Cable Comparison: 1.5mm Vs. 2.5mm Vs. 3.5mm Cables

Compare and contrast the evolution of the headphone cable starting with the 1.5mm cable to the 2.5mm cable and not the 3.5mm

Cables and connectors come in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes; often times to the extent that it's difficult to know which one is appropriate for different uses. The most common cable sizes, at least where consumer electronics devices are concerned, are 2.5mm and 3.5mm. There are a couple of other variations out there, though, so hopefully this will be a helpful primer on some of the cable types that exist out there.  More commonly now a days are the 3.5mm jack which hs become the standard in todays electronic devices.  That is not to say older devices still use 2.5mm and 1.5mm jacks.  So to make them work adapters or older connectors are needed.

The original gold standard for audio cable connectors was 1/4", which you may still see sometimes on stereo receivers or some high-end headphones. They were originally designed for use in manual telephone exchanges. Providing excellent sound quality in a highly durable package, the 1/4" connector is still favored by some audiophiles. That said, there are newer and smaller variations that have become more common in consumer electronics.

1.5mm Cables

Speaker wire, such as that used in home theater systems, may also come in a thinner variety, measuring in at 1.5mm. Because it's a thinner cable, it is susceptible to more interference from its surroundings. Audiophiles generally prefer a thicker cable, even if it comes with a slightly higher price tag.

2.5mm Cables

The 2.5mm cable was first introduced for use in earpieces for transistor radios. They offered sound quality comparable to the larger 1/4" cable, but came in a smaller package, allowing for its inclusion in smaller equipment.

While 2.5mm cable remains fairly common, 2.5mm connectors have grown increasingly less common. Older cell phones often had 2.5mm audio jacks for headsets and the like, but more modern devices favor the 3.5mm size. On the rare occasion when a portable device has an incompatible audio jack, an inexpensive adapter can solve the problem easily enough.

3.5mm Cables

3.5mm cables have become far and away the most common cables of their type. Nearly any pair of headphones you might have around the house use the 3.5mm jack. The reason for its original introduction was to offer a cable that provided the same audio fidelity as the 2.5mm version, but with a more rugged connector; the larger diameter provides more durability than its smaller counterparts.

Of course, the trade-off is that the 3.5mm jack takes up more space in the device it's used in. While other connectors, such as USB, have grown smaller and smaller (Mini and Micro USB, for example), allowing for sleeker consumer electronics devices, little has been done to miniaturize audio connectors in recent years. What this means for the average consumer - for better or worse - is that we won't have to worry about upgrading our devices any time soon with a new audio connector.

Even if you don't regularly encounter all of these cable types, it can't hurt to at least have some idea about where they all come from, what they do, and what led to the adoption of the current industry standards that you're more familiar with.

Citations:

• A Brief Guide to... 2.5mm Cables

Michael Alvarez has been working in the electronics and technology field for over 20 years.  He enjoys sharing his expertise and knowledge of 2.5mm cable devices with others; while continuing to grow his knowledge.