Headphone Cable - Static Electricity - Potential Damage?

[MorningDew]

Hello! I'm posting this under DYI hoping to pick the brains of other cable makers out there or at least those who have a better understanding of electricity than me (the bar isn't super high on that one).

I have enjoyed making a few headphone cables which have utilized one of Canare's 4 conductor braided shield cable. Similar to some cable-making companies out there, I make the Y-split a mini XLR so that I keep one cable plugged into an amp and just switch headphones at the "Y". To give them a custom look for myself, I cut off the outer jacket and replaced it with paracord (I think it looks a little nicer for my non-headphone listening family members to not have the room look like a concert stage). The problem that has arisen is that there are times that if I shift around on the furniture, stand up, touch the cable and can feel a static shock that is also heard in the headphones. The lack of humidity during the Northeast US winter has made some of these shocks considerable. I have begun trying to ground myself in creative ways to avoid this from happening. I assume the shock is going though the braided sleeve which is soldered to the XLR ground lug but on the 1/4 inch SE cable, the sleeve it's connected to also has the Left - and Right - tied in.

Is this just unpleasant or potentially dangerous for the headphones and/or amplifier? I feel like I can't be the only person out there this is happening to.

I know the simple answer is to avoid the problem and use cables with the outer jacket in place. However, I'm enjoying the this modular system that I've been able to create that suites my length and connection needs. I have a headphone on the way that uses a single 3.5mm TRRS plug so I'd like to make a new cable to use them via XLR. Before I start I'm trying to decide if I should change my approach.

I appreciate your reading this and welcome any advice. Thanks!

 

[DVDdoug]

There is SOME risk of damaging the amplifier, not the headphones... unless "something bad" happens to the amplifier and then it kills the headphones.

The shield should (hopefully) safely divert the static discharge to ground, and the amplifier may have some protection built-in.

There are some anti-static sprays that you can use on your furniture & carpets but their effect is temporary (and maybe not 100% effective).

A grounded anti-static wrist strap can slowly discharge your body (so you don't feel a shock/spark) or it will prevent a charge from building-up, but it's not exactly convenient... (They are made for when you're touching or working on a circuit board.)

 

[MorningDew]

There is SOME risk of damaging the amplifier, not the headphones... unless "something bad" happens to the amplifier and then it kills the headphones.

The shield should (hopefully) safely divert the static discharge to ground, and the amplifier may have some protection built-in.

There are some anti-static sprays that you can use on your furniture & carpets but their effect is temporary (and maybe not 100% effective).

A grounded anti-static wrist strap can slowly discharge your body (so you don't feel a shock/spark) or it will prevent a charge from building-up, but it's not exactly convenient... (They are made for when you're touching or working on a circuit board.)

Thanks. Would you expect most modern amps to have protection built-in? The one I'd be most disappointed with damaging would be the Singxer SA-1. I haven't done it but there is jumper "mod" that I believe bypasses DC protection. Would this be any more dangerous with the static issue or is this a whole other part of the circuit in question?

Furniture spray isn't a bad idea but it might but might not be worth the strange looks from family.

The wrist strap idea is an interesting one (and certainly cheap enough to try). It would really only be needed for the few seconds it takes to get up and turn everything off. Thanks!

I know there's no way to make guarantees but I guess I'm still curious if I'm overthinking this or right to be concerned.

 

[middlemarch]

As indicated above, there is no possibility of static discharge damage to the headphones. As for the amplifier, the output components will be robust and the impedance to ground will be low (with reference to static charges), so the chance of static damage is extremely low

 

[Jimbob54]

See the issues with the first few batches of topping L30.

It shouldn't hurt an amp but if the amp isn't designed /built right it can, then onto the headphones.

Having no technical ability I would have no idea how to check any given amp was sound in a high static environment so as others have said, find ways to discharge.

In my case it was touching the amp that did it, more than just wearing the headphones.

 

[MorningDew]

As indicated above, there is no possibility of static discharge damage to the headphones. As for the amplifier, the output components will be robust and the impedance to ground will be low (with reference to static charges), so the chance of static damage is extremely low

Good to hear about the headphones. Sounds like from what you’re saying risk to amp is low too. Thinking now also that if it hasn’t incurred damage yet, it probably won’t. Thanks for your help.

 

[MorningDew]

See the issues with the first few batches of topping L30.

It shouldn't hurt an amp but if the amp isn't designed /built right it can, then onto the headphones.

Having no technical ability I would have no idea how to check any given amp was sound in a high static environment so as others have said, find ways to discharge.

In my case it was touching the amp that did it, more than just wearing the headphones.

Yikes, scary about the amp. Seems like in this case a competently built product in this regard should be okay. I guess there’s a reality too that a lot of cables are built this way. If people were frying their gear with them we’d all have heard about it by now. Thanks for your feedback.