3 ms·

Reliability of 3.5mm vs phone jacks is probably pretty similar (500-1000 cycles?), 1/4” jacks, at least the good ones like Neutrik, brag about >10k cycles. I th

Reliability of 3.5mm vs phone jacks is probably pretty similar (500-1000 cycles?), 1/4” jacks, at least the good ones like Neutrik, brag about >10k cycles. I think there’s a reason audio patch panels used either 1/4” or Lemo. I expect far more reliable contact from RJ preloaded contact springs compared to 3.5mm, which are noisy when disturbed even when new. You could use 4P4C, the handset connector, instead of RJ11/6P4C, the phone line connector. Reasonably common, and no risk of ever plugging in a phone line.

kragen 3y ago
you might be right, but regular plugging and unplugging is a part of the normal usage of the cylindrical connectors in a way it isn't for the modular telephone installation stuff. the tabs do sometimes break off, but i think that's a question of abuse (dragging them backwards through a rat's nest) rather than wear or defects (i assume by 'phone jacks' here you mean rj-11 and 4p4c, but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_jack https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_jack lists cylindrical 3.5mm and ¼” 'phone connectors' as well, because they originated in telephone switchboards) you can actually plug a 4p4c plug into an rj-11 jack, or even an rj-45 jack; it enters and holds securely. it may damage the rj-45 contacts, but it will fit. but it's probably true that it's a less likely error for someone to make in practice, and i wonder if maybe the higher on-hook voltages aren't even passed through to the handset another plus of the modular phone connectors is that they're significantly less work to attach to a cable than a 3.5mm plug, once you have the right crimping tool anyway. (you'll get a shitty connection until you learn to do it right.) otoh, the 3.5mm plug doesn't need a crimping tool