1/4" jack socket cleaner?

Beech · 6th September 2006, 09:54 AM

Hi folks,

I've got some headphone boxes that have started intermittently give problems (headphones only work on one side). I have this thing, a burnisher I believe its called, for cleaning a bantem patchbay. You stick it in and twirl it around and that cleans the connections inside. I am assuming that is the problem with our headphone boxes

Does anyone know of a similar product for 1/4" sockets?

Many thanks!

max cooper · 6th September 2006, 12:33 PM

You can get in there with some fine grit sandpaper and rough up the contact points on the jacks, but I doubt that's the problem. 1/4" connections are usually robust enough that it's something else; if it's the jack, it's more likely the tip contact may need to be bent inward a bit. When they become "sprung" they can make less positive contact.

Do you get the same intermittent problem on the same jack with different headphone pairs?

With headphones, the problem I generally find is that the cord has been yanked one too many times and the connection at either end may need to be re-soldered or worse, the wire has actually begun to break up inside the insulation which would require re-cabling the headphones. Since headphones get moved around, cables get stepped on, etc. the cables tend to have more problems than, say, a patch cable.

If they're something like AKG's, replacement cables are available and plug right in.

Thumper · 6th September 2006, 12:49 PM

If you troubleshoot it down to the jacks, take some contact cleaner and spray some in the jack, and on a 1/4" connector. Plug and un-plug the sprayed connecter 40 times or something like that, and see if that helps.

More often than not, it will be loose contacts in the jack though, so you might have to open the box up, and use a pliers to bend them in a little bit.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Wiring 1/8" Headphone jack to 1/4"	Rednose	Low End Theory	7	11th May 2007 02:23 PM
fpga coprocessor in 939 socket	qtuner	Music computers	0	24th April 2006 03:28 PM
What is a shorting mono 1/4" jack?	dan*leclub	Geekslutz forum	7	10th March 2006 09:20 PM
How to Re-tension a Tube Socket?	jabney	Geekslutz forum	4	8th July 2005 07:11 AM

6th September 2006, 09:54 AM	#1
Beech Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Dublin Posts: 636	1/4" jack socket cleaner? Hi folks, I've got some headphone boxes that have started intermittently give problems (headphones only work on one side). I have this thing, a burnisher I believe its called, for cleaning a bantem patchbay. You stick it in and twirl it around and that cleans the connections inside. I am assuming that is the problem with our headphone boxes Does anyone know of a similar product for 1/4" sockets? Many thanks!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

6th September 2006, 12:33 PM	#2
max cooper Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: tx Posts: 8,819	You can get in there with some fine grit sandpaper and rough up the contact points on the jacks, but I doubt that's the problem. 1/4" connections are usually robust enough that it's something else; if it's the jack, it's more likely the tip contact may need to be bent inward a bit. When they become "sprung" they can make less positive contact. Do you get the same intermittent problem on the same jack with different headphone pairs? With headphones, the problem I generally find is that the cord has been yanked one too many times and the connection at either end may need to be re-soldered or worse, the wire has actually begun to break up inside the insulation which would require re-cabling the headphones. Since headphones get moved around, cables get stepped on, etc. the cables tend to have more problems than, say, a patch cable. If they're something like AKG's, replacement cables are available and plug right in.

6th September 2006, 12:49 PM	#3
Thumper Gear addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 408	If you troubleshoot it down to the jacks, take some contact cleaner and spray some in the jack, and on a 1/4" connector. Plug and un-plug the sprayed connecter 40 times or something like that, and see if that helps. More often than not, it will be loose contacts in the jack though, so you might have to open the box up, and use a pliers to bend them in a little bit.