, I've never had an issue with the A900x adapter which I used for years, it's a nice silver one and seems to be better quality than the one AKG provided:

Also, how do people feel about these small extension cables instead, are they perhaps longer lasting and less prone to wear?:

For one thing I imagine they put less strain on the headphone out of the DAC/AMP.

 

[DVDdoug]

If I didn't have one that screws-on I'd go with the adapter cable. And when going the other way (adapting a 6.35MM plug into a computer, etc.) a cable puts less stress on the socket.

 

[Hydrav]

Yep, I think I'll get a cable too. The only negative is that I have a, probably irrational, fear that because a cable is more complex it is therefore more likely to influence the analogue signal.

 

[Jimbob54]

These various adapters (I use XLR, 2.5mm, 4.4mm, 3.5mm and 6.35mm in various directions) are the bane of my life. However, I don't think I've ever had an issue with the 3.5 to 6.35mm standard gold things that come free with most things like supermarket headphones etc (ie the plug in one). I'd buy a pack of 2/3/5 of a 5 star rated version on amazon for $10 or less. Even if each only lasts 6 months of heavy use you've lost nothing.

I'm always wary of the ones with cables as it's an area of weakness /poor manufacture.

(side note, give your faulty one a tap and a blow in case it's dust /hair etc in the barrel)

 

[Hydrav]

(side note, give your faulty one a tap and a blow in case it's dust /hair etc in the barrel)

Thanks, I'll try it, but gotta admit I don't understand how dust can enter when the barrel is closed off by a screw thread!

I think maybe I've just janked it too hard at some point and damaged the inside of the barrel?

But I was also suprised that the adapter was the problem, never in a million years would I consider such a simple construction could be damaged.

 

[MCH]

I don't see why the cable version in your picture would put less strain on the socket than the solid adaptor, unless you have very stiff cables or you mean that it has a "break point" in the case you pull strong the headphones...

PS: I find the fact that the adapters that have a screw thread are pretty universal one of this great rare things that make life easier.

 

[Hydrav]

I don't see why the cable version in your picture would put less strain on the socket than the solid adaptor, unless you have very stiff cables or you mean that it has a "break point" in the case you pull strong the headphones...

PS: I find the fact that the adapters that have a screw thread are pretty universal one of this great rare things that make life easier.

I'm not at all certain it is, but it's possible the cable version could be slightly shorter than the screw on adapter, which would provide less leverage and therefore less strain. Apart from that, some people use them to not wear out the sockets of their dac amps if they change headphones a lot.

In fact I was surprised to find out that the screw threads of the adapters are not universal. Apparently Beyerdynamic uses M5 and M8 threads while some Audio Technica headphones use an M10 thread. It is never simple!