iPhone lightning headphone pinout

In bondage to Lightning

Apple has never hesitated to unilaterally come up with standards and transfer its users to them.

While manufacturers of mobile devices of the last decade confidently relied on DC charging sockets with a wide variety of plug diameters, Apple chose the FireWire interface for its iPod players.

Apple met the smooth transition of thousands of brands producing smartphones to miniUSB with a unique 30-pin port in the first iPhone.

Currently, the “single standard” in the world of mobile gadgets remains the microUSB connector with the prospect of being replaced by USB Type-C. In the meantime, Lightning has been installed on iOS devices, and for a long time.

The Chinese promptly closed the niche of “spare”, consumable, travel cables for iPhone and iPad. There’s just one “but”: it’s not so easy to fake them.

What's inside Lightning and why the original is expensive

It is possible to understand why Apple remains a company whose accessories sometimes seem unreasonably high only after a technical opening procedure.

Note: we are proud of Samsung. Just a comparison of the South Korean and American manufacturers.

Here are two original accessories for smartphones from companies that have been the main competitors in the mobile device market for several years now. The cost of a cable from Samsung is around 500 rubles. An original Lightning cable for iOS devices will cost 1,590 rubles, 3 times more expensive.

Let's take out a scalpel and try to figure out what is the reason for such a difference in price. I’ll say right away that Samsung plastic is cut very easily. And it’s not so easy to take the Lightning clip with your bare hands - it has powerful protection against penetration.

We get to the insides and observe.

The best board option you can find in microUSB looks like this:

In the worst case (and it will really be an original cable, but from a different manufacturer), you won’t even see a voltage rectifier. Just four multi-colored wires with braided shielding (which is also often saved on).

After the torment of disassembling the original Lightning cord, we are greeted with this “inner world”:

And a larger shot of the miniature board:

Hidden inside the Lightning is a full-fledged microcomputer that not only analyzes the entire charging process of the iOS device, but also makes it easier for the user to operate the accessory.

And if until today you looked with bewilderment at the cost of the original Lightning cable, now you know that it’s about the components and quality.

Few arguments? Let's move on.

What happens inside Lightning and how it works

Underneath the protective metal cover of the Lightning plug is the circuit shown above. Of course, now we are talking about the original, and we will touch on the problem of Chinese consumer goods a little lower.

The board contains four chips and several auxiliary computing devices responsible for transferring data to the computer and using a cable for the Data connection. After connecting the iPhone to the charger, curious processes come to life inside this circuit.

The inner world of one of the chips

Two of the presented chips are very simple in design and consist of only a few transistors, the task of which is to convert the incoming electrical current signal into a state that is most adapted to the battery installed in the smartphone.

Another chip labeled NXP NX20P3 provides control over the level of the current state of the battery, calculating the accumulated useful amount of charge.

The microprocessor installed in the cable helps determine which side you insert the cable into the device connector.

The standard Lightning cable wiring looks like this:

And this is where the Apple magic works. You don't have to think about which end to install the plug. The above-mentioned microprocessor and the asymmetrical placement of contacts are responsible for this.

Those. As long as you insert the cord, the filling automatically determines which contacts to supply voltage to.

All these technologies are accompanied by dozens of patents owned by Apple. But there are no limits to Chinese ingenuity: cables are counterfeited with varying degrees of precision and quality, and they don’t care about complying with the law.

Therefore, Apple provided protection for its accessories and developed its own MFI (Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod) certification standard, and decided to limit the connection of low-quality Lightning cables to another, fourth chip installed on the same miniature board of the original cord.

Pinout diagrams for headphones with microphone

The pinout diagram will differ depending on the headphone model. Most often, plugs consist of two, three or four parts, each of which is responsible for transmitting certain signals. For example:

A two-piece plug has one common wire. Most often used for a microphone.
With three parts consists of three wires (right, left and common). Used for headphones. The right channel is responsible for the right earphone, the left for the left, and the common one for connecting the contacts (one cable goes to the plug, but approximately halfway through the length it separates into two, one for each earphone).
With four parts. Here the plug is divided into two types. The first is a four-wire design for modern versions of phones, players and tablets. Channels right, left, general and microphone. The second type is for outdated versions of Nokia phones. Channels – right, left, general and additional signal.

In modern phones, the plug consists of four parts (responsible for the headphones and microphone). The pinout is identical for the following models:

Apple.
Samsung.
Lenovo.

If you look at the plug visually, it consists of some segments. Each is responsible for a specific channel. For example:

The very first segment, the edge of the plug, is responsible for the left.
The second segment is behind the right.
The last one, the longest, is responsible for the general one. It is closest to the wire.

American Firewall against Chinese Lightning counterfeits

The chip with number BQ2025 is hated by third-party accessory manufacturers. Without exaggeration, it can be called a “pass” to the depths of the Lightning socket in the iPhone.

If the non-original cable does not have such a chip, the iOS device displays the following window:

At this point, the “under-cord” can actually be thrown away: it will not adequately (or at all) charge the device and will not allow data synchronization.

The BQ2025 chip has a special dedicated digital read-only memory block, which is made using semiconductors. Its name is EEPROM. A special feature of EEPROM is the ability to rewrite information multiple times (up to a million times).

Manufacturers of counterfeit cables were partially able to bypass the protection. As an alternative to EEPROM, home-made companies use an emulator based on the 8051 microcontroller. It bypasses Apple's security, but is not durable, causing the cable to abruptly stop working with iOS.

One of 10 variants of Chinese creativity

Any other company would become a hostage to its own technology. Think for yourself. On the one hand, Apple can at any time begin producing smartphones that will only be compatible with original cables. On the other hand, there will be real chaos on the accessory market, and the original Lightning already purchased by users will become incompatible with the new generation of devices.

That's why it's good that Apple does everything in portions. The EEPROM memory area is easily overwritten during the next iOS update using the iTunes application. And very often, precisely after flashing, Chinese Lightning refuses to work.

Add to this the DRM protection of multimedia files that the company so supports, and you can forget about the compatibility of non-certified accessories for displaying images and relaying music through the Lightning port.

Another problem that prevents anyone from starting the production of accessories is the inaccessibility and high cost of circuits. Remember the NXP NX20P3 chip described above? The price of his scheme on the black market is $2,500!

And to start production, one circuit will clearly not be enough.

iPhone 5 cable pinout

What is the new Lightning ?

Unveiled at the iPhone 5 press conference and part of the 2012 lineup, the proprietary Lightning connector replaces the 30-pin connector found on iPhones, iPads, and iPods since 2003. Like the 30-pin connector, the Lightning connector is used to charge the device, as well as synchronize content and data, audio and video products. New devices come with a USB 2.0 to Lightning adapter.

How is it different from the 30-pin connector?

It's 80 percent smaller, stronger, and reversible, so you don't have to worry about which side is up or down when you plug it in. Apple also says it has an all-digital, eight-signal design that adapts to whatever device is connected through it.

The Lightning connector is used for iPhone 5, fifth-generation iPod Touch, seventh-generation iPod Nano. Since it's part of the connectivity strategy alongside Thunderbolt, this will be a connector for iOS products for the foreseeable future, so we can expect to see it on the fourth-generation iPad and other future devices.

You won't be able to connect directly to anything that has a 30-pin connector. However, there are adapters that convert the 30-pin connector to a Lightning connector. Through this adapter you will get support for analog audio output, USB audio, as well as syncing and charging. (According to Macworld, there is also a digital-to-analog converter for the adapter).

Apple will also sell HDMI and VGA adapters for Lightning. Micro-USB adapter for Lightning will be available in Europe. And you can of course count on a full range of third-party adapters.

There will always be accessories that require the use of a connector, and nothing is ever 100 percent guaranteed in the future. However, as Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller noted when introducing Lightning, much of what we use now is wireless. Whenever we connect something, we can also use Bluetooth or Apple's AirPlay. Keep in mind that the 30-pin connector has been around for almost a decade, so chances are good that you'll have peace of mind for the next few years using Lightning.

Apple decided to ditch the 9-year-old 30-pin connector in favor of a new, smaller alternative. Why such changes?

iPhone 5 offers many improvements over its predecessor, including a larger screen, faster performance, LTE support and an improved camera.

However, for those migrating from an older iPhone, there is one more change that may seem the most significant, at least when it comes to compatibility: a new connector. Apple decided to ditch the 9-year-old 30-pin connector in favor of a new, smaller alternative. Why such changes? And what do they mean for each of us and our current accessories? Let's take a closer look at the new connector, called Lightning.

30 contacts, 9 years

Apple's 30-pin connector has been a staple of iPods, iPhones, and iPads since the introduction of the third generation of iPods back in 2003. While most media players offer a simple USB connection to transfer data and charge the device, Apple's single port covers many more functions - charging, audio output, playback control and fast data syncing are among the first to appear.

Over the years, the 30-pin port has gained some new features (HD video output, photo import, USB input) while dropping others (like FireWire charging and data transfer), but it has continued to serve us well. , and Apple: along with the universal dock design, the 30-pin port gave us hope - by purchasing an accessory with a dock connector (be it speakers or car chargers), we could be sure that the product would work with any i-device .

True, it was not without its flaws. Firstly, the connector was somewhat fragile, and as a result, your accessory or, even worse, your iPhone or iPod could fail. The connector's thin profile and single-sided design made the connector more difficult to use than, say, a standard USB port—depending on the device and accessories, aligning the connector and port could be quite a challenge. Finally, the 30-pin connector took up too much space, especially as Apple's phones, tablets, and media players continued to trend smaller.

First Thunderbolt, then Lightning

Once upon a time in the history of Apple, the day came when the company introduced the iPhone 5 and new iPods to the public. It also became rotatable for the connector - new models have a new connector called Lightning.

The new connector uses an 8-signal design that works in both orientations, meaning there is no longer any reason to worry about making the connection correctly. According to Apple, the Lightning connector is not only easier to use, but also more durable than its predecessor. Moreover, the company is positioning the new connector as completely digital.

Of course, another big advantage of the new connector is its size. It's 80% smaller than a 30-pin connector, meaning it requires less space on your device, not to mention reducing the amount of internal circuitry required to support the connector's functionality. The new smaller connector is one of the reasons why the new iPhone is 20% thinner than the iPhone 4S (the other reason is that the iPhone's screen sensors are now integrated into the display, which is why the display itself is thinner).

Adapt or buy?

Easier to use, stronger, smaller - really like it? And it would seem that everything is fine, but the Lightning connector ends all hopes of compatibility of new Apple devices with millions of accessories with a 30-pin connector. New iPhones and iPods are equipped with a USB-Lightning cable, but not an adapter for using new devices with old accessories.

If you have already invested a lot of money in purchasing accessories, you will agree, but you are unlikely to want to change anything. This is where the Lightning to 30-pin adapter comes to the rescue for $29 or $39 (20 cm cable), each of which allows you to connect accessories with a 30-pin connector to the new iPhone or iPod model.

The adapters support analog and USB audio, and also allow data synchronization and charging. However, according to Apple, the adapters do not support video output. Moreover, some 30-pin accessories are not supported.

One way or another, even with the addition of an adapter, the emergence of new technology means nothing more than the obsolescence of some accessories.

In general, the variety of manufacturers (Digitus, Just Mobile, JVC, Belkin...) that can offer alternative adapters for iPhone 5 may well satisfy consumer demand. And it is likely that they will go on sale in the near future.

More wireless, but still wired

What's perhaps most exciting about the move to the new Lightning connector is that it increasingly mirrors the way we use iPhones and iPods. Many things that we previously did using wires can now be done using wireless technology. Bluetooth for speakers and headphones; Wi-Fi for audio and synchronization; iCloud for wireless content downloading and backup. In other words, Apple believes that we no longer need physical connections.

However, the latter remain necessary, for example for charging, faster sync and better sound quality (don't be fooled, "wireless" charging also needs a cable and a physical connection). Until wireless charging, like the one found in the new Lumia 920, becomes ubiquitous and can be built into the iPhone without making it thicker, we're stuck in a world of cables. According to Apple, the new connector promises to serve its users for many more years.

And once again, finally, we remind our readers that, unfortunately, there are still no official deliveries of iPhones in Ukraine. Perhaps they will appear with us after the advent of 3G and 4G. But this is just our guess.

The original apple lightning usb cable has a Lightning connector - this is Apple Ink's own development. The connector was released in September 2012 and was done to replace its previous connector with 30 contacts. The initial goal of releasing a new connector is to reduce the space taken up on new devices. The Apple Lightning connector is much more compact than the previous connector and can be inserted on either side. Its dimensions are 6.7 mm by 1.5 mm. The new connector had only 8 contacts and was intended for connecting mobile devices such as the iPhone 5, iPod touch 5g or iPad mini to a computer. Unfortunately, the new connector is not backward compatible.

Apple lightning cable pinout

1 pin GND Ground
2 pin L0p Line 0+
3 L0n Line 0-
4 ID0 identifier /control 0
5 PWR charging
6 L1n Line 1-
7 L1p Line 1+
8 ID1 identifier /control 1

Apple lightning cable pinout is adaptive. The built-in microcircuit determines which side the cable is connected to and switches accordingly to the desired contact.

What is unique about the lightning 8 pin connector?

The apple lightning usb cable is the pioneer of cables that can be inserted on both sides. After this, many cables began to have reversible connectors, for example, USB Type-C. Apple also included an authentication chip in all of its cables with a lightning 8 pin connector, which the Chinese eventually successfully learned to make. All cables produced by Apple and manufacturers that have received a certificate from the Apple company are registered and entered into the database. Every iPhone has access to this database. In the beginning, this was a big problem for Chinese manufacturers of Apple accessories. Almost all Chinese cables were of dubious quality and after a couple of connections they gave an error about incompatibility or lack of support for the accessory. But Chinese manufacturers did not stand still and improved production. This is why modern cables no longer produce such errors, although they do not have an MFI certificate.

A new connector standard, called Lightning (from English - lightning) appeared with the release of new Apple iPhone 5, iPod Touch 5G, iPod nano7G, iPad 4 and iPad mini devices. This cable came from the depths of the Double Helix Cables company and it has a built-in authentication chip. There are no specifications for this cable, and one can only guess about the principle of operation. It is known that from the 30-pin old Lightning connector it has dropped to 8, but some sources claim that it is 9, taking into account the metal base of the contacts. It is completely digital and a chip in the cable itself determines what is currently connected, be it a media dock, charger or some other device. The connector has eight pins on each side and does not have a mechanical key, which means it can be inserted in any position and it is not impossible to break it by trying to forcefully insert it the wrong way. Apple called this advantage of the cable - reversibility.

To do this, it would seem that the problem can be solved simply: electrically connect the contacts on the two sides of the plug crosswise, but it’s not so simple. Experts, having “ringed” the connector, found out that the contacts on the upper and lower parts of the plug do not have paired contacts, which means the plug cannot be turned over without changing the connection diagram. This paradox can only be explained in one way: the interface dynamically assigns pins depending on the orientation in which the connector is closed. It becomes clear that this is not an ordinary “camouflaged USB”. It's the dynamic pin assignment and cable-to-device communication that gives us what Apple calls an adaptive interface. In principle, once the gadget and the switching chip have agreed on the purpose of the contacts, anything can be transmitted over them. At the moment, the Lightning cable uses USB 2.0, but in the future nothing will prevent it from using USB 3.0, FireWire or even Thunderbolt, putting more complex logic into the cable.

The first fruits of adaptability may appear soon. Some sites have published information that adapters for Lightning to VGA and DisplayPort will be released in the coming months. VGA requires 15 pins, and DisplayPort requires 20, so at least for this reason, the cable must already have a transmitter for the corresponding interface.

Why did Apple need a new interface, while there is a publicly available USB. The Lightning and Micro USB 2.0 connectors are approximately the same in size, but Lightning looks stronger and more reliable. Often the MicroUSB socket is broken out due to the incorrect placement of the connector.

And one more important point. It is logical to assume that when connected to a simple charger, several Lightning contacts can be used for power at once, for example data contacts, which will potentially allow the use of more powerful units for fast battery charging, because The higher the charging current, the faster the process. For the USB 2.0 interface, the maximum current on one port is 500 mA, for USB 3.0 - 900 mA. And, for example, the proprietary charger of the third iPad has a power of 10 W, which already gives a theoretical current of 2 A at a standard USB voltage of 5 V, and a 12-watt “charger” is supplied with the fourth iPad. So USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 cannot provide the power current needed to quickly charge tablets with such a large battery. As for MicroUSB 3.0, it is “fast”, but bulky and a less reliable connector than MicroUSB2.0. Lightning is ready to provide support for USB 3.0 and any other data transfer interface as soon as the need arises.

Lightning also outperforms a number of solutions that provide video stream output using specialized HDMI and DisplayPort transmitters. Apple's approach allows you to relieve the gadget from transmitter chips by integrating them into cables. As a result, we again achieve savings in board space and power consumption. As well as reducing the price of the device for those who do not need a video output. In addition, Lightning eliminates the additional headache of deciding which connector to output the video stream through. The Mini HDMI option not only diverges from the minimalist design of Apple gadgets, but also - again and again - requires additional space, despite the fact that it will be useful to an absolute minority.

This is actually a very smart and forward-thinking solution that may become a trend over time: decoupling the mechanical connector form factor and pin switching from the specific bus. Adaptive interfaces and smart cables are the best way to reduce component volume and power consumption of a mobile device, providing rich functionality and growth potential for years to come.

Apple has released a special adapter from the Lighting connector in the iPhone 5 to the usual micro-USB format. The fact is that last year the European Union passed a law according to which every phone must support this standard.

And also an adapter for your old 30-pin connector.

Which are openly called competitors of the iPhone 8 and the device manufacturer, Google, began selling an adapter from USB Type-C to 3.5 mm, since the new products lack the usual audio jack. Now this is a common practice, but the search giant asked for as much as 20 dollars for its adapter.

Almost 50,000 rubles will have to be paid for a set of 18 adapters for Apple devices presented in the assortment of the Russian online store, the site calculated. When making calculations, only the retail price of branded accessories produced by Apple itself and available for purchase at the moment was taken into account.

After working in the consumer electronics industry for a long time, Apple was able to identify another source of user irritation. Connecting charging cables in the dark is not an easy process, especially if the mobile device is completely discharged and its screen is not capable of functioning as a flashlight. It looks like they have decided to put an end to this problem once and for all.

I wish the new iPhones had already come out. It will be possible to stop guessing what they will look like and what Apple will or will not equip its devices with. There are a lot of rumors going around. They talked about the transition to the USB Type-C connector, and about the disappearance of the , which the company gives customers bundled with the iPhone 7 and . Analysts from Barclays believe that in this regard everything will remain the same.

Many people, as a rule, want to order goods from the USA, rather than overpay their crazy markups to local stores. However, sometimes it turns out that delivery from another country is too expensive, and it turns out that buying a particular product in Russia is cheaper than ordering it elsewhere. But this rule does not always work, and if the package is even lighter than a kilogram (for example, an iPhone or), its delivery will cost very little.

Not long ago the Wall Street Journal published. According to them, the new iPhone, which will be presented by the company this year, will surprise us with the appearance of a USB-C connector, which will replace the Lightning connector. It's hard to believe, but one cannot ignore the credibility of the Wall Street Journal and their sources. However, there were those who were ready to doubt all this.

Yesterday, many analysts, citing their own sources, began to claim that Apple will abandon Lightning in the new iPhone. The news immediately caused a wide resonance, since accessories with Lightning had just begun to appear on the market, and new ones were no exception. There is probably a plan for this as well.

We know a lot about Apple's future smartphone, but we haven't heard anything like this yet. The authoritative publication Wall Street Journal believes that a USB-C connector will appear instead of the Lightning connector. It's extremely hard to believe, but the Wall Street Journal rarely writes about anything they're not sure about. USB-C is actively used by Apple in the MacBook, but has not previously appeared in the company's portable devices.

One of the most discussed questions about the new iPhone now is how the smartphone will be charged. And we are not talking about (we seem to have already come to terms with this), but about the type of connector that will be responsible for this functionality. Yes, we are talking about -C now.

I don't think you should talk about the company's strange attitude towards connectors. On the one hand, Apple loves USB Type-C connectors, and the company has put a lot of effort into improving this standard. On the other hand, the company uses its own Lightning connector in its portable devices. One can only guess why Apple came to a single standard, but it is worth noting that the company's decisions are difficult.

The official Apple technical support website has been updated with a warning about the dangers of using counterfeit components and accessories. According to company representatives, more than 90% of retail products marked “Made for iPhone” are produced using artisanal methods and are unsafe for both the connected device and its owner. Be vigilant, they call us in.

Why fake Lightning is dangerous

Apple designed the key system for a reason. In addition to income, we also thought about our reputation.

Have you often heard about exploding smartphones, bursting screens, leaking batteries and electric shocks when connecting to charger on Android devices? There are a lot of such cases, they don’t even pay attention. There are only a few such situations in Apple technology, and each one causes a flurry of attention:

The main question is what accessory the victims used. In both cases it is unoriginal. Do you understand now why this is so important?

Where and who, I believe, is clear without words

We need to look at the root of the problem. Before purchasing a low-quality lace from a Chinese website, think about the consequences. Using a non-original Lightning cable can cause a number of problems:

It quickly becomes unusable. The braid cracks and the plug appears to play.
Complete loss of compatibility after the update, described above. The result is money down the drain.
It's good if the iPhone just won't turn on. In the worst case, it could catch fire or explode from overheating. And, God forbid, during a conversation while connected to the network.
The lifespan of the original cable is many times longer than the fake one. Saving? It only seems so; over time, the cost of supporting the “ecosystem” of Chinese cables exceeds that of the original ones.

In short, the original is worth it. And even if for some reason you don’t want to buy a cable specifically from Apple, you can always find a certified, high-quality alternative. Sometimes even with an interesting “trick”.

For example: aluminum stylish cable uBear for 2,490 rubles; cable in a fabric braid Native Union BELT for 3,990 rubles, which will not get tangled or knotted; fashion accessory from Belkin MIXIT – 2,590 rubles, which is not a shame to take out of your travel bag; another “fabric” option from Maxco Lightning – RUB 2,490.

(40 votes, overall rating: 4.03 out of 5) Bookmarks

Today we will review a headphone plug, a banal, simple thing, but sometimes so necessary. As usual, disassembly, detailed photos are included.

PREFACE

Spare plug. This is the thing you remember when your headphones break. And they are always not at hand. Yes, you can always work on farms with heat shrink and hot glue, but the sense of beauty suffers. This plug impresses with its low price, ease of assembly, quality and more or less original appearance of the finished product, which is important.

I couldn't find any reviews for this particular product. So what's the matter!

As usual warning:

All responsibility, namely independent penetration into the body of the finished product with subsequent violation of its integrity and performance, lies with the person who committed this action.

How to do without a soldering iron when repairing headphones

It often happens that a person does not have a soldering iron or socket at hand, and the headphone plug does not work. In this case, we can resolder the plug in several non-standard, but acceptable ways.

The first method is to use conductive glue to glue the wires to the mini jack pins. Everything is done simply and neatly. The reliability of such fastening is of course poor, and the electrical resistance of the glue can be tenths of an ohm. If the headphone impedance is 4 -16 ohms, the glue may affect the sound volume. The good thing is that the drying time for conductive glue is usually 10-15 minutes.

The second method is to heat a nail or piece of copper wire in a candle flame. This is a way for romantics: twilight, candles, plug, headphones and you. In this case, it is better to use scented candles. But seriously, you can solder a headphone plug using a fire and coals. The main thing is not to forget good solder and flux.

The third way is to make a gas soldering iron from a lighter with your own hands. You need to take a piece of single-core copper wire and attach it to the lighter so that part of the wire is in the flame. Heat is transferred over a certain distance through a copper wire, as can be seen from the photo.

If you use this method, pay special attention to the place where the wire adheres to the lighter body. A hole may form there due to heat.

Be careful! For more details on how to make such a mini soldering iron from a lighter, watch the video.

Appearance

The plug is simple and straightforward:

The kit comes with a shock-absorbing elastic band; by the way, it is really very soft and will absorb bends.

The fit is carried out with an interference fit; it is advisable to use at least a drop of superglue during installation:

It would be possible to end the story here, but it’s always interesting to look at the results of the work.

Repair

In general, my headphones have undergone a lot of changes; the housings have been replaced with old iPod ones from 2005. This is the most successful case in my opinion, by the way, this case expanded the sound of all the tired Earpods. They started playing in a new way and became bassier.

As you can see from the photo, they have already been repaired, but the completeness of the product still suffers, this did not suit me:

Well, let's go, cut off the old plug and remove the shell:

It seems that everything is fine here and a person who has not previously repaired such headphones will not suspect a catch, but from his experience of communicating and repairing Apple products, they love tricks and stick them in all places, namely the RED-GREEN shell also has a cable inside microphone.

This is what the correct photo looks like:

This is what the pinout of the plug looks like:

In general, we collect all the negatives together with the ground wire and solder them to GND, the rest according to the pinout.

We cut the wires and solder them:

Before assembly, we check and make sure that everything works. Then we drop a drop of cyanoacrylate and assemble the plug with tension. At this point the repair can be completed.

How to solder a wire to a headphone speaker

When the wiring breaks near the headphone speaker, it is best to solder it back to the headphone and renew the soldering from the factory. This is how the wires are soldered inside my ancient Aiwa earbuds.

Pay attention to the knot that is tied - it does not allow thin wires to come off when jerking. Before soldering the earphone, be sure to tie the same knot at a certain distance, slightly greater than the distance to the narrow hole

The question arises - what determines the polarity of connecting the wires to the speaker. The answer is simple - the headphones are connected in the same way so that they work in phase. When the polarity of the headphones is reversed, the sound is smeared and becomes quieter than common-mode sound. If you have a broken wire in one speaker, for proper connection you need to look at the wires and soldering in the other earphone.

What to do if the wire breaks inside the earphone

The most unpleasant thing is when the wire breaks inside the earphone. This means that the speaker winding wire has broken, which is shown in the figure.

The speaker winding is usually glued to the diaphragm and breaks off at the point where the wires are attached to it. Over time, they simply break due to micro-movements.

It is extremely difficult to restore such a break, but it is possible under a microscope. When repairing headphones, you need to be extremely careful not to tear the diaphragm or damage the geometry of the winding

Particular attention should be paid to microdust trapped between the magnet and the winding. Magnetic debris can be easily removed with chewing gum or plasticine.

Bottom line

The plug is of very high quality, everything fits together perfectly. There are no downsides. I highly recommend it, especially for such ridiculous money.

Usually, I throw away damaged cables with cracked insulation, broken connectors, or simply not working, but then I came across an interesting one - a “repair kit” for Lightning cables, which allows you to completely replace this connector. I decided to check if this idea works.

As you know, Apple always goes its own way and, in 2012, introduced special chips into cables in order to complicate life for users and at the same time collect additional money from manufacturers to obtain MFI (Made For iPhone/iPod/iPad) licenses. Large ones, such as UGREEN, ORICO, ANKER, etc., seem to have received these certificates, but the vast majority of “cheap” cables from Aliexpress do not have it, but are also cheaper. Their lifespan is not long (although there are exceptions), it happens that either thin wires break, or the connectors break, and sometimes everything seems to be intact, but it just doesn’t work.

So I decided, purely out of sporting interest, to order a scarf with four connectors and housings. The price is ridiculous, about 26 rubles per connector. ($0.4). Packaging is a simple bag. Inside there are 4 sets of connectors: boards on one substrate, housings and rubber protective tubes.

Tubes and bodies:

There are markings on the board, the contacts are tinned, and there are grooves on the plastic parts for fixing the connector housings:

The connectors are separated without effort:

Well, now to the repairs. Cable with faulty connector:

The failure was classic - at first the cable began to charge the equipment every once in a while, then it got worse - it only worked if the connector was pressed to the side. Even the metal tube on the connector body did not help. As a result, it stopped working completely, and the connector was eventually broken:

Having cut off the rubber braid, it becomes clear what the problem is; the chip “soldered” into it simply fell off:

The cable itself is quite good: braided, thick insulation, good conductors and soldering:

Let me note an important point: the thickness of the cable on which the new connector is installed should be no more than 3 mm (i.e., similar to the classic native iPhone), otherwise the rubber tube of the connector simply will not be able to come out from the back of the case and will get stuck, i.e. It is impossible to do this by covering both the braid and insulation on this cable with a tube. I had to take a new rubber tube because... the first one stretched out and no longer came out of the connector body:

It is better to immediately make sure that the tube and connector housing on the cable are in this form:

If you don’t have experience in soldering and don’t have a soldering iron with a thin tip, it’s better not to take on this topic, the connector is quite small and the contact pads are close. In the end it turned out like this:

The braid could have been completely removed, there was no point in it

With some effort, the housing fits onto the connector and snaps onto it:

Checking operation - charging is in progress (as the data cable also works):

In general, this fun for me was just an interesting experience of “whether it will work or not”; the economic feasibility is vague, given that you can often catch high-quality cables at sales for less than a dollar. It is probably useful to use these scarves either if you need to repair a cable of non-standard length (long or, conversely, short) or, in some homemade charging stations. Sold here

Your iPhone doesn't have a 3.5mm output? It's not a problem.

Save and read later -

Apple's move away from the traditional 3.5mm headphone output on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in 2016 sparked fierce controversy. Why was it necessary to remove the audio output and what is good about the Lightning connector?

Even four years later, not everyone has forgiven the company for this unexpected step.

The absence of a 3.5mm jack in the new galaxy of smartphones developed by the Cupertino team (iPhone 8, 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XR and iPhone XS Max) confirmed that Apple's break with the ubiquitous audio output was not accidental.

Fast forward to 2022 and the company's vision remains the same, with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, and iPhone 12 Pro Max each exclusively featuring a Lightning port (spoiler alert: all of these phones scored top marks in What Hi's tests). Fi?).

Despite the news that slipped in January 2022 that members of the European Parliament voted for all smartphones to have a universal connector (which would put an end to the use of the proprietary Lightning port in Apple gadgets), the group of iPhone 12 models presented by the company in September 2022 has this the port was present as if nothing had happened.

Where Apple goes, everyone else has to follow. Even if you're not a fan of the company's devices, you can't help but admit that this decision caused a chain reaction throughout the entire consumer electronics segment.

So why did Apple rid the iPhone of this jack, and what does this mean for rival smartphones, iPhone headphones, and the headphone market as a whole? Now we'll tell you.

Universal plug - jack pinout 3. for connecting to headphone and smartphone sockets

Audio jacks were invented in the 19th century for use in telephone switches and are still widely used to transmit analog audio signals.

Contact configuration

Pin no.	PIN name	Description
1.	Tip	Left
2.	Ring	Right
3.	Ring	Earth
4.	Sleeve	Microphone

Short description

The 3.5mm jack is a universal audio jack size for smartphones, PCs and laptops. Additionally, for hams, the 3.5mm audio jack is a useful component for projects that connect to headphone jacks. There are different types of audio connectors such as TS, TRS and TRRS used in various applications, but the most common ones that we see in everyday life are TRS and TRRS.

Types: 3.5mm Jack

1. TS type pin-type audio connector

These types of audio jacks do not support stereo audio and microphone, which means there is no left or right channel. You will get the same sound from both sides. Below is the pinout of a 3.5 TS type jack.

Applications: Still used on musical equipment (especially electric guitars) and aircraft radios.

2. TRS type pin-type audio connector

Shown here is a TRS type connector, "T" stands for Tip, "R" stands for Ring, and "S" stands for Sleeve. These types of audio jacks support stereo audio and do not support a microphone. Thus, using this type, you can only listen to music, but cannot talk to the caller. Below is the pinout of a TRS type audio jack.

Application: speakers, microphone, keyboards, etc.

3. TRRS type pin-type audio connector

The TRRS type audio plug has four conductors and is most popular among smartphone and tablet users. The pin sequence of TRRS type audio connectors is tip-ring-ring-sleeve and microphone, it is also a stereo plug. There are a number of standards that are used to create these audio connectors, such as OMTB and CTIA. This is the reason why your smartphone does not support other brands of headphones. Below is the pinout of a 3.5mm TRS type jack.

Application: Used in many branded headphones such as Apple, Nokia, Samsung, Panasonic, etc.

Self-pinout of 3.5 mm jack

To use the 3.5mm audio jack in your projects or prototypes, you must solder wires to the jack pins. Remove the above plastic shell and you will see the connector pins as shown in the images above. Now use the stranded wires to solder the pins and then cover it with the plastic casing again.

When did the Lightning connector appear in Apple models?

The Lightning port was introduced to the public in September 2012 on the iPhone 5; It replaces the 30-pin connector previously used to charge all previous iPhones and iPods - but its introduction has not yet been accompanied by the abandonment of the 3.5mm headphone output.

After the announcement of Lightning, the industry had to reorient itself on the fly; in particular, it required the development of new docking stations and accessories with a more compact connector. Apple released an adapter that allowed you to continue using devices with a 30-pin port, but it was only suitable for Lightning docks and speakers.

Since the discontinuation of the iPod Classic in September 2014, there are no more Apple devices with a 30-pin connector on the market.

At that time, the story made a lot of noise, but gradually everyone got used to this state of affairs.

There is no doubt that the company was counting on a similar development when releasing the iPhone 7 in September 2016 without the usual headphone output. To alleviate the pain of parting with them for owners of wired headphones, a small adapter from Lightning to 3.5 mm was included in the kit.

But later versions of the iPhone lost not only this adapter, but also the EarPods and even the charger: the package for the recent release of the iPhone 12 model group includes only a cable with USB-C and Lightning connectors. You will have to buy an adapter for it separately, as well as some version of EarPods, a wireless model or an alternative one with a Lightning connector.

Plug types and applications

Depending on the diameter of the working surface, connectors are divided into:

Micro jack 2.5 mm. They are equipped with small portable devices such as phones, players, etc.
Mini jack 3.5. They are installed in household appliances: computers, TVs, etc. In addition, the pinout of jack 3.5 is extremely simple.
Big jack 6.35. Mainly used in professional equipment: electric musical instruments, powerful acoustic amplifiers, but can be built into budget equipment, such as karaoke microphones, metal detectors.

Based on the number of outputs (pin), jacks are divided into:

Two-pin (TS). They transmit an asymmetrical signal, for example, a mono signal is sent to headphones or audio is recorded using a microphone.
Three-pin (TRS). Using them, you can transmit both an asymmetrical signal, with pins 2 and 3 connected by a jumper, and a symmetrical one.
Four-pin (TRRS). They can immediately transmit video and audio information. Modern phones, tablets, video players, etc. are mainly equipped with four-pin connectors.
Five-position (TRRRS). An uncommon connector used by Sony in the Xperia Z smartphone for the simultaneous operation of two microphones, one of which works for noise reduction. TRRS compatible.

There are also two types of sockets: regular, created for a specific type of plug, and with a switch - when the pin is inserted, the device switches from one position to another.

Very often there are situations when Chinese collapsible plugs, which were installed instead of a monolithic broken “jack,” do not completely fit into the sleeve or are poorly fixed. Such situations are possible when the diameters of the sleeve and plug do not match. Therefore, when choosing such a plug, it is advisable for you to check its outer diameter with a caliper along the entire working length.

Why did Apple decide to abandon the 3.5mm jack?

It's clear that wireless is the future from Apple's perspective; take a look at the wraparound AirPods Max and the ever-popular AirPods Pro, for example. If you don't have the required amount, Apple's subsidiary Beats offers a wireless model with a neckband for a quarter of that price.

Portable devices have been equipped with a 3.5 mm headphone jack since 1964, when it appeared in the Sony EFM-117J radio. After the release of the Sony Walkman player in 1979, its heyday began.

It's worth noting that while the removal of this connector caused a stir, the original iPhone also didn't have one that would suit everyone.

Considering the process of generational change, we can conclude that an important advantage of abandoning the 3.5 mm jack in 2016 could be a reduction in the thickness of the iPhone 7 case. However, in reality this did not happen: both the iPhone 7 and the previous model iPhone 6S it is the same - 7.1 millimeters.

One of the rumors turned out to be true: the space that was previously occupied by the headphone jack has now been given to a second speaker. The iPhone 7, followed by the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XR and XS, supported the stereo format, which Apple claimed provided much better sound without headphones.

Ultimately, the company decided that the usefulness of the 3.5mm jack in the iPhone did not justify the space it took up - and, of course, this was a great reason to motivate owners to switch to Lightning headphones. Subsequently, the main competitors of such headphones became wireless models.

Self-replacement of the 3.5 plug

We will need a knife, soldering iron, solder, rosin. Cut off 5-10 cm of wire from the plug, remove all the insulation from the plug, remember the sequence of wires by color (sometimes they are different). Strip the wires and solder them to the 3.5 mm jack. It is better to fill the soldering area with hot glue and compress it with heat shrink, so the connection will last much longer. Read more about the renovation here

The TRS (phone connector) nicknamed “jack” is designed to transmit analog audio and is most often used in headphones,…

The TRS (phone connector) nicknamed “jack” is designed to transmit analog audio and is most often used in headphones, headsets and speakers.

TRS means: Tip - tip, Ring - ring, Sleeve - sleeve.

The word “jack” in audio engineering means “socket,” so it is incorrect to call a plug, or even a whole class of connectors, a “jack.” In addition to the jargon “jack”, there are names: “audio” and “stereo”.

TRS jack modifications

Number of contacts ▼

• 5 contacts - TRRRS “jack 5-pole”. Used in noise canceling headsets. • 4 contacts - TRRS “jack 4-pole”. It is used in regular headsets, balanced headphones, connecting cords for TV set-top boxes and in some exotic adapters. • 3 contacts - TRS “stereo” or “jack 3-pole”. Used in headphone, speaker and microphone cords. • 2 contacts - TS “mono” or “jack 2-pole”. A two-pole plug is used in professional equipment, for example, for connecting electric guitars.

Standard sizes ▼

• 2.5 mm - micro-jack (small gadgets, headsets of old mobile phones) • 3.5 mm - mini-jack (smartphones, players, PC audio card) • 6.35 mm - quarter inch - 1/4″ (variety microphone, professional headphones)

If the plug size does not fit the socket size, an adapter is needed ▼

TRS plug pinouts

The numbering of the TRS plug pins starts with the tip. The assignment of TRS pins in headphones and speakers is clearly defined ▼

1 - Left channel - L 2 - Right channel - R 3 - Common wire - G

There is no standard for the color marking of wires in a cord, but a certain tradition has developed:

1 - Left channel - White (or green) 2 - Right channel - Red 3 - Common wire - Copper (braided)

In addition to solder plugs, there are also screw plugs ▼ Pinout of a computer monophonic microphone plug ▼ The left and right contacts are soldered together - this is the microphone output itself. Well, the common wire is in its rightful place. The wiring of a lavalier microphone (for connecting to a smartphone) differs from the wiring of a computer microphone ▼

For more information about connecting microphones and headsets to a computer or smartphone, see the article “Microphones, headphones and headsets”

TRRS plug pinouts

The pinout of the TRRS plug depends on the application. A separate article has been written for each case ▼

• Data cables for miniature players and smart watches ▼ These adapters are not used for audio transmission! The TRRS plug is not used for its intended purpose.

Pinout of TRS and TRRS sockets

Please note that some sockets are equipped with open contacts. This was invented so that when you connect headphones to a PC or tape recorder, the speakers are turned off

When a plug is connected to such a socket, the left and right channel contacts open, thereby turning off the speakers.

If this disconnection does not suit you, you need to solder jumpers ▼

Does Lightning really provide better sound?

It's been a long time since the first truly wireless in-ear headphones were introduced in 2015, and the level of audio technology in the sector has advanced radically.

Every version of the iPhone we've tested so far has sounded better with each new iteration. And while this is largely determined by the capabilities of the headphones used, iPhone 12 now supports Dolby Atmos and Apple's own spatial audio processing technology, allowing you to listen to surround sound recordings in AirPods Pro and AirPods Max headphones. We have long been accustomed to the fact that the sound of Apple smartphones can safely be attributed to the best samples on the market, and the latest iPhone 12 has taken the baton from the iPhone 11.

Wireless headphones initially performed worse than their wired counterparts in the same price category, but a quick glance at the reviews of the new AirPods Max makes sure that Apple managed to get rid of the generational curse. Lightning headphones, which receive a digital rather than analog signal from your device, may well be better than their traditional rivals - but the difference is likely to be small.

How to find out if the connector is faulty

Insert working headphones into the jack and turn on the music. If music does not play in working headphones, your connector is broken. Also, if you hear a hissing sound when the plug moves, this means that the connector will soon completely fail.

Useful: Pinout of the instrument panel for GAZ cars (Gazelle, Volga)

Nowadays, the pinout of headphone wires with a microphone shown in the first picture below is mostly used everywhere, but there is also another one, which is mainly used on old phones and in phones from some manufacturers. They differ in that the microphone and ground contacts are swapped.

What Apple Lightning headphones are on the market?

Since the first rumors about Apple's refusal to use the 3.5 mm jack, headphone manufacturers began to compete for the right to release new models with Lightning and Bluetooth.

The pioneer was Philips, which back in 2014 introduced the M2L model with excellent sound. Since then, high-end headphone manufacturer Audeze has added Sine on-ear headphones and EL-8 Titanium monitor headphones to its catalog. In addition, there are also iSine 10 and 20 earbuds with Lightning cable and the RHA MA650i, the company's first dedicated Lightning headphones.

However, many other excellent (and even better) headphones also have this jack, such as Libratone's Q Adapt line (which also includes noise-cancelling models), JBL Reflect Aware, and Pioneer Rayz.

The flagship B&W Signature P9 wireless headphones come with a Lightning adapter, and the Beats line (which has become a division of Apple since 2014) includes the urBeats3 model with a Lightning connector.

Would you like to receive another unique offer? Beats also has a collaboration with Tokyo fashion brand Ambush. Their joint creation is a glow-in-the-dark version of Ambush's recently launched 2022 Powerbeats wireless earbuds. From the latest, fourth generation of Beats Powerbeats (these headphones are the successors to the exceptionally talented Powerbeats3; however, Beats decided to abandon its numbering system and simply called the 2022 model Powerbeats), the Ambush Glow version is distinguished only by the color, brand logo and carrying case. In the dark, these Powerbeats glow bright green. With her you will not go unnoticed.

Universal plug - 3.5 jack pinout for connecting to headphone and smartphone jacks

Pinout of jack 3.5 is not particularly difficult; skill with a soldering iron is enough. Therefore, almost any user of headsets that require such a connector can repair a failed connector or solder a new one onto a wire. Audio connectors were invented in the 19th century for use in telephone switches and are still widely used to transmit analog audio signals.

Contact configuration

Pin no.	PIN name	Description
1.	Tip	Left
2.	Ring	Right
3.	Ring	Earth
4.	Sleeve	Microphone

Brief descriptionThe 3.5mm jack is a universal audio jack size for smartphones, PCs and laptops. Additionally, for hams, the 3.5mm audio jack is a useful component for projects that connect to headphone jacks. There are different types of audio connectors such as TS, TRS and TRRS used in various applications, but the most common ones that we see in everyday life are TRS and TRRS.

Types: 3.5mm Jack

1. TS Type Pin-On Audio Jack These types of audio jacks do not support stereo sound and microphone, which means there is no left and right channel. You will get the same sound from both sides. Below is the pinout of a 3.5 TS type jack. Applications: Still used on musical equipment (especially electric guitars) and aircraft radios.

2. TRS Type Pin Audio Connector Shown here is a TRS type connector, "T" stands for Tip, "R" stands for Ring, and "S" stands for Sleeve. These types of audio jacks support stereo audio and do not support a microphone. Thus, using this type, you can only listen to music, but cannot talk to the caller. Below is the pinout of a TRS type audio jack.

USB twisted pair extension cable: turning a non-network printer into a network printer

Application: speakers, microphone, keyboards, etc. 3. TRRS type pin-type audio plug TRRS type audio plug has four conductors and is most popular among smartphone and tablet users. The pin sequence of TRRS type audio connectors is tip-ring-ring-sleeve and microphone, it is also a stereo plug. There are a number of standards that are used to create these audio connectors, such as OMTB and CTIA. This is the reason why your smartphone does not support other brands of headphones. Below is the pinout of a 3.5mm TRS type jack.

Application: Used in many branded headphones such as Apple, Nokia, Samsung, Panasonic, etc.

Self-pinout of 3.5 mm jack

2D Model

Headphone cable repair - 3.5 mm jack pinout

https://2shemi.ru/raspinovka-shtekera-na-3-5-mm-pod-naushniki-s-mikrofonom/
https://prohelps.ru/raspinovka-shtekera-na-3-5-mm-pod-naushnik/
https://usilitelstabo.ru/raspinovka-dzhek-3-5.html

How about wireless headphones for iPhone 12?

Of course, with new versions of the iPhone you can use not only headphones with Lightning, but also those that support Bluetooth.

There are many great models on the market, including Award-winning What Hi-Fi? Sony WF-1000XM3, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, Sony WH-1000XM4, Cambridge Audio Melomania 1, Earfun Air and Earfun Air Pro; some also feature active noise cancellation.

We weren't completely thrilled with the look and sound of the first version of AirPods, but the second generation, released in 2022, has radically improved the sound quality, which has contributed to the release of numerous "AirPods alternatives."

Pinout diagrams by manufacturer

Apple audio pinout

1 - left
2 - right
3 - ground
4 - microphone

iPod Nano (4th, 5th Gen), iPhone (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Gen), iPod Shuffle (3rd Gen), Cell Phone Connection iPhone headphone (handsfree)

1 - left 2 - right 3 - ground 4 - microphone

Lenovo Thinkpad Edge & X Series Notebook audio

Samsung audio pinouts

1 - left 2 - right 3 - ground 4 - microphone

Samsung i300, i330, i500, i700 handsfree/headset connector

Samsung OEM EHS64 Headset for Samsung Galaxy SIII GT-i9305 and some others

Samsung Series 9 Notebook headset (NP900X3D-A02DE)

Samsung SPH-a420, a580, a640, m220, m240, m300, m320, m330, Rant m540, Exclaim m550 SCH-R451C headset Samsung headset P/N: AEP010SLEB/STD

Samsung SPH-A880, SCH-U620, SCH-U540, SPH-M500, SCH-A950, SCH-A870, SCH-A930, SPH-A920, SPH-A940, SCH-A970, SPH-A900 BLADE, A900M, SCH- A990, SCH-U740 AEP204VBEB/STD Headset/Music

Are there any disadvantages to Apple Lightning headphones?

The most obvious unfortunate consequence of abandoning the 3.5mm jack was the inability to connect existing headphones to new iPhone models, and the iPhone itself to the system using a regular audio cable. Many other accessories suffered the same fate.

Apple offers a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter for an additional cost (it's no longer included with the iPhone), but it's not the most elegant solution—and it's also easy to lose if you unplug it and pack it with your headphones while traveling.

It was impossible to listen to music from the iPhone 7 on wired headphones while charging the smartphone, since both the headphones and the charger required a Lightning connector; Apple subsequently solved this problem for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X line by equipping them with Qi wireless charging.

There is a wide selection of Qi charging plates on the market today, so you can forget about the ill-fated and once again abandoned AirPower charging system by Apple.

Any headphones with active noise cancellation that receive power from the iPhone can shorten the operating period of the smartphone, which is already not particularly long in the latest Apple models.

You won’t find wireless headphones in the box with the iPhone X, XR or XS Max, and this trend continues: the new iPhone 12 only comes with a cable with USB-C and Lightning plugs. However, just as the transition from 30-pin to Lightning paved the way for the widespread use of wireless speakers, the removal of the 3.5mm output could provide a powerful boost to the wireless headphone segment.

There are plenty of great Bluetooth-enabled models on the market today, and this sector of the market continues to grow and branch out—check out Bose and Philips sports headphones with bone conduction technology, for example.

How the headphone jack works

The pinout of the headphone jack (using TRS as an example) is a mirror of the pinout of the plug (the diagram is shown below).

For the connector with a TRRS microphone (used for a headset), the pinout is as follows.

Headphone circuit with microphone

For a headset, the schematic drawing looks different, because it is designed differently - equipped with an additional cable for transmitting sound from a microphone.

Have you noticed that in the diagrams there are different contacts for ground and microphone? Nothing strange. There are a couple of TRRS types (specifications) available with different ground and microphone contact locations. In CTIA (computer standard), the second ring (third contact) is connected to the common contact, and the sleeve is connected to the microphone, in the case of OMTP (telephone specification) it is the other way around: the 3rd contact is the speaker, the 4th is ground.

The standards are relevant only for headsets - headphones with a microphone; they have no relation to devices without one.

The standards are relevant only for headsets - headphones with a microphone; they have no relation to devices without one.

Figure No. 1
We noticed that some headsets with iPhone work adequately. The microphone fails, the volume control and track switching do not function due to the fact that most accessories are produced with the international OMPT pinout, and Apple uses the American circuit - CTIA. The problem is solved by purchasing a CTIA - OMPT adapter (see Figure No. 1) or by resoldering the 3rd and 4th contacts (they are swapped) in the headset.

The headphone pinout will allow you to correctly solder the pins when repairing the device, for example, replacing a damaged plug or cable. It depends on the number of contacts and the specification used: CTIA or OMPT.