this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2023
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On a recent post, there were a lot of comments, which said that they were missing the headphones on newer mobile devices.

How many actually use the headphone jack?

I ask, because I have one on my phone, since I really wanted one, but I rarely use it. Like Tops 1/Month.

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[–] obinice 13 points 6 months ago

...How else am I going to plug my earphones in?

[–] aluminium 13 points 6 months ago

I do, its so much better than this bluetooth nonsense for simple everyday use. No charging, no pairing and FM Radio. Checkmate!

[–] MysticKetchup 13 points 6 months ago

All the time, it's great for riding the train or focusing at work. I have a pair of Bluetooth headphones but they're slower and harder to connect so I prefer wired over them. Also since wired are cheaper and don't require batteries I can keep a spare pair in my car or at my desk so I never have to worry about forgetting and not having them

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago (1 children)

damn, we do give a shit about this! 500 comments in a day about something so simple

maybe we should strike for this

Bring BACK the JACK!!

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[–] dual_sport_dork 12 points 6 months ago

It doesn't matter how often. When you need it, you need it.

[–] shotgun_crab 12 points 6 months ago

All the time, every day

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago

I use it all the time. I'm holding off on upgrading my phone so that I don't lose it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

Can someone explain to me why phones don't offer 2 USB-C ports on the top and bottom? It seems to me like that would be the perfect solution. Is this purely about selling bluetooth headphones or is there something else?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Because less ports equals less cost.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago

I use wired daily. I also use wireless a few times a week.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago

Nearly every day for me. I love having my headphones on while I walk to work or am on the bus. I had to buy a new phone about a month ago and I exclusively shopped phones that came with a headphone jack.

[–] cley_faye 11 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

If my current phone had one, I would use it daily. Unfortunately it doesn't, so I moved to bluetooth headset. This means charging regularly, (very) occasional drop in connection in crowded space. The only alternative is an USB C adapter I could use, but then I'd have to unplug/replug it everytime I want to charge my phone.

I will look for a phone with a jack for my next one, but if the current trend keep going it might not be an option (not an affordable one).

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago

Daily. Bought my sennheiser wired noise cancelling headphones in 2017 and they look quite rough now but still sound great and nc is still on par or better than most new headphobes. My brother and sister bought the bluetooth counterpart and both have replaced them years ago since they broke.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago

I used it back when they still put them in flagship phones. The audio quality is much, much higher than via Bluetooth.

I use a DAC now, but it's not great...

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago

Until I didn't buy a phone without one, literally dailly.

[–] Maldreamer 11 points 6 months ago

Almost everyday, the day my current phone diee and when i get a new one i would need a dongle for my iem

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago

I do. I also actively search for phones with FM radio.

[–] ZeroTHM 11 points 6 months ago

All the time, even when Bluetooth is available instead. It's simply more reliable.

[–] Pizza_Rat 11 points 6 months ago

I have multiple Bluetooth headphones that I use and wear often, and I generally prefer them. But a phone with no headphone jack is a non-starter.

Wired headphones are bedrock.They don't need to be charged. They work easily across devices. I don't have to worry about dropping them, or fumbling with menus to connect. They just work, always, immediately. Not having headphones that work when you need them is a huge problem.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

I can’t, they took it away.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

Daily with a USB-C DAC (prefer no DAC). I've had Bluetooth headphones ranging from $30 to $300. Keeping them charged is just a pain in the ass and the battery inevitability wears out due to too many cycles.

All my peers stalling our remote meetings for 5+ minutes when their air pods die or have pairing issues also annoys the fuck out of me as it happens every damn week. We do a lot of pair programming sitting in discord all day.

Until the tech improves, I'll stick with wired.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

I walk through some neighbourhoods with many high-risk apartments, and there is so much interference from all the Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth devices, and other wireless devices using 2.4 GHz, that even the best wireless headphones skip & stutter playback.

It also takes so much longer to switch wireless headphones to a different device, especially when they all compete to connect to the headphones.

Let me make the decision when to use wireless, don't make it for me. A DAC USB-C dongle is dumb.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago (5 children)

almost daily. really glad with my current wired earbuds, they are lasting years with constant use, with really thin wires and all

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

Yeah still have one on my phone, still use it daily. I won't buy a phone without one. Still rocking the apple wired headphones 10 years later. Still have a headphone jack in my car.

[–] Bort 10 points 6 months ago

Every dang day. I refuse to buy a phone without one

[–] Thcdenton 10 points 6 months ago

I do. I can't use earbuds. I use wired fullsize headphones

[–] feef 10 points 6 months ago

Don‘t have one and honestly I don’t miss it.

I only use wired headphones at my computer.

[–] kalleboo 10 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I like using wired headphones when I take phone calls. The headset profile that Bluetooth switches to when it needs to activate a microphone sounds like total ass and I have trouble understanding what people say as it is.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

I use it every day, plus a 512 GB SD card to store ROMs, striping functionalities is ridiculous.

[–] alertsleeper 10 points 6 months ago

All the time. I wouldn't want a phone without it

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

Mine doesn't have it but Xiaomi have a USB C to headphone jack adaptor and I use it everyday.

[–] MossyHabitat 10 points 6 months ago (4 children)

I don't use headphones often, but when I do its' via wired headphones. I had to buy a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter, but the max volume is half of what my old phone with a 3.5mm jack could deliver.

Cheap wireless devices like headphones are way too finicky and prone to breakage, not to mention the battery lifespan is just a few years. I've had my nice wired headphones for 10 years.

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[–] Maggoty 10 points 6 months ago

I used it right up until I didn't have a port in the phone for it anymore. Wired is 100% more reliable for headphones. I'm not even an audiophile, I just hate how Bluetooth drops and comes back wherever it wants. If we're going to do wireless then we need a better protocol.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

I use mine almost on a daily basis, with my headphones and when I connect my phone to my stereo system.

I do have Chromecast Audio hooked up and I own good wireless Hi-Fi earbuds, but I prefer to use cables. They just work better, no interference or any other hassle.

[–] xylogx 10 points 6 months ago

I prefer wired - one less thing to charge.

[–] AnalogyAddict 10 points 6 months ago

I use it exclusively. No Bluetooth headphones for me.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago (5 children)

The most recent phone I purchased does not a 3.5mm jack. It wasn't really a decision I realized I was making, as the phone's previous iteration had had it in an era when that wasn't a given.

There have been a few times that I've missed it, not many, certainly fewer than 10 never a huge deal. But that's infinitely more times than I've thought:

I'm so glad my phone doesn't have a headphone jack.

Next phone will definitely have one because honestly

yeah I might use that

Is enough justification to spend $0.25 (if that) for them to integrate a jack. What stupid cost cutting.

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[–] orangeboats 9 points 6 months ago

I am using it now as I'm commenting.

Been using it daily for years at this point.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (6 children)

I have a very nice set of Bose corded noise cancelling headphones and use them when I fly for work and at home sometimes when I want to chill out.

The advantage they have over Bluetooth is that the base functionality still works when the single AAA battery that powers them goes flat. Unlike Bluetooth headsets they also don't switch to low power/BLE mode when they're supposed to be "off", so they don't go flat when they're in my travel bag for a week or two. They also plug straight into in-flight entertainment systems so I don't need to use the $3 headphones the airline provides.

The AAA powers the noise cancelling for about 15-20 hours straight and the case has a spot for a spare so the whole setup is pretty good.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

Multiple times a week. I make music and connect my phone to the PA to practice or listen to playbacks. It also goes into the e-drums as playback device. If you're using proper audio equipment, the headphone jack is useful for a lot of stuff. I even have a rumble-metronome that connects via headphone jack.

[–] Thteven 9 points 6 months ago

Multiple hours per day. I listen to a lot of podcasts at work on my porta pros and music on my etymotics. I don't like dealing with wireless stuff.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

Every single day.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Bluetooth has never improved the user experience of connecting. It's always been super annoying to keep track of connections. Bluetooth is limited to mp3 quality, aka 1/4 the quality of a CD, and that limit will never increase. We can do a little better with fancy codecs, but you'll always be able to tell with good headphones. A headphone jack is still higher quality than any non-headphone jack alternative, and it will always be that way.

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[–] sturmblast 9 points 6 months ago

I do all the time.

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