Input jack questions

[alterbridgefan]

It's a flucking input jack. You put the cable in the jack.

:blob7:

 

[Jumble Jumble]

See also the power inlets all over the walls in your house. Wait, you call them outlets? Why?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

See also the power inlets all over the walls in your house. Wait, you call them outlets? Why?

Also known as receptacles which has an opposite connotation.  It's AC power as well, so it's push/pull.  Spends half the time being an input and output.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Basically what it boiled down to is that "input" doesn't mean "female". One describes the function, the other describes the mechanics. That's why we have different words.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Basically what it boiled down to is that "input" doesn't mean "female".

No - to be fair. Most females are associated with output.  :doh:

 

[AndyG]

Basically what it boiled down to is that "input" doesn't mean "female".

No - to be fair. Most females are associated with output.  :doh:

Not in audio.  Look at any microphone cable, snakehead, recording console, etc.  The inputs are all female, and the outputs all male.

 

[Cagey]

Basically what it boiled down to is that "input" doesn't mean "female".

No - to be fair. Most females are associated with output.  :doh:

Not in audio.  Look at any microphone cable, snakehead, recording console, etc.  The inputs are all female, and the outputs all male.

Admittedly, I don't have the Studio of Doom here. But, what gear I do have flies in the face of what you're purporting. I've got amps, rack gear, speakers, recording and mixing consoles, etc. that don't follow that convention. You have to look at the connector's labelling to know whether it's an input or output.

On the guitars and basses, it's always an output. Call it a jack, plug, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster's gift to humanity - whatever floats your boat. It's still an output. So, if it's a jack, it's an output jack. If it's a plug, it's an output plug. If it's the Flying Spaghetti Monster's gift to humanity, kneel down and thank his noodley appendages for the output.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

AndyG, your point appears to be "a female is always an input, except when it's not". I guess I can't argue with that, but equally in not sure it helps.

[Computing though? Molex, VGA, DVI and all those 3.5mm jacks on sound cards say hi.]

 

[AndyG]

AndyG, your point appears to be "a female is always an input, except when it's not". I guess I can't argue with that, but equally in not sure it helps.

[Computing though? Molex, VGA, DVI and all those 3.5mm jacks on sound cards say hi.]

Not really ... just trying to bring some historical perspective as to why someone could mistakenly call a 1/4" female jack an input when it's an output.
Tons of gear defy that convention ... FX pedals, rack gear ... hell, even patch bays in pro studios use bantam jacks, where the patch bay is all female and the patch cords are all male.  The convention there is that the outputs are on the top row, and the inputs are on the bottom (take that any way you want  :glasses9.
Life would certainly be a lot easier in some ways if the guitar and amp had different connectors ... until you realise you unrolled your 50 foot patch cable in the wrong direction!

 

[pabloman]

This stuff is hilarious! When the part is loose all by itself it is called by its physical descriptor. Once it is installed and placed into service it is called by it's electrical function or purpose. That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Debate over. You can all go home now.  :headbang1:

 

[DavyDave53]

So it's an 'Electrical Function Jack'?  I like that...

 

[swarfrat]

Whichisit? (It's a Stortz Coupling, image stolen from Firehosedirect.com)

 

[Jumble Jumble]

While I do have an opinion, it's not something I'd call a pet peeve or anything. It's obvious what people mean and in fact I don't even notice that someone's doing it "wrong" until somebody else points it out.

FX pedals is a great example!

 

[Cagey]

You're right, of course. If somebody wants to sound like a hairy knuckle-dragging mouth-breathing moron, why not just let them? A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Best not to pass too much of it around <grin>

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Basically what it boiled down to is that "input" doesn't mean "female".

No - to be fair. Most females are associated with output.  :doh:

Not in audio.  Look at any microphone cable, snakehead, recording console, etc.  The inputs are all female, and the outputs all male.

Not taking about audio ...  :redflag:

 

[Dan025]

Basically what it boiled down to is that "input" doesn't mean "female".

No - to be fair. Most females are associated with output.  :doh:

Not in audio.  Look at any microphone cable, snakehead, recording console, etc.  The inputs are all female, and the outputs all male.

Not taking about audio ...  :redflag:

you hand picked examples that seem to match that formula. a speaker jack on an amplifier is female, is that in input? most interconnects are male/male between componants. does the cable ouput on both ends? female input might be true of xlr but it is not true of all audio.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

So much for male/female absolute connection descriptiors.

http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/anphys/2000/Cook/Reproduction.htm

 

[AndyG]

Basically what it boiled down to is that "input" doesn't mean "female".

No - to be fair. Most females are associated with output.  :doh:

Not in audio.  Look at any microphone cable, snakehead, recording console, etc.  The inputs are all female, and the outputs all male.

Not taking about audio ...  :redflag:

you hand picked examples that seem to match that formula. a speaker jack on an amplifier is female, is that in input? most interconnects are male/male between componants. does the cable ouput on both ends? female input might be true of xlr but it is not true of all audio.

I chose those specific examples for a reason.  Female XLR connectors are always inputs.  You will never find a piece of equipment anywhere that has a female XLR output connector.  Microphone cables have one of each connector.

I also said earlier that the convention breaks down with1/4", 1/8", and RCA connectors, with the reason being they are all unixsex cables. 

I personally don't care what the jack on an instrument is referred to.  I wouldn't  have corrected someone for calling it the "wrong" thing either.  As female XLRs are ALWAYS associated with input, I was suggesting a possible link for the "error" that got this thread rolling.  I don't consider myself "right", nor do I think anyone has proven me "wrong".

My last words on this subject.  I have no desire to argue semantics.

 

[mullyman]

the ream has to be bigger than the cable it's servicing. 

That's what I told her.
MULLY

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

the ream has to be bigger than the cable it's servicing. 

That's what I told her.
MULLY

Lol.  I tried so hard to word that as not to have the inner Beavis and Butthead appear.