Side-by-Side Comparison
Jack Connectors
6.35mm TS vs. RCA
Comparing 2 standards across 9 specifications. 9 key differences identified.
Comparing:
6.35mm TS
RCA
6.35mm TS (Tip-Sleeve) is the 2-conductor version of the quarter-inch phone connector, carrying a single unbalanced mono signal. It's the standard connector for electric guitar and instrument cables, unchanged in essentials since its telephone-switchboard origins.
The RCA connector, introduced by RCA Corporation around 1937, is a de facto industry-standard connector for consumer audio and composite video -- there is no formal mechanical specification for the connector itself, though the composite video signal it typically carries targets a nominal 75-ohm impedance.
Specification Comparison Table
9 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Connector Family
|
Phone Jack (Quarter-Inch / Standard Phone) | Coaxial Phono Connector |
|
Conductors / Contacts
|
2 (Tip, Sleeve) | 2 (Center Pin, Outer Shield Ring) |
|
Signal Format
|
Unbalanced Mono Audio | Unbalanced Line-Level Audio / Composite Video / S/PDIF |
|
Primary Applications
|
Electric guitar/bass cables, instrument patch leads, amplifier inputs, effects pedals | Home theater receivers, DJ turntables/mixers, composite/component video, S/PDIF digital |
|
Shaft / Plug Diameter
|
6.35 mm (1/4") | — |
|
Standard Mono Pinout
|
Tip: Hot Signal (+) | Sleeve: Ground / Shield | — |
|
Outer Shell / Contact Diameter
|
— | 8.3–8.5 mm (Outer) | 3.175 mm (Center Pin) |
|
Standard Pinout
|
— | Center Pin: Positive Signal (+) | Outer Ring: Ground / Shield (-) |
|
Characteristic Impedance
|
— | 75 Ω (Video / S/PDIF) | ~50 Ω (Audio) |
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