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6.35mm

6.35mm Audio Jack (1/4 inch)

Standard: IEC 60603-11 Last updated: 2025-01-21

The 6.35mm jack dates back to 1878 telephone switchboards, making it one of the oldest electrical connectors still in common use. Its durability and simplicity have kept it standard in professional audio and musical instruments. While consumer electronics moved to 3.5mm, the 1/4" connector remains dominant in professional audio where its larger size allows for more robust connections.

Quick Specifications

Max Speed

0 Mbps

Pins

3

Reversible

No

⚠️ Common Confusion Points

  • TS and TRS look almost identical but serve different purposes - TS for instruments, TRS for balanced or stereo
  • A TRS cable on an instrument can cause noise or signal loss - use TS for guitars/basses
  • Balanced TRS is NOT stereo - it's mono with noise cancellation for long cable runs
  • Guitar cables (instrument cables) have different shielding than patch cables - don't use speaker cables for instruments
  • Speaker cables look like instrument cables but have no shielding - NEVER use for line-level signals
  • Headphone outputs are stereo TRS, not balanced - don't confuse with balanced line outputs
  • Hi-Z (high impedance) instrument inputs are different from line-level TRS inputs

Protocols & Versions

Protocol Data Rate Power Max Length
TS (Mono/Unbalanced) (TS) Analog — 7.5m typical for instruments
TRS (Stereo/Balanced) (TRS) Analog — 30m+ for balanced signals

TS (Mono/Unbalanced) Features

Mono unbalanced audio 2 conductors Standard for instruments

Cable requirements: TS instrument cable

TRS (Stereo/Balanced) Features

Stereo unbalanced OR mono balanced 3 conductors Common on headphones and pro audio

Cable requirements: TRS cable

Connector Specifications

Shape
cylindrical
Pins
3
Width × Height
6.35 × 6.35 mm
Depth
31 mm
Reversible
No

Electrical Specifications

Max Voltage
2V
Impedance
Varies: Hi-Z (~1MΩ instruments), Lo-Z (50-600Ω pro audio)

Compatibility

Can Adapt To

  • 3.5mm
  • XLR (active/passive)
  • RCA

Can Adapt From

  • 3.5mm
  • XLR

Common Uses

  • Electric guitars and basses
  • Guitar amplifiers
  • Audio interfaces
  • Mixing consoles
  • Studio monitors
  • Professional headphones
  • Keyboard/synthesizers
  • Effect pedals
  • DJ equipment

Buying Guide

For guitars and instruments, get TS cables with good shielding (braided shield is quieter than spiral). For studio monitors and balanced connections, use TRS cables. For headphones, any TRS cable works. Avoid extremely cheap cables - poor shielding causes noise. Cable capacitance affects guitar tone on long runs.

Also Known As

1/4 inch Quarter inch Phone plug Guitar cable Instrument cable

Data Sources