Recommendations for 1/8"/3.5mm and 1/4"/6.35mm Stereo Jacks for PCB Mount (& KiCad)?
I am selecting PCB mount jacks (both 3.5mm & 6.35mm or 1/8" & 1/4" stereo) and I was wondering if I could ask for advice on which ones are recommended and long lasting. I thought I would ask before I stock up and make PCB designs with a bad jack design.
I am using KiCad so if there are existing tested footprints that would be great but otherwise I should be able to edit an existing footprint to support a different design.
The first three images are 3.5mm (1/8") stereo jacks that I have found online but I am not sure which are more reliable and long lasting. I wonder if the first one is strong and long lasting due to the metal sleeve connection that goes straight to a PCB through hole.
The fourth image is 6.35mm (1/4") and I think it might fit a Neutrik footprint that KiCad already has. I think it is a long lasting design as I have seen them inside my gear (such as in my Digidesign 003 rack and all still work fine).
The fifth image is also 6.35mm (1/4") and I also think it is a long lasting design since I have also seen see that design inside my gear. That last image does not appear to have a footprint in the standard KiCad libraries but they look like connectors for 2 of the channels in 15 year old E-MU 1616m interfaces that still work today without any crackling.
Any suggestions? Should I avoid any of the ones shown in the attached images? I will be using them with notch filters, LNA and DAC/ADC.
I am selecting PCB mount jacks (both 3.5mm & 6.35mm or 1/8" & 1/4" stereo) and I was wondering if I could ask for advice on which ones are recommended and long lasting. I thought I would ask before I stock up and make PCB designs with a bad jack design.
I am using KiCad so if there are existing tested footprints that would be great but otherwise I should be able to edit an existing footprint to support a different design.
The first three images are 3.5mm (1/8") stereo jacks that I have found online but I am not sure which are more reliable and long lasting. I wonder if the first one is strong and long lasting due to the metal sleeve connection that goes straight to a PCB through hole.
The fourth image is 6.35mm (1/4") and I think it might fit a Neutrik footprint that KiCad already has. I think it is a long lasting design as I have seen them inside my gear (such as in my Digidesign 003 rack and all still work fine).
The fifth image is also 6.35mm (1/4") and I also think it is a long lasting design since I have also seen see that design inside my gear. That last image does not appear to have a footprint in the standard KiCad libraries but they look like connectors for 2 of the channels in 15 year old E-MU 1616m interfaces that still work today without any crackling.
Any suggestions? Should I avoid any of the ones shown in the attached images? I will be using them with notch filters, LNA and DAC/ADC.
Attachments
Look at Switchcraft, especially if you are in the US.
Switchcraft : 3.5MM Jacks
Switchcraft : 1/4" Jacks and Plugs
Switchcraft : 3.5MM Jacks
Switchcraft : 1/4" Jacks and Plugs
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For 6.3mm I would suggest Neutrik NRJ6HH-AU:
NRJ6HH-AU | Neutrik
These allow you to screw down the connector from the bottom if you want to. Mouser stocks them, so does Arrow Electronics.
Edit: For Notch Filters, LNA etc. (everything that is test & measurement equipment) BNC connectors and suitable coaxial cables are usually the preferred choice.
NRJ6HH-AU | Neutrik
These allow you to screw down the connector from the bottom if you want to. Mouser stocks them, so does Arrow Electronics.
Edit: For Notch Filters, LNA etc. (everything that is test & measurement equipment) BNC connectors and suitable coaxial cables are usually the preferred choice.
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If you put a 2-inch lever on a PCB part, somebody can fall on it and break it. The truly long-life design would be jumper wires and a readily-replaced jack.
That is certainly true. You would probably want to avoid any excessive bending stresses on the PCB anyway, especially if there are any SMD MLCCs mounted. If bending stresses are expected, you could consider using MLCCs with flexible termination or through hole parts (and everything that comes with it...).
No..... the jack is nominal 3.5mm, but when it came to the USA on late 1950s Japenese pocket radios nobody here had mm calipers, it looked "about 1/8 inch", actually the tip is very close to 1/8" 3.2mm while the body runs closer to 1/7", 3.5mm. "1/8" seemed logical next to the 1/4" connector. (Which is not 6.3mm but rather 6.35mm; all "nominal" because there is clearance to allocate.)
The next point of confusion seems to be 2.5mm or about 1/10 inch.
An obscure size is 3⁄16 in high density patchbays.
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