3.5mm mini to 1/4" stereo cable

[Lalo Alvidrez]

I am looking for a STEREO 3.5mm - STEREO 1/4" PHONE cable at least 25' long. I've google it and can't believe that I haven't run across something. If you have one where did you purchase it? I need to buy one pronto.

[Charles Papert]

You might want to indicate the gender of the connectors on each end you are looking for...

[Charles Papert]

In any event, is this what you are looking for?

[Lalo Alvidrez]

male to male. didn't think about that when posting originally.

[Lalo Alvidrez]

Thanx Charles that's it.

[Gerry Gallegos]

First I would ask what you intend to use this cable for, as both of these format connectors are rarely used for the same purpose. TRS (1/4" stereo) is usually used as a Balanced version of 1/4" (equivalent to XLR) for line level balanced MONO signals. where 3.5mm (mini stereo) is usually used for "Stereo" unbalanced signals. in the TRS format the cabling inside is usually configured with the ground to shield and pin 2 to tip and pin 3 to ring, in the mini it is usually ground to shield with tip being right and ring being left (utilizing the 3 conductors ) . but these two types of signals are not compatible (Mini is never used for Balanced signals). The main reason you don't usually see this kind of cable over 20 feet long is because more than likely used to send an un-balanced audio signal somewhere, and un-balanced signal is thought to have a maximum "Clean" distance limit of 20 feet (actually 12 if you're more of a purist).

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Gerry Gallegos

First I would ask what you intend to use this cable for, as both of these format connectors are rarely used for the same purpose. TRS (1/4" stereo) is usually used as a Balanced version of 1/4" (equivalent to XLR) for line level balanced MONO signals. where 3.5mm (mini stereo) is usually used for "Stereo" unbalanced signals. in the TRS format the cabling inside is usually configured with the ground to shield and pin 2 to tip and pin 3 to ring, in the mini it is usually ground to shield with tip being right and ring being left (utilizing the 3 conductors ) . but these two types of signals are not compatible (Mini is never used for Balanced signals). The main reason you don't usually see this kind of cable over 20 feet long is because more than likely used to send an un-balanced audio signal somewhere, and un-balanced signal is thought to have a maximum "Clean" distance limit of 20 feet (actually 12 if you're more of a purist).

Your comment that 1/8 mini plugs are never used for mono balanced signals and 1/4 phone plugs are never used for unbalanced stereo is simply not true. 1/4 TRS stereo jacks are extremely common, headphone outputs being just one nearly universal example. 1/8 TRS balanced jacks are not as common but are certainly not exactly unheard of. As long as a patch cable is wired tip-to-tip, ring-to-ring, and sleeve-to-sleeve, as it will be unless somebody at the factory screwed up, the same cable will work fine for either a balanced mono or an unbalanced stereo connection. You are correct, though, in saying that 50 feet is really pushing the envelope for an unbalanced cable run except for signal at speaker level.

[Gerry Gallegos]

Well... if you read I never said they are "never" used in this fashion(except for the 3.5mm). I stated that the use is "rare" as far as why a TRS would be connected to a 3.5mm, especially for that distance .(yes headphone is probably the only time I can think of that this would be used) and if you can show me a piece of gear that uses 3.5mm balanced audio, I will gladly tuck my tail and walk away, (never seen one in the last 18 years in the AV industry), but hey I might be wrong, it does happen. the reason why I was asking as to what the purpose for this cable was, is because sometimes people assume that because its a 3 conductor cable it must all be the same, I have seen too many people connect a Balanced TRS (constantly bein called a stereo 1/4")to the balanced output of a mixer and plug the other side (3.5mm) to a mic or line input of some device like a laptop or camera, only to find themselves with all sorts of phasing problems among others. so my reason for this question is to find out if there perhaps is a better (more proper) way to make the connection he is trying to achieve, depending on his application, there perhaps needed to be wired in a different fashion, or a splitter or combiner needed.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Gerry Gallegos

Well... if you read I never said they are "never" used in this fashion(except for the 3.5mm). I stated that the use is "rare" as far as why a TRS would be connected to a 3.5mm, especially for that distance .(yes headphone is probably the only time I can think of that this would be used) and if you can show me a piece of gear that uses 3.5mm balanced audio, I will gladly tuck my tail and walk away, (never seen one in the last 18 years in the AV industry), but hey I might be wrong, it does happen. the reason why I was asking as to what the purpose for this cable was, is because sometimes people assume that because its a 3 conductor cable it must all be the same, I have seen too many people connect a Balanced TRS (constantly bein called a stereo 1/4")to the balanced output of a mixer and plug the other side (3.5mm) to a mic or line input of some device like a laptop or camera, only to find themselves with all sorts of phasing problems among others. so my reason for this question is to find out if there perhaps is a better (more proper) way to make the connection he is trying to achieve, depending on his application, there perhaps needed to be wired in a different fashion, or a splitter or combiner needed.

Well, on reflection I'll certainly strongly agree with you in suggesting he take a careful look at what he's connecting. I'm certain I've seen 1/8 used for a balanced mic and/or line but I'll be damned if I can remember what gear it was on now so it may have just been Old Timer's Disease talking. When I wrote I was thinking of something like a stereo headphone monitor return from a camera back to a mixer or some similar unbalanced stereo application where a 1/4 needed to go to a 1/8 or vice versa, especially in the length he was asking about. If he's looking for a cable to go the other way, sending a preamp's mono balanced output to a camera mic input for example, it could easily be a disaster.