The second ring then acts as the ground, while the sleeve handles the mic signal. The difference between CTIA and OMTP TRRS plugs.įor instance, the CTIA format transmits left and right audio channels through the tip and first ring. However, its position in the line-up varies depending on whether it follows the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) or Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP) standards.Īs such, this connection configuration is also called the CTIA or OMTP TRRS jack connector format. 4-conductor plug (TRRS) TRRS Plug Diagram.Īvailable Connectors: Tip, sleeve, and two ring connectors with three insulating bands.Īside from transmitting stereo audio signals, the TRRS plug also has a dedicated conductor for a microphone. For that, see the TRRRS connector below.Ĭommon Usage: These are the most common jack connectors you’ll often see them on the end of most stock headphone cables. TRS cannot carry a balanced stereo signal as this requires at least four conductors. 3-conductor plug (TRS) TRS Plug Diagram.Īvailable Connectors: Tip, sleeve, and one ring connector with two insulating bandsĪdding a ring conductor (R) opens up different possibilities, such as support for balanced mono signals and unbalanced stereo signals. The longer the cable, the higher chance it’ll pick up more noise.Ĭommon Usage: You can find TS connectors mainly with guitars, instruments, and applications that do not require a long cable connection. However, since the ground is a reference point for the signal, it can pick up interference noises like an antenna. The tip connector carries the audio signal, while the sleeve acts as a return path and ground. To help with this, we’ll break down each format and explain its uses:Īvailable Connectors: Tip, sleeve, and one insulating bandĪ TS configuration is relatively straightforward. That said, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with plug conductor configurations to avoid functional errors in your audio devices. However, manufacturers can choose to configure jacks and plugs in various ways.īut one thing remains constant regardless of the configuration: both must be complementary. Sleeve: Common return and ground wire, mic audio.Ring: Right or left channel audio signal, common return and ground wire, mic audio.Tip: Signal wire or left channel audio signal.Generally speaking, the wiring schemes for conductors usually look something like this: Each of those wires is connected to a specific conductor and carries a different signal. Different Plug Conductor ConfigurationsĪs previously mentioned, the number of conductors indicates how many wires are inside the headphones’ cable. Doing so could result in you using the wrong plug with the wrong jack, thus causing a malfunction in your audio gear. So, be careful not to mistake these black bands for rings. The black bands around the headphone plug are non-metal insulators that separate the conductors and prevent them from shorting. TRRRS (Tip-Ring-Ring-Ring-Sleeve): 5 conductors or poles.TRRS (Tip-Ring-Ring-Sleeve): 4 conductors or poles.TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve): 3 conductors or poles.The terminology for these different combinations is as follows: For instance, plugs with one ring are 3-conductor plugs, while those with no rings are 2-conductor plugs. What differentiates each plug is the number of rings. The different headphone plug conductors have specific names, which are:Īll headphone plugs have a tip and sleeve.
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How to Identify Headphone Plug Conductors Diagram of conductors on a headphone plug. In other cases, mismatches can also trigger an electrical short. This incompatibility can then cause some signals to override others, thus interfering with specific functions of your headphones.
If a mismatch occurs between the conductors on the plug and jack, they won’t line up and make complete contact. Hence, it can also be called a “3-pole plug.”Īs mentioned in the previous section, compatibility is a significant factor for conductors.
A headphone plug with three conductors is called a “3-conductor plug.” Some manufacturers, however, use “ pole” instead of “conductor”.
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