I bought a new Dell laptop a few months ago. When I listen to audio, I usually use high-quality headphones, putting a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter on the end and plugging into the headphone jack on the laptop. I insert and remove the headphones from a couple of times to several times a day. Due to the way I work, I can't leave it plugged in all the time. The fit is a bit too loose. I have tried other 1/8" male jacks and they are the same. I think it has gotten slightly looser over time. I am concerned that it could become unusable. If it were to get unusably looes, I have no idea if it's an easy fix. The hole is molded into the laptop but there is a sleeve inside the hole; the jack fits into the sleeve. I think I will take it to Bestbuy now and see what they say but anyone had experience with something like this?

Yes Bill, I know exactly what you are talking about, and if you do a Google search on laptop earphone jack, you will see that there is a whole world of people out there that know what you are talking about.

The one on my Compaq laptop gave up completely about 8 or 9 months ago. I guess the problem is not usually with the contact leaves inside the jack itself, but the entire assembly comes unsoldered from the motherboard. It depends on your particular model as to how difficult (read: expensive) the repair is.

So my Compaq now has a Behringer UF-0202 USB-audio interface velcroed to the left back corner of the lid with a shorty USB connector to the laptop. It provides RCA stereo in and outs plus an 1/8 inch headphone jack with volume control. At first, I thought is was going to be a real pain, but now I wouldn't be without it. My problem with the built-in jack was the impedance mismatch and distortion when connecting it to high impedance inputs of an external amp. I think the audio quality of the Behringer is a little better than the laptop's audio circuit. I paid around $25 or $30 USD for it off Amazon.com and it even came with some nice audio software utilities.

Regards,

Ted

Bill & Ted I use an Edirol UA 1ex USB interface for all my recording and LT audio also sounds fantastic...
EDIROL UA 1ex

Edirol's UA-1EX is an extremely handy USB audio interface. Thanks to its S/PDIF optical inputs and outputs - and convenient USB computer connection - you can flawlessly handle common tasks, such as recording tapes or vinyl to the computer, or playing your MP3 collection through your home stereo receiver. The UA-1EX even features a headphone output with volume control, so you can quickly and easily listen to playback from your computer. With 24-bit/96kHz audio resolution, and low-latency ASIO-compatible performance, you'll love the affordable Edirol UA-1EX.

Edirol UA-1EX USB Audio Interface at a Glance:

Streamlined and efficient S/PDIF I/O tool
24-bit/96kHz resolution with low-latency performance


Streamlined and efficient S/PDIF and RCA I/O tool
With Edirol's UA-1EX, you can get the task done with ease. This ultra-portable and ultra-handy USB audio interface offers up S/PDIF optical I/O and RCA I/O, so you can record S/PDIF or RCA signal to your computer. For example, you can take the S/PDIF output of a nice microphone preamplifier and record it digitally straight to your computer - without dropping a lot of money on a bigger audio interface that has a bunch of features you don't need. Also, the UA-1EX makes it send signals inside your computer - maybe your MP3 collection - and feed it into an RCA-input-equipped speaker system, such as your home theater receiver. You can beat the value with this extremely efficient tool.

24-bit/96kHz resolution with low-latency performance
Not only does the Edirol UA-1EX handle basic S/PDIF recording and routing needs, but it also does it with quality in mind. This little USB audio interface delivers quality 24-bit/96kHz resolution. And, it can do it with pleasingly low-latency performance.

Edirol UA-1EX USB Audio Interface Features:

Up to 24-bit/ 96kHz resolution
ASIO2.0 (Win/ Mac), WDM (Win2000/ XP), Core Audio (Mac OS X) compatibility
USB Powered - No AC Adapter required
S/PDIF Optical Input and Output
RCA Input and Output
Electret Condenser Microphone Input
1/8" Headphone Output
Mac and PC Compatible

Dag gone it, Donny. Why couldn't you leave well enough alone ? Now I feel like I need to run out and get the Edirol, and here I am trying to save my pennies for the JP-80 !

Seriously, when I got the Behringer, I was just looking for something small and cheap. Maybe I should have looked a little deeper. Those features you listed look pretty nice.

Ted

Ted sorry about that ...the great feature were why Fran sold me on it also...Roland / Edirol make great gear!

Up to 24-bit/ 96kHz resolution
ASIO2.0 (Win/ Mac), WDM (Win2000/ XP), Core Audio (Mac OS X) compatibility
USB Powered - No AC Adapter required
S/PDIF Optical Input and Output
RCA Input and Output
Electret Condenser Microphone Input
1/8" Headphone Output
Mac and PC Compatible

one of the best things I ever bought.....maybe you can find it a bit cheaper on ebay?

If you can afford it, this is the best option and it's Made In America.

http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/centrance_dacport_usb_headphone_amplifier/index.html


Joe

If that is too expensive, this is the best budget product:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?is=REG&sku=809819&Q=&O=&A=details

Joe

Glad to know about devices but that is not the intent of the OP. I am simply concerned about the sloppiness of the input jack and wonder if it's an easy fix. I would figure it would worsen with time. Laptop is only a few months old. The 1/8" mic jack next to it is fine.

The jack is usually soldered into a printed circuit board, they're very inexpensive, and usually last longer than the computer. My netbook PC is connected via the 1/8-inch stereo phone jack to my PA for playing MP3s as background music prior to the job. It has been used every day for nearly 4 years, the jack shows no signs of wear at all. If it had to be replaced, I think I could do it myself but I know about Bill's soldering skills. Bill should not be permitted in the same room with a soldering iron. Just kiddin' Bill.

Good Luck,

Gary

Bill

My point was - the headphone jack on my laptop started feeling sloppy, like yours, and within a few weeks, it quit completely. Mine was the result of an accident of someone trying to help me and moving the laptop with it still connected to the amp and hitting the end of the cable (pulled it sideways). If it had not been for that, maybe it would have lasted forever, but accidents do happen. Soldering is no problem for me. I made my living at it for over 30 years. The problem was getting the motherboard out of the laptop without inadvertently tearing something else up. Apparently the geeks at Best Buy felt the same way, as they wanted a small fortune to replace the jack, so I went for the Behringer unit for $25 and problem resolved.

In your case, I would be dubious about the torque that adapter can apply to the jack, especially if you bump it sideways, accidentally. I have a 1/4 inch female to 1/8 male adapter with a 12 inch cable between the plugs that I made up many years ago. It takes the strain off of the jack. Radio Shack sells one, but it uses a 20 foot cable.

Ted

Thanks, Ted. Point well taken. My hope is to get Bestbuy to fix it before it fails. It's certainly not going to get any better, only worse. It is already shorting some due to sloppy fit. When the warranty is gone, I can envision the potential of it being expensive.

Hey Bill

I just remembered what the guy at Best Buy told me about my laptop. I misspoke. The jack does not actually come unsoldered from the motherboard. The little printed circuit solder "lands" that the jack connections solder to stay soldered to the jack leads. Instead, the physical force rips the "lands" loose from the printed circuit board. Eventually, the "lands" tear loose from the circuit foil and you lose the connection. When the bad jack is removed, those "lands" come with it, so there is nothing left to solder the new jack leads to. To the average repair person, this means a motherboard replacement. That's why the estimate was so high.

Ted

I'm afraid I agree with Ted, it's not a cheap fix because it's never very easy and as a result it ends up as a new motherboard job.

Even if the fault is a only a failure of the plastic ring and the motherboard is not damaged it is still quite tricky to remove the socket.

The components that go through the motherboard tend to be interference fit then wave soldered. The clearance between the pins of the socket and the hole in the motherboard is that small that it's almost impossible to remove the solder so that the pin is actually free. You have to get all the solder melted on all the pins at the same time and remove the socket in one go without applying that much heat that the pcb is damaged.

Not to mention trying to get the exact replacement socket....

John,

I have a vacuum bulb that sucks the melted solder from the connection very cleanly, thereby allowing you to do one connection at a time. The iron I use has a tiny tip and I always heat sink all the surrounding components. I agree, though, this is not an easy fix--even for a trained technician.

Cheers,

Gary

I found out my laptop is covered by warranty but Bestbuy says it will not fix it but ship it to Dell and it takes two weeks to get it back. That's not an option.

I got to thinking that if I could just find an adaptor cable, 1/4" female to USB, that would be best solution. I can't find one. I also searched for 1/8" female to USB, no luck.

The reason I don't want to buy one of the USB audio interfaces mentioned on this thread is that it's rather cumbersome to have that dongle hanging off. It'll work, yes.

My headphone cable has 1/4" male on end. I just need to go into USB. I guess that would work if I could find one?

Bummer, laptop is only five months old. Bestbuy confirmed the jack is on the motherboard.

Bill, you might try calling Dickie Turner. He and his son have a repair shop, Computer Clinic, on Youree Drive and they would understand you need it quickly. Todd T. is a really good technician.
DonM

The Bestbuy guy indicated that it would likely be a motherboard replacement, that despite skill level, trying to mend it would be futile. But, worth a call, yep.