Make or Buy Headphone Adapter?

[fine-tune]

I've got a box full of audio adapters, but what I need is probably not manufactured.

I need a 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo plug at the front and a normally closed (NC) jack in
the rear.

Why do I want this?

I'm constantly plugging wireless or corded headphones into desktop speaker jacks.
All these NC jacks get bent out of shape and they fail. Most are not open frame style,
so you can't insert a probe and fiddle with the contacts. Your only option is to replace
the jack.

If I had several cheap adapters (see attached image) they would take all the abuse,
not the speaker jack.

Must I cut a few short lengths of coax and make my own, or can they be purchased
on the web?

[Janitor Tzap]

I know what your going through.

I have a beat up old SONY WALKMAN that I use a lot.
And the Jack has gotten really bad now.
I can't replace it, because they just don't make the stereo jacks for it anymore.

But I would suggest one of these in your case.

They are fairly cheap, and you can find them at Dollar Stores, Thrift Stores, Walmart, etc......

Now if you had a bunch of the 3.5 Stereo Jacks too go with the 3.5 Stereo Plugs......

Then yeah,
make up a bunch of Stereo Extension Cords.

I made up Stereo Extension Cords for my computers, since they normally sit under my desk, or bench.
Makes it easier to unplug the speakers, and plug in the headphones.


Signed: Janitor Tzap

[fine-tune]

I have to apologize, Janitor Tzap. I asked a question when I already knew the answer. You can
search a dozen popular sites that sell components. No one has the type of adapter I need.

I have a huge collection of audio and video adapters that I never use. Many are obsolete
and should be tossed in the trash.

I have numerous "Y" adapters similar to your attached image. They won't resolve my problem.

I should have attached a few more images to my post. When I said "desktop speakers" I was
referring to amplified speakers that are used with laptops, desktops, AIO computers, etc.
Logitech always comes to mind when I think about PC speakers.

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/speakers-audio?overview

No matter what the brand, they all have NC 3.5mm jacks. The adapter must also have a NC
jack in the rear. If not, you've opened the circuit and no sound will be heard from the speakers!

Making compact adapters is a pain in the neck. I'll have to cut a piece of square or round tube
and install the jack inside.

I'm about to purchase more speakers. Before I ruin the jacks, I'll make the adapters.

[Lenp]

Here's all the options I can muster!

If you are not trying to switch the speakers from a remote jack, why not use a simple male/female extension cable?

You might consider just extending the internal jack's five wires to a standard 1/4" 3C switched jack which can take the punishment the small jack cannot handle, or replace the cheap 3.5mm speaker jack with a better quality jack, like from Switchcraft.

Or, use a 2 pole switch to mute the speakers and wire in a non-switched 3C jack for the headset. This gives the added value of having the speakers on, or off, independent of the plug being inserted!

If you are trying to keep the speakers on with the 'extension' plugged in, and turn them off when a plug is in the extension jack, no standard wiring or adapter will work that is plugged into speaker jack. The internal speakers are disconnected by a switch mechanism on the jack and those speaker circuits do not appear on the plug or cable. You would need a 5 wire cable and a 5 wire switched jack, in essence, extending the present jack outside of the enclosure. Even the expensive multi-conductor Nexus style connectors don't have that switching capability. The Wires needed would be ... Audio-L, Speaker-L, Audio-R, Speaker-R, Speakers and Common.
By the way, coax is not required! Speakers and headsets are low impedance circuits, and usually only hi impedance and RF circuits need the coax. I guess coax is commonly used since it is common for patch cables and microphones, is cheap, available and it makes a better appearance that an un-shielded three wire cable.

I have a circuit design that I think will switch the speakers off when a headset is connected, even from an standard extension cable, but it might be a bit overkill for this project!