• Hardware
  • Dropped monitor - cracked 1/4in jack :(
2017/11/03 05:20:54
davdud101
So today I somehow bumped into my crappy egg carton monitor stand which knocked one of my cheap Alesis 3's off my desk. When I picked it back up, the 1/4in jack was cracked - a little less than half the plastic housing for the jack came off, so a cable can't be connected to it since it's way too loose. :/
 
I only paid $50 for these, so I sure as heck won't send them in for repairs! I'm opting for home-repair - when I popped the back off, I saw there's nothing more than the jack attached to two wires going into the tweeter and woofer, nothing more. So it looks like it should be a really simple, easy fix - just don't know whether to try and find a new part (not sure where it'd be or what it'd cost!! I've searched the net for spare parts and I'm not expecting cheap multimedia monitors like these to be made for home-servicing) or to see if I can repair the existing part as it is.
 
Any recommendations? :)
2017/11/03 11:42:19
DrLumen
Well, I normally would suggest Radio Shack but they are adio S. You can order it from Allied Electronics.
 
https://www.alliedelec.com/switchcraft-12a/70214523/
 
Another option for you is some place local like
Electronic Connection
37387 Ford Rd
Westland, MI 48185
(734) 595-6655
 
There are 2 types of 1/4" jacks. One is 2 wire (mono) and a 3 wire (stereo). Either will work. Just use the inner most terminal and outer shell connections if you get the 3 wire. Solder it in and you are golden.
 
PS: You might check the thread length of the one you have. If the jack is mounted in some think material you may need the 1/4" threaded one instead of the 5/32" (0.156) long thread.
2017/11/03 14:27:19
DrLumen
I give up! The spam filters keep blocking my posts.
2017/11/03 15:28:31
Starise
If you have a local radio shack give them a try. If not, it's a 1/4" mono female audio jack online. They aren't expensive. A small adjustable wrench and a soldering iron should be all you need. You can use a cheap pencil soldering iron. I think Newegg has them. Any radio Shack also does. 60/40 rosin core solder. Melt some on the tip of the hot iron to tin it. Rub it off with a wet rag or a sponge. The tip will now look shiny. Careful!!! The iron is HOT!!!!  Install the new connector and solder the cut and stripped wires in place. It helps to also tin the wire ends before you join it to the connector.  The process needs to happen fairly fast or the cheap iron will overheat the wire and burn the flux away. One the iron is up to temp all it takes is a brief touch on the connector, then feed the solder onto the heated junction point. If the tip gets black or the wire insulation begins to melt, it was overheated or the tinning burned off the tip.
 
So the tip touches it, stays on a few seconds, once hot enough to melt the solder feed the solder using your other hand, just a little of it. Iron comes off immediately. Done!
2017/11/03 15:58:53
msorrels
There are only 72 Radio Shack's left
http://fortune.com/2017/06/01/radioshack-closes-more-stores/
 
Their store locator finds nothing in the Pittsburgh area and a few "dealers" in Ohio.  Sad really.
 
Lots of places sell soldering irons though and there are lots of YouTube videos and web pages on how to use them.
2017/11/03 16:21:48
Cactus Music
When you say the wires go directly to the speakers? That seems odd, there should be a crossover. 
Anyhow in a pinch if you don't have an extra jack around you could hardwire the cable. Make sure the tip is + 
That will get you back in business. 
2017/11/10 16:41:44
Starise
Matt, yeah it is sad for sure. I just noticed the RS closest to me has closed as well. At one time there were electronics component stores around here where you could get almost anything. I think TV and stereo repair shops  kept them in business.
Now most don't take a 5 year old TV in for repair. They junk it and buy another one. The failure rate of electronics seems to be less overall. so if you get 5-10 years out of something, the new tech entices you to buy the latest. 
 
Maybe a few here remember the old IC transistor cross over books. You could take the info off of an IC and find a match. The local supplier usually had it in stock. I guess those days are long gone.
 
Still lots of stuff on ebay that says "needs work". I have picked up a few real bargains like that and fixed a simple problem the original owner didn't want to bother with.
2017/11/11 15:55:49
JonD
If you can't find a way to fix it yourself, here's a used pair for $50:
 
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Alesis/Elevate-3-Pair-Powered-Monitor-113553446.gc
 
There's also another (cleaner-looking) pair on Ebay at around the same price.
2017/11/11 19:47:41
mettelus
Just realized this is a week old already, so this may be time-late... I am not sure from the OP, but seems they are electrically fine, just the jack connection is loose in the case (i.e., mechanical only)? If that is only a mechanical issue, there are some crazy strong and cheap adhesives out there that will fill holes as well... plumber's goop, shoe goo (pretty much the same product, really), is a clear superglue-like gel that is cheap and useful. Just don't get it on your fingers while working.
2017/11/24 15:38:06
davdud101
I thought of a HIGHLY POSSIBLE other solution - these bookshelf monitors connect using a standard 1/8in M-to-1/8in M cable. What if I removed the jack from the box and connected the wires of the 1/8in cable directly to the internal wires of the box? Which wire connects to which (etc) matters, obviously, but it's just two wires connecting two wires. And then I could run the cable straight out of the hole that the jack was mounted in and it'd be like new.
 
Of course there's something to be said about actual monitor stands to avoid this issue in the future.
 
I may just do it today as its a seemingly very easy procedure, but first I wanna know if its possible! I'm also tired of having the one side of my system sound like a cardboard box because the back isn't mounted on.
 
Pic below:
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