Am I ruining my jacks?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Vurt
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Vurt

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How harmful to equipment is the constant plugging/unplugging of cables? I've got damaged inserts on a couple 4 tracks, but I'm talking about to more solid equipment.

I've got a Korg D1600 and other f/x's and preamps, and am CONSTANTLY re-wiring everything. Even monitors! There's just no way around it. I wrote to Mr. Patchbay after reading that wonderfully informative thread on patchbays, but he never wrote me back. Maybe he thought I was kidding about using one in conjunction with a HD recorder, or maybe it was because I told him I wanted it pre-wired.

Well, I'm not. Even if the gear isn't being damaged, it's a pain in the ass!!
 
Dip them puppies in KY before you plug them in..... Smooth as silk!... :D
 
I've seen many jack sockets from the inside... These things can handle quite a bit of plugging/replugging......

I've seen some damaged too, but mostly it were cheap sockets in effects pedals, loose contacts (easy fix), or very old sockets. Don't think you have to worry all that much.

As for a patchbay, you can buy prewired patchbays. I think. See what you need (balanced/unbalanced (stereo/mono), normalized etc...) and what the market offers, shouldn't be all that hard?
 
Do you think the KY would make my music sound any better?

I'll have to look into some other outlets for one pre-wired (I want normal). It just occurred to me that I didn't look anywhere other than Mr. Patchbay, and I have no idea why not.
 
What you have to watch out for is jack sockets that are soldered directly onto the circuit board, constant plugging and unplugging flexes the circuit board and the metal pins which act as the electrical connections, they can actually break off.
An easy way to tell is the ones that are supported only by their solder connections dont have a nut and washer securing the socket to the case.
 
Yo Vurt of TRUV:]

I bought this little giz at MF which is a graphite lubricator tool.

You take the 1/4 plug and plug it in and take it out, Voila, socket is treated.

Other way around, it has a 1/4 inch female opening, and you put in your 1/4 inch plugs and take them out, and Voila, the plug is good for a couple of months or longer....I can't remember the details.

You can find this item in the Musician's Friend catalog....haven't seen it advertised anywhere else as of this date.

Green Hornet
 
Sideways motion will damage them more than straight in plugging. Try to avoid plugging heavy adapters or transformers into jacks that plug horizontally. Just be carefull that the cables dont get pulled and you take care when plugging and unplugging.
 
Thanks... at least now I don't feel like I'm tearing things up. I'll continue to be careful, but am going to look into a patchbay for convenience.

Green Hornet, have you been using that "giz" long?
 
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