[LAU] Jacks and sockets - Was: Berlin Linux Audio meeting @ c-base 2018-10-09

[Tim]

On 10/06/2018 03:51 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> On Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:31:55 -0700 (PDT), Len Ovens wrote:
>> There are more robust ethernet rj45 solutions:
>> https://www.avshop.ca/wire-amp-cable-connectors-ethernet/neutrik-ne8fdp-rj45-ethercon-female-pass-thrutype?gclid=Cj0KCQjwuuHdBRCvARIsAELQRQHpNlzMIWwzPn1fQU8f4lCg3V5I3o9d6FKMDTkiOKvknv3nLdoLaMAaAkO5EALw_wcB
>> https://www.avshop.ca/wire-amp-cable-connectors-ethernet/neutrik-ne8mc-1-ethercon-rj45-connector
>>
>> I don't know if the cycle count improves at all though.
> 
> It does improve the steadiness of the jack to socket connection itself
> and provides a strain relief. IMO it's a good idea.
> 
> I would like to continue talking about jacks. If somebody does know
> something about the jacks and cables used for
> https://www.roland.com/us/products/gkc-5_10/ , please reply off-list.
> 
> However, off-list I was asked to stop my annoying off-topic writing
> regarding jacks. My apologies for disturbing the important "Berlin Linux
> Audio meeting" notes.

Greetings.
New topic OK with me if it's OK with readers, I'll reply here in case
  the info is useful :-)

As a repair tech, we get get to see the ugly side of design,
  things that seemed like a good idea but fail in practice.
(If I had a dollar for every high-end design I've seen with problems...)

Most folks become aware that even the best quality single-conductor
  (with shield ground) 1/4" guitar cables eventually break. It happens
  to all of them. Usually at the entry point to the plug, or in the
  plug itself. Less often in the middle of the cable.
It's the nature of the beast when the cable is constantly being flexed.
Much less so if the cable is fixed and never moved, of course.

Now take that hard-learned experience with a single-conductor cable
  and apply it to *thirteen* conductors. Guess what happens...

(Jacks for these DIN type plugs are usually never a problem if
  secured and soldered properly. Usually far less trouble than
  other types of jacks.)

Often, the cause of the cable's break is the plug's strain relief
  being too tight - ironically the very thing that is supposed
  to help prevent breakage in the first place.

I can't be too harsh on this product for the price/weight range.
But yeah, buy TWO of them to be safe.
Some cables are built like tanks and never seem to break.
Like the old IBM printer or RS-232 or military cables.
But that adds weight.

[Story:] In the days of Citizen's Band radio, there used to be a
  popular model called the 'One-Hander' where instead of all the
  knobs and buttons and channel readout being in the base unit,
  all of it was in the microphone.
Unfortunately that required a multi-conductor cable from
  the mic to the base unit.
Guess what happened to those cables after a few years of
  flexing and talking on the mic... Multiple /broken/ conductors
  in the cable /and/ the plug.
They were DIN cables and plugs and jacks BTW, looking almost
  exactly like this product. Except they were /coiled/ cables
  which sometimes makes things worse.

HTH. I could talk all day about plugs, cables, or bad design.
Cheers.
Tim.