Topic: Preventing miniplugs from snapping off jacks

[LikeASong]

Hi there.

I was st*al*h recording a rock concert the other day and was surprised after the show when I found the mic plug had slipped off the battery box jack input while recording (I obviously didn't notice). I got home without knowing how much recording time I had lost and well, only 40 minutes off a 2:40 show were gone, but I was pissed anyway.

I'm sure this might have been discussed before, but anyway... Is there any way to "fix" the plugs into the jacks and preventing this to happen? I know that checking it out every now and then should be advisable and I try to do so, but I also do video taping so I can't be checking my levels and connections the whole time. Do you guys have any tricks or purely physical methods/gizmos to get that damn 3'5mm plug stuck into the BB/preamp for the whole show without worrying it might snap off?

For the record: I was using a pair of CAFS with straight plug plus a SP-SPSB-3L battery box)

Thanks.

[yug du nord]

tape

[acidjack]

IME, using a right angle plug also makes it harder to yank out than a straight plug.  Also better not to put your deck or whatnot in your jeans pockets, since those pockets may be tighter and/or more prone to stuff getting bumped than, say, the inside of a coat or jacket.

[F.O.Bean]

I would use a rubber band or gaffer tape Sergio!

[yug du nord]

I'll revise my option.
Put a right angle adapter in your BB and tape it down.  Then plug your mics into adapter.
acidjack just clicked my memory wheel....

[beatkilla]

Use a mini xlr connection.The core sound battery box uses this.

[LikeASong]

Thanks everyone for the answers! Appreciated

Using a XLR or miniXLR is not an option as all my gear (except a lavalier microphone that I don't use to tape) is currently 3'5mm-terminated.

Getting my CAFS re-terminated into a right angle plug is on the to-do list as I positively know it drastically reduces the risk of the plug snapping off the jack. I've used a right-angle 3'5 mm CA14s many months without a single slip-off, but the straight-plug CAFS have already had this problem twice in less than two months of use.
Thanks for the right-angle adaptor suggestion, uncleyug, much appreciated and probably what I'm most keen to do for the moment. I can use this option to extend a bit the slightly short CAFS length as well (using a right-angle male<female cable).

Using tape is not my favorite option since it can leave some residue or cause unwanted tensions in the cable when getting it off the mics and BB. Also, taping down a straight (and not right-angle) jack is not the safest way to stuck it into place IMO.

Bean, what do you mean with rubber bands? I can't figure out in my mind how a rubber band can help the mics to stay plugged...

[F.O.Bean]

Bean, what do you mean with rubber bands? I can't figure out in my mind how a rubber band can help the mics to stay plugged...

I misread and thought you were using a rt-angle plug already like the CA14s you sold me You could bend the straight plug at an angle and use a rubber band to bend it in a 180 on the BB

[adrianf74]

TAPE.

Or a rubber band (less effective and put extra "stress" on the jack).

I also prefer right-angle connectors going into the deck, however, not all right-angle connectors are the same.  Some of the newer Neutrik gold-plated ones aren't close to spec and easily "fall out."  I had this issue with a recently built battery box and had to send it back to Chris.  When I'd connect other r/a connectors, they's stick the Neutrik had a tendency to "slip out."  I had that happen (briefly) at a hip-hop show in September and became more aware as I was getting ready to use it for another show in later Septemebr.  It's now been fixed. 

[LikeASong]

Bean, what do you mean with rubber bands? I can't figure out in my mind how a rubber band can help the mics to stay plugged...

I misread and thought you were using a rt-angle plug already like the CA14s you sold me You could bend the straight plug at an angle and use a rubber band to bend it in a 180 on the BB

No way I'd even consider doing that After having dozens of cabled-stuff (specially ear/headphones) fucked up by bent or strained cables, there's no way I'm risking a pair of any three-figure-dollar microphones for the same reason! haha... Nah, I will get a good gold-plated right angle connector and get it sorted for the time being, and maybe I'll get them re-terminated (or even do it myself, easy soldering stuff) some day to avoid a big part of the hassle. CAFS are not going to be my main mics anyway, and I'll make sure to get a right-angle terminated pair -whichever the model it is- next.

Thanks again everyone

[F.O.Bean]

Hey I heat shrunk my binder end of my kcy cable ant rubber banded it in a 180* angle. Works like a charm if u heat shrink it first!

[jbou]

maybe I'll get them re-terminated (or even do it myself, easy soldering stuff) some day to avoid a big part of the hassle

I believe the CAFS have the 4.7k mod in the miniplug. So reterminating them yourself wouldn't be quite as easy as a normal plug, but it could be done. Unless the 4.7k resistors are in the mic part... I'm not totally sure

[TimeBandit]

first Ca-11s: dropped out easy of the recorder

now my ca-11 with right-angle: plug never went out of the recorder / preamp so i use only these right angle plugs for the mic cable and the connector cable for recorder to preamp ..

[adrianf74]

Again, this all depends on how "within spec" the actual 1/8" connector is.  It was proven not long ago that the Neutrik 1/8" gold right-angle plugs were "thinner" than the others and had an easier time popping out of the M10's jacks (in fact, I tried my phone, my laptop, another laptop, my desktop PC and the more recently sourced Neutrik plug slipped out somewhat easily).

You can't say r/a plugs are "better" but they just put less tension on the jack as long as the cable's not too tight.

[LikeASong]

Thanks everyone of the input once again I can't assure that right angled plugs are neccesarely better or won't slip off the recording at all, but I'm sure it will help Also, a right angle plug is mnuch easier to "tie" (eg. rubber band, gaff tape, whatever) to the recorder than the straight ones.