Neutrik Silent Plugs

[surfsup]

I just got done soldering up a few custom cables for myself using these ends and some mogami 2319 low noise cable. They are definitely comfy-cozy stylee. I like that for sure, but man, what a pain in the arse to solder! FYI these don't have anything to really solder to. You put the signal end in a "cup" and solder that, and the ground end to the sleeve that has a little needle on it.

I'm wondering how reliable these are? Anyone been using these for a while and seen a failure or resolder necessary?

[brentm]

I've made quite a few cables with the Neutrik silent plugs (for friends and myself) and never had any failures on the solder connections. Here's what I use....

Were you using right angle connectors??? I usually ground to the semi circle metal piece and haven't had any problems. I think I've only seen that "needle" on the right angle connectors. I use the semi circle on the R/A's too instead of that solder tab.

Yeah, those connectors rock! Only failures I've read about are people that drop the connector on hard surfaces when unpluggging their instrument. I think there's some glass inside that breaks when it hits a hard surface...

[Milkmansound]

I've seen those connectors last for 15+ years in a recording studio when properly terminated. Granted, they were rarely unplugged, but they are very high quality

[surfsup]

Straight plugs. I didnt notice the pin until i looked for it reading the soldering instructions. The plugs feel heavy duty for sure and i didnt know there was glass inside, thanks for that. I guess i was worried about there being no "mechanical" connection, just solder. How many times do people post here about getting a good mechanical connection in building amps and then soldering? I just though it was strange these have nothing to crimp the signal and ground leads to.

[paulster]

Get a SMD flux pen if you don't already have one (they're great), apply a little flux to the semi-circular piece and the cup, and then you can tin them very easily. Then it's a doddle to solder your cable to.

The strain relief is so strong on the Neutrik connectors that you don't have to worry about having a physically strong connection prior to soldering.

[brentm]

Straight plugs. I didnt notice the pin until i looked for it reading the soldering instructions. The plugs feel heavy duty for sure and i didnt know there was glass inside, thanks for that. I guess i was worried about there being no "mechanical" connection, just solder. How many times do people post here about getting a good mechanical connection in building amps and then soldering? I just though it was strange these have nothing to crimp the signal and ground leads to.

Yeah, I usually unbraid the shield and get it as flat as possible. Then flux and load it with solder and cut to length... then I do the same on the metal semi-circle... then get a good reflow going between the two when I solder it down. No real mechanical connection but usually it sticks pretty good... then that strain relief... sometimes my hands hurt for a while after trying to screw on the chuck to the end.

[paulster]

then that strain relief... sometimes my hands hurt for a while after trying to screw on the chuck to the end.

Dish towels are your friend! You get better purchase on the chuck without killing your fingers in the process. They are about the perfect thickness for these plugs.

[Big Jim]

I have them on all my cables and I love 'em. I have also made cables for friends, and I have heard no complaints. If I remember correctly the Mogami cable has that conductive plastic shield that must be cut back just right or it will short out your signal. Great cable!
Jim

[LeftyStrat]

I love these as well. I've never had a failure, and I used them for patch cords on a modular synth, which got tons of use.

I agree with brentm on how to solder them. Flatten the braid. Since I made about fifty patch cables (100 plugs to solder), I got really good at it. After you've done about five you get the hang of it.

Using some "helping hands" will allow you to get that semi circle hot enough without burning your fingers.

And yes, when I did those fifty patch cables, I did at least once forget to slide the strain relief on first when soldering the second plug...

[Structo]

I use the Neutrik silent, right angle plug on a few of my cables.

I like them as well.

Some say they fail a lot but I've never had a problem.

In fact I prefer using all Neutrik plugs if I can.
I like their strain relief system in the straight plugs for sure.

Most of you know this but if you pre-tin (solder) the wires and plug with solder, it will be much easier to bond the wires to the plug when you solder them.
The main thing is to hold the wire so it doesn't move while the solder sets.
I use one of those helping hands thingies and a small vise.

The reason the silent plugs can break is I believe there is a glass reed switch inside the plug.
When the outside sleeve is extend (not plugged in) a magnet releases the reed switch causing it to open.

So if you drop it on a concrete floor, it can shatter.

[jaysg]

I've never had trouble with Neutrik...are you using lead free solder?

Btw, Moose and I sort of decided that you have to be careful with the Silent ones. It appears that the internal reed can break if you drop the jack on a hard surface once too often....oh, wait, Tom already said that....

[xtian]

Thanks, y'all. I just ordered 30 feet of bright red Canare (red sounds the best, right?) and one straight and one angled Neutrik silent plugs, plus plain (cheaper!) Neutrik plugs for the amp side, to make two 15' cables. Cost is about half of prices on eBay. Bought from Markertek.

[LeftyStrat]

red sounds the best, right?

Depends on the guitar, red adds a little brightness that is good for humbuckers, but for single coils I prefer the mellowness of the blue.

[brentm]

You guys should try 15 or 20 feet of the CA-0446-NN from Best-Tronics. $0.62 per foot... I won't make any wild claims about how great the cable sounds... the electrical specs are good... nice for longer runs. And everyone I've sold (at my cost) or given these cables to have asked for more.

http://best-tronics.com/guitar-cable/pd ... arison.pdf

[Structo]

Wow, that is really low pf/ ft.

How does it sound on a brighter amp?

I'm always afraid of going too low on capacitance as it can sound shrill.