4 types of wired headset connectors
Business
4 types of wired headset connectors
Author
Daniel Gniazdo
Posted
July 10, 2015
Reading time
6
minutes
Headsets can connect to phones, computers, and other audio devices in a variety of ways. That's a good thing, because you can always find a headset for just about any type of connection you can think of. That's also a " bad" thing, because you need to keep track of these connections. Below, I'll give you a quick overview of the most common ones.
To state something fairly obvious, there are two main ways to connect a headset to a phone or computer:
wired
and
wireless
.We have already looked at the two main wireless standards in our previous "
DECT versus Bluetooth
“Publish.
But what are the main types of wired headset connectors?
Well, let's take a look…
Wires were the standard way to connect headsets to other devices, until
Bluetooth headsets
and other wireless technologies have emerged. Wired connections rely on a physical cord between devices, but the connectors, plugs, and sockets involved can be very different. Here are the ones you're likely to encounter:
RJ9 (aka RJ10, aka RJ22)
What is that?
This one is a little tricky."RJ" stands for "
recorded jack
”, so now you know this anecdote. You may come across headset vendors who use one of the following terms: RJ9, RJ10 or RJ22. So those are three different types of connectors, right?
The short answer is: No. The terms are used interchangeably to refer to a headset that plugs into the standard handset port of a desk phone (potentially via
an amplifier
).The headset then essentially replaces the handset.
The longer, more technical, and more pedantic answer is: These headphone connectors all refer to the same
4P4C handset socket
, and they shouldn't even use the "RJ" terminology, because they don't connect directly to a public telephone network and zZZZZZZzzzzzz. You can
read more here
, if you wish it.
The main thing to remember here is:
RJ9=RJ10=RJ22
Used for:
Desk phones.
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Most older landline desk phones have a square, modular handset port. Headsets with RJ9 connectors can use this port to support handset functionality. Some newer desk phones have a dedicated "headset" port, which can be used with RJ9 headsets without occupying the "handset" space.
To make matters even more confusing, it's not always guaranteed that a certain headset will work with a certain desk phone, even if both use RJ9. This is due to fun things like pin alignment, and There are
adapters and amplifiers
that help bridge these connections.
USB
What is that?
You know what USB is, but for the sake of anyone stumbling into the 21st century with no prior knowledge of personal computers:
USB is short for "Universal Serial Bus", and it's the most commonly used computer port - you could even say it's universal. It's used to connect all sorts of things to your computer, from functional things like a keyboard or mouse to weird things like miniature USB-powered lava lamps. Some smartphones also use USB/mini-USB/micro-USB connections to transfer data. USB headsets are designed to take advantage of of this universal connectivity.
Used for:
Computers.
USB headsets plug into the computer's USB port and usually automatically pick up all audio, including
skype conversations
etc. This procedure is usually plug-and-play, so you can be up and running in seconds. Many USB headsets also have control units with buttons that allow you to do things like change the volume and directly mute calls .
3.5 millimeter plug
What is that?
The 3.5mm jack should also be familiar to you. It is a widely used way of connecting musical gadgets to audio output like earphones and headphones. The 3.5mm plug from a headphone connects to the corresponding 3.5mm on any audio device you use.
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3 Tips for Virtualizing an Organization for Long-Term Flexible Working
Used for:
Newer computers, portable music players and cell phones.
The 3.5mm jack is quite versatile and used in many different audio devices. By far the majority of newer smartphones have a 3.5mm jack which allows you to plug in 3.5mm headphones. You can then listen to music and use the headset for calls. The same goes for tablets and music players (except music players are generally not designed for phone calls).
Newer computers work the same way, but some of the older ones actually have two separate 3.5mm jacks – one for the microphone and one for the headphones. This is why some headsets come with two separate 3 .5 mm – one for the microphone input jack (red or pink) and one for the audio output jack (black, blue or green). You can also purchase
special conversion cables
that allow you to use headsets with these older computers.
2.5 mm plug
What is that?
The 2.5mm plug is the older but smaller sibling of the 3.5mm plug. It's pretty outdated these days, but it works much the same as the more modern 3.5mm version. .
Used for:
Usually older cell phones and some desk phones
The 3.5mm jack is quickly becoming the norm, but older cell phones have a 2.5mm jack for connecting headsets. You can find equally outdated headsets with 2.5mm jacks, but even in this case, some of them may need an adapter to work with 2.5mm cell phone. Confused? Don't worry, me too.
There are also a few select desk phones with a 2.5mm headset port instead of the more commonly used RJ9. But you can find conversion cables that allow you to connect any wired headset to these phones.
Special Mention: Quick Disconnect
What is that?
The concept of Quick Disconnect (QD) is not quite like the rest of the connections above. There is no dedicated "QD" port on your computer or phone. You can go check it out, I will wait.
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Instead, a QD cable consists of two modular parts – one that plugs into the computer or phone and the other into the headset itself. Together they form a QD connection between them. to quickly unplug the headset without interrupting the ongoing call. Then you can walk away and pretend your headset is wireless (except you won't actually be able to hear or say anything).
This is useful if you need to move around and look for things while talking to someone but don't want to take the headset off to do so. 'call.Cared!
Used for:
Desk phones (via RJ9) or computers (via USB or 3.5mm)
Due to the modular design, you can have a
QD headphones
which connects to RJ9 or USB or 3.5mm ports. All you need is to swap out the part that connects to desk phone or computer, and you are good to go. You can buy
separate cables
which have the type of connector you need, then use them with your existing QD headset. Just make sure they are compatible, as each vendor tends to have their own set of QD cables.
Since USB and QD connectors look a lot alike, you'll be forgiven for trying to insert a QD plug directly into your laptop's USB port. But you'll need a
QD to USB adapter
to really make it work.
***
It can sometimes be difficult to find the right headphones with the right connection options, so you can always
contact the Jabra sales team
for advice.
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