Size of headphone jack on a laptop.

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bobo6363

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#1 bobo6363
Member since 2005 • 43 Posts
Anyone know what the size is? I'm confused on 2.5mm, 3.5mm. and 3.5mm/6.5mm,
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mike4realz

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#2 mike4realz
Member since 2003 • 2577 Posts
3.5mm like the ones on your computer, ipod, or any mp3 playas
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NamelessPlayer

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#3 NamelessPlayer
Member since 2004 • 7729 Posts
I'm all but certain that it's a 3.5mm jack. 3.5mm is used by PC speakers, headphones, microphones/headsets, media players (because it's the common headphone jack size), etc. I have yet to see a laptop using anything other than this size for headphones. 2.5mm is generally used for Xbox Live/wired cell phone headsets, though some cell phones have 3.5mm adapters for use with headphones and music playback. 6.5mm is most likely used with pro-grade audio recording equipment and other applications that do not apply to the aforementioned general uses for 3.5mm and 2.5mm jacks. I can't say for sure since I don't encounter them that often myself, though I do have a set of headphones and a recording device with such jacks.
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markop2003

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#4 markop2003
Member since 2005 • 29917 Posts

6.5mm is used for pro audio, it's the standard for profesional Vinal Decks and alot of good hoe amplifyers comes with them. They're mainly used becasue it's the same plug for any professional musical device, profesional mikes, electric guitars, keyboards all use the same 6.5mm jack. The idea being that you only need one type of cablingand if you wire them into a mixing desk there is no difference between a guitar channel and a mike channel as far as the desk is concerned. This also applies for profesional speakers and good hifi speakers so top end headphones generally use the same plug too so you don't need another type of output plug. Top end inpput and outputs need the bigger plug as there is too high a current for a small jack to cope with.

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tautitan123

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#5 tautitan123
Member since 2005 • 391 Posts
If it's green and it's on a computer it's probably 3.5mm.
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quietguy

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#6 quietguy
Member since 2003 • 1218 Posts

In the US measurement system:

1/8 inch

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#7 bruncleb
Member since 2009 • 25 Posts

6.5mm is used for pro audio, it's the standard for profesional Vinal Decks and alot of good hoe amplifyers comes with them. They're mainly used becasue it's the same plug for any professional musical device, profesional mikes, electric guitars, keyboards all use the same 6.5mm jack. The idea being that you only need one type of cablingand if you wire them into a mixing desk there is no difference between a guitar channel and a mike channel as far as the desk is concerned. This also applies for profesional speakers and good hifi speakers so top end headphones generally use the same plug too so you don't need another type of output plug. Top end inpput and outputs need the bigger plug as there is too high a current for a small jack to cope with.

markop2003
Just to be clear, 6.5mm or 1/4" jacks are not all the same. As pointed out it is a standard size but the signals carried over them is not and plugging something higher powered into sensitive equipment can destroy the equipment. Example, guitar output is generally 1/4" but needs to go through a DI box to be stepped down before going into a mixer or other device expecting "line level" signals. Even worse would be plugging a speaker output which carries many times the power into anything other than a speaker. Nowadays powered speakers which have their own amplifiers built in would even get fried if you plugged a normal amplified speaker output into them which is I believe why they generally don't have 1/4" inputs, just XLR. With XLR, you can assume at least you aren't dealing with amplified signals. Most computer speakers are powered speakers with either usb, battery or AC power which is why a 3.5mm plug works for them.
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JigglyWiggly_

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#8 JigglyWiggly_
Member since 2009 • 24625 Posts

[QUOTE="markop2003"]

6.5mm is used for pro audio, it's the standard for profesional Vinal Decks and alot of good hoe amplifyers comes with them. They're mainly used becasue it's the same plug for any professional musical device, profesional mikes, electric guitars, keyboards all use the same 6.5mm jack. The idea being that you only need one type of cablingand if you wire them into a mixing desk there is no difference between a guitar channel and a mike channel as far as the desk is concerned. This also applies for profesional speakers and good hifi speakers so top end headphones generally use the same plug too so you don't need another type of output plug. Top end inpput and outputs need the bigger plug as there is too high a current for a small jack to cope with.

bruncleb

Just to be clear, 6.5mm or 1/4" jacks are not all the same. As pointed out it is a standard size but the signals carried over them is not and plugging something higher powered into sensitive equipment can destroy the equipment. Example, guitar output is generally 1/4" but needs to go through a DI box to be stepped down before going into a mixer or other device expecting "line level" signals. Even worse would be plugging a speaker output which carries many times the power into anything other than a speaker. Nowadays powered speakers which have their own amplifiers built in would even get fried if you plugged a normal amplified speaker output into them which is I believe why they generally don't have 1/4" inputs, just XLR. With XLR, you can assume at least you aren't dealing with amplified signals. Most computer speakers are powered speakers with either usb, battery or AC power which is why a 3.5mm plug works for them.

Very useful bumping a year old thread.