# 1/4 inch vs. 3.5 mm Jack Difference?



## theBjrd

What is the difference in sound quality when using a 1/4in. jack as opposed to a 3.5mm one? I know that some of the most popular headphones on Head-Fi, most notably the ATH M50, have a 3.5mm jack as the default but comes with a 1/4in adapter. If it defaults to the smaller of the two, then what's the benefit in sound quality of using the adapter in that type of headphone?


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## alv4426

I don't believe there is a benefit other than the fact that a lot amps have a 1/4 output. I usually prefer a 1/8' jack since it is easier to use a 1/4 adapter than the other way around a 1/4 to 1/8.


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## streetdragon

no difference in sound quality, its just that some amps and sources use a 1/4 instead of the standard 3.5.
 i heard that the 1/4 breaks less easily than the 3.5


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## iim7V7IM7

In principle, the fewer connections the better. In actual practice many would say that during a blind A/B comparison few could tell the difference. It also might matter how resolving your system was as to whether you noticed a difference.

The only headphones that I leave that way are my IEMs which are used 95% of the time as airplane/travel headphone. I use the 3.5 mm to 1/4" connector that came with my AKGs on the few occasions I listen to them amped.


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## PurpleAngel

Quote: 





thebjrd said:


> What is the difference in sound quality when using a 1/4in. jack as opposed to a 3.5mm one? I know that some of the most popular headphones on Head-Fi, most notably the ATH M50, have a 3.5mm jack as the default but comes with a 1/4in adapter. If it defaults to the smaller of the two, then what's the benefit in sound quality of using the adapter in that type of headphone?


 
  I guess originally the 1/4" (6.35mm) jack was the standard jack, then Sony came out with the 1/8" (3.5mm, mini-jack) for the first "Walkman". As the 1/4" was not practical for portable audio.
  I believe studios and "professional audio stuff" sticks to 1/4".
  I would guess the 1/4 is designed to be a little more rugged.
   
  I would think sound quality is equal between the 1/8" & 1/4"


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## tme110

On the 1/4 in jack, it is larger, can be studier and less prone to breaking.  With the larger size, you have more options wrt to wiring it up, can make better connections etc.  Plus there is a much larger surface area for connections between the plug and the jack. Since I'm not really into portable audio, I would take phones or amps with 1/8 connections as a negative.


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## obobskivich

Personally I like the 1/8" native + 1/4" adapter idea, because its more versatile, but in terms of SQ or similar it's nothing I've ever noted when switching adapters or not (for example using my MDR-F1 native 1/8" or with the 1/4" adapter, it doesn't seem to change at all). 1/4" is usually more common on mains powered equipment, and is usually a more robust plug and jack. For example look at the Neutrik 1/4" plug that Ultrasone and others use - it's kind of a brute of a plug. But I don't think for at home use it really matters, as long as you can plug-up correctly (and I'd hate that big plug as a mobile component).

In terms of power conduction - the values headphones see are so low that I don't think it's a problem. I'm not sure, however, what the exact differences are; in theory a 1/4" should be able to carry "more" but I don't know exactly what "more" would be. In both cases remember that we're talking about a VERY short/small piece of metal, so it can carry comparatively more power than a similar bit of metal drawn out into a long wire.


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## TwoEars

With some extremely juice sucking cans like the HE-6 you probably want to stick with the 1/4 d-t the larger surface area. Of course - xlr is even better.
   
  Can't imagine hearing any difference on most normal cans though.
   
  But I have to admit I'm partial to the 1/4.
   
  1/8 just feels and looks wrong on a pair of high-end headphones.


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## streetdragon

Quote: 





twoears said:


> With some extremely juice sucking cans like the HE-6 you probably want to stick with the 1/4 d-t the larger surface area. Of course - xlr is even better.
> 
> Can't imagine hearing any difference on most normal cans though.
> 
> ...


 
  but still it looks odd on a pair of HD518,558 and 598.
 looks ok on the 600 series but why start from the 500 series...? kinda bit too early i feel


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## Coll5nEpps

There is no difference in sound quality.  The only difference is the connection on the device.   Portable devices always have the smaller jack.   Home or studio devices usually have the larger more rugged jack(the larger 1/4 inch jack is harder to pull out, making it more stable when recording in a studio).  Even on ultra high end portable players & amps they use the smaller 1/8 inch.


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## joshwalnut

Sorry to bump a dying thread, but i have the HD 558's which has the 1/4" jack for it's primary, then it has the 1/4" to 3.5mm adapter. I'm just wondering does that degrade music quality by using an adapter? It has to go through more connections so i'm guessing that it does, but probably nothing a normal human can detect.. especially on a mid-fi pair of headphones.
   
  ...i still have to make my own cable that's shorter then this plus with a 3.5mm termination because i never use the 1/4" jack by itself.


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## streetdragon

Nah, it would probably degrade it as much as another inch of cable
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
 Imo it is rediculous to place a 6.3 on them.
 The most damage it could do to your music is.... breaking your amp/source 3.5 mmjack.


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## obobskivich

Yeah - should be no problem whatsoever. Just watch out that you don't overload the jack of your component, as previously noted, and ensure that the adapter is making good contact (some of the cheap ones don't, and you can have a channel cut in and out).


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## joshwalnut

Quote: 





streetdragon said:


> Nah, it would probably degrade it as much as another inch of cable
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yeah i made something "special" on my e10 so that big ass adapter doesn't put any weight on the headphone out jack. I thought i've read somewhere on a reputable site that the more connections the music has to go through, it degrades little by little... then again they might have only been talking about DAC's and amps, not connectors/adapters.
   
  Yeah most people that buy these headphones use them on mainstream stuff which is mostly 3.5mm jacks. Should have had the 3.5mm termination with the 3.5mm to 1/4" adapter... but then the "professionals" would complain lol


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## obobskivich

joshwalnut said:


> I thought i've read somewhere on a reputable site that the more connections the music has to go through, it degrades little by little...




That's more vague than anything else - what is meant by "music," "degrades," and how much is "little by little" - .


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## joseph69

I recently purchased a new Adcom GFP-815, and in the specs it said it came with a 1/4 headphone output, when I recieved the unit it did not come with a 1/4, it came with a 1/8, so I purchased a 1/4 to1/8 adapter which did not go well with my SR325is's because between the weight of the cable and the distance from the face of the unit which it protruded (about 4') I was loosing the right channel, because the adapter had so much weight and leverage on it, so I returned the unit for a full refund + shipping back to Adcom with grounds of false advertisement, and purchased a GFP-710 with a 1/4 headphone output. One less connection and a lot less weight and a lot less protrusion.I really don't know why they would put a 1/8 output on a piece of home stereo equipment, makes no sense at all to me, even most dedicated headphone amps come with1/4 output and their much smaller in size.


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## ToddTheMetalGod

There is more surface area to conduct the electrical signal through on a 1/4" plug, but I'm not sure if this actually makes any difference. It may also be a build quality concern, I've seen many problems with plugs breaking off and the likes which only occurred on headphones with 1/8" plugs.


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## obobskivich

joseph69 said:


> I recently purchased a new Adcom GFP-815, and in the specs it said it came with a 1/4 headphone output, when I recieved the unit it did not come with a 1/4, it came with a 1/8, so I purchased a 1/4 to1/8 adapter which did not go well with my SR325is's because between the weight of the cable and the distance from the face of the unit which it protruded (about 4') I was loosing the right channel, because the adapter had so much weight and leverage on it, so I returned the unit for a full refund + shipping back to Adcom with grounds of false advertisement, and purchased a GFP-710 with a 1/4 headphone output. One less connection and a lot less weight and a lot less protrusion.I really don't know why they would put a 1/8 output on a piece of home stereo equipment, makes no sense at all to me, even most dedicated headphone amps come with1/4 output and their much smaller in size.




That's bizarre on the 815 - I agree that it should be a 1/4" on home equipment. 



toddthemetalgod said:


> There is more surface area to conduct the electrical signal through on a 1/4" plug, but I'm not sure if this actually makes any difference.




It doesn't. It's an inconsequential difference.


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## ToddTheMetalGod

Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> It doesn't. It's an inconsequential difference.


 
   
  I thought so, I was just hoping there was some sort of benefit behind 1/4" plugs since most people end up having to use an adapter anyway. It's kind of a disappointment. Nonetheless, I still prefer 1/4" terminated headphones since the cables and plugs they have are usually high quality than that of 1/8".


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## joshwalnut

Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> That's more vague than anything else - what is meant by "music," "degrades," and how much is "little by little" -
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  What's more vague is how nobody knows! I thought you guys were all experts here! huh! 
   
  Actually now that i think about it i've read that on headfonia... might have been in the comments but i'm pretty sure mike wrote it.
   
  Anyways, it really doesn't matter now does it?


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## obobskivich

toddthemetalgod said:


> I thought so, I was just hoping there was some sort of benefit behind 1/4" plugs since most people end up having to use an adapter anyway. It's kind of a disappointment. Nonetheless, I still prefer 1/4" terminated headphones since the cables and plugs they have are usually high quality than that of 1/8".




1/4" is generally a more robust connection (because it *is* bigger), but it's more mechanical/aesthetic than electrical - the amount of power you're actually sending out for most headphones is puny. 




joshwalnut said:


> What's more vague is how nobody knows! I thought you guys were all experts here! huh!




You're asking an impossible question and then getting rude when there isn't an answer - seriously, what you've asked is like: 

"I don't know why this is so hard. I read somewhere once, somewhere I think might've been reputable, that eating certain kinds of food is good for you" - notice how that doesn't really say anything about anything? 

As opposed to:

"A qualified researcher has said that there is a link between consumption of whole grains and improved heart health in humans; is this true?" - which is something that can be tested, evaluated, judged, and so on - there's actually a claim being made that can be evaluated, not just a vague statement about "food" - does that difference make sense? 

So your original claim/question was that "the more stuff music goes through, the worse it is" - well that's flawed for a few reasons, first of all, the equipment isn't sending out "music" - it's sending out a signal, and what are we defining as "stuff" in this scenario, and what are our criteria for "better" or "worse" (they cannot be arbitrary)? And how then are we going to observe changes? (and this can be as simple as "I'm going to listen for a difference" after making XYZ changes) See how impossible that is to answer? 

Really not trying to put you off - it's just that assessing claims like the one you originally made is essentially not possible; more information and context are needed.


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## joshwalnut

I'm sorry if i sounded rude, it was just my failed attempt at humor. Yeah i'm a newb so i don't really know what i'm talking about. My question is vague and i don't really know what i was asking. I just wanted to clarify if using an adapter would maybe "change" the music signal and if there is a change, would the human ears even detect it. When i say change the music signal, maybe like a different soundstage, more muffled sound, maybe not as clear and crisp? Or maybe it might have a positive effect on the source? Common sense tells me that a direct signal from the source (computer>amp) to the headphones would be best.. just the wire and connections. Who knows though.
   
  Well i'm going to get another cable and make my own 3.5mm termination, i'll post back here with my results! (if i remember lol)


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## obobskivich

joshwalnut said:


> I'm sorry if i sounded rude, it was just my failed attempt at humor. Yeah i'm a newb so i don't really know what i'm talking about. My question is vague and i don't really know what i was asking. I just wanted to clarify if using an adapter would maybe "change" the music signal and if there is a change, would the human ears even detect it. When i say change the music signal, maybe like a different soundstage, more muffled sound, maybe not as clear and crisp? Or maybe it might have a positive effect on the source? Common sense tells me that a direct signal from the source (computer>amp) to the headphones would be best.. just the wire and connections. Who knows though.
> 
> Well i'm going to get another cable and make my own 3.5mm termination, i'll post back here with my results! (if i remember lol)




The only thing it can really act upon is the frequency domain (and even then, we're talking extremely (extremely) small potential changes) - soundstage, timing, etc is going to be related to the enclosure, drivers, seal with your head, that kind of thing. The differences between an adapter and no adapter are going to be extremely small, even to precise measuring equipment, assuming the adapter isn't faulty (I've seen increasing numbers of reports of very cheap 1/4" adapters that cannot make consistent contact between both channels) - it's a very small bit of material over a very short distance, it won't have an audible impact (and that's the point). If you wired some resistors into it, you could (potentially) expect some slight changes, but nothing "night and day" or "extremely dramatic" as many magazines would have you believe.


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## joshwalnut

Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> The only thing it can really act upon is the frequency domain (and even then, we're talking extremely (extremely) small potential changes) - soundstage, timing, etc is going to be related to the enclosure, drivers, seal with your head, that kind of thing. The differences between an adapter and no adapter are going to be extremely small, even to precise measuring equipment, assuming the adapter isn't faulty (I've seen increasing numbers of reports of very cheap 1/4" adapters that cannot make consistent contact between both channels) - it's a very small bit of material over a very short distance, it won't have an audible impact (and that's the point). If you wired some resistors into it, you could (potentially) expect some slight changes, but nothing "night and day" or "extremely dramatic" as many magazines would have you believe.


 
  Thanks for that explanation man. Hey, i'm going to get some 3.5mm plugs so i can make a cable... should i go for the gold plated or silver plated jacks?... or does it really matter?


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## obobskivich

joshwalnut said:


> Thanks for that explanation man. Hey, i'm going to get some 3.5mm plugs so i can make a cable... should i go for the gold plated or silver plated jacks?... or does it really matter?




Ehhh...that's kind of a touchy debate. From an electrical standpoint, silver is slightly more conductive (but we're talking about PLATING, not SOLID), but gold is corrosion resistant - given the very small size and whatnot, I doubt it would really matter in terms of adding resistance to the system. From a sonic perspective, there's various opinions on silver having its own sound; IME it doesn't do anything "special" to the signal, but silver-based cables/connectors etc tend to cost a lot more. *shrug*


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## joshwalnut

Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> Ehhh...that's kind of a touchy debate. From an electrical standpoint, silver is slightly more conductive (but we're talking about PLATING, not SOLID), but gold is corrosion resistant - given the very small size and whatnot, I doubt it would really matter in terms of adding resistance to the system. From a sonic perspective, there's various opinions on silver having its own sound; IME it doesn't do anything "special" to the signal, but silver-based cables/connectors etc tend to cost a lot more. *shrug*


 
  Damn, this sound science will drive people mad... i'll just get a gold plated, it's what everything else is on my setup anyway. Thanks


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## hiiisociety

^^^^^^ LOL


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## joshwalnut

^^^^^^^^^^^^^  LMAO OMF THAT;'S SO FUNNEY!


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