We sell all sorts of audio cables with connectors, and there have been lots of new products brought to the market over the last several years that are real improvements. Connectors like Neutrik’s Speakons and all sorts of data connectors are big improvements over their predecessors.
One of the worst audio connectors ever invented appears to the the one that will last until the end of time. That’s the quarter inch connector.
This common audio connector dates back to the 19th century when telephone switchboards were first created, and it is almost unchanged in today’s version. It is a two or three conductor connector and is used on millions of musical instruments and audio components.
The way the male version of this connector is designed to mate with the female version means that the center “hot” (signal carrying) conductor must touch and “short out” with the sleeve “cold” (ground carrying) conductor in order to be completely connected. This almost always results in a loud popping noise in an energized audio system and may cause speaker or amplifier damage.
The standard version of this connector has no latching mechanism, so it is easy to unplug an instrument by accidentally stepping on the cable or tangling it up.
The reason that this connector will probably survive forever is that it is the standard that was adopted for electric guitars. Because vintage guitars and vintage amplifiers are in such demand by today’s musicians, it means that the quarter inch standard must survive.
Otherwise, a guitar player with a collector’s edition guitar couldn’t use a new amplifier or a player with a new guitar couldn’t plug in to a vintage amp.
Unfortunately, this bad piece of design is with us forever.
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