# What size is the headset jack on a standard phone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 6, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422 "2011-04-06T17:37:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/1 "2011-04-06T17:37:14Z")
I have a great stereo phone headset that I paid a lot of money for several years ago that doesn’t appear to be made anymore. It was sold in two parts, the headset itself, and an adapter that the headset plugged into which then plugged into my standard landline Panasonic phone. The headset itself works perfectly, but the adapter plug is getting frayed and I have to carefully tape it up and tape it to the phone to prevent deafening the people I talk to with sudden feedback noise. I’m not sure what the size of the headset plug is, but it’s shorter and thicker than the plug that goes in the phone itself. So I figure if I know what the phone jack is, I can figure out the other half. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/2 "2011-04-06T17:40:23Z")
Generally, these are 1/8”, but there’s no real standard. Some use 2.5mm. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/3 "2011-04-06T17:44:11Z")
A picture would be very helpful. I don’t really understand the jack you’re looking for by what you posted. Stereo head phones jacks come in 3 standard sizes if that’s what you are looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/4 "2011-04-06T18:19:12Z")
For this sort of thing, it would be simplest just to bring the phone or the adapter plug to Radio Shack and you should be able to match it to another adapter plug from their stock. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/5 "2011-04-06T19:46:13Z")
The term “phone” is badly overloaded here. The true telephone industry used lots of oddball plugs & jacks for their equipment. Once Ma Bell was deregulated, the makers of 3rd party telephones & telephone headset / microphone units used another large collection of differing connector sizes Plugs & jacks for headphones used with music amplifiers were a different standard. In addition to teh plug shpae/size differences, the electronic interfaces were different as well; many components from the music world can’t be used on telephones & vice versa. Or at least they work poorly if used on the wrong world. So some more details from the OP would be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/6 "2011-04-07T03:58:25Z")
Got it all sorted out. I was referring to a landline, a panasonic cordless, to be exact. The jack on the phone is 3.5. The plug on the headset is 2.5. For the low, low price of $1.75, I purchased a perfect little adapter that gets the job done flawlessly. My days of tape and struggle are at an end! (I am fortunate to live near a very handy little joint called All Electronics, where they sell all that sort of thing very reasonably, no frills. Although the frills can be fun. If you don’t know what Frys is about, you’re missing out…and I live near the best one: > [@](#): > > the Burbank store which opened in 1995 is themed upon 1950s and 1970s science fiction movies, and features huge statues of popular characters such as the robot Gort from _The Day the Earth Stood Still_ and Darth Vader from the _Star Wars_ movie series. In addition,[giant ants (from the movie _Them!_)](http://frys.robotsix.com/view.php?id1=ca&id2=burbank&img=front.jpg) hang from the ceiling, and the bodies of 1957 Chevys and Buicks serve as dining tables in the cafe. [A flying saucer protrudes above the entrance](http://frys.robotsix.com/view.php?id1=ca&id2=burbank&img=front.jpg). With construction, land purchase and theming, the Burbank store cost $15 million to open. They’ve actually removed a lot of the interior decor, unfortunately. But the cafe is still cool with car-booths. Some other themes include, [ul] [li][Tahiti](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahiti) ([Manhattan Beach](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Beach,_California))[/li][li][Ancient Rome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome) ([Fountain Valley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_Valley))[/li][li][Wild West](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_West) ([Palo Alto](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto))[/li][li][Mayan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayan_civilization) temple at [Chichen Itza](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza) ([San Jose](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jose,_California)),[/li][li][Alice in Wonderland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_in_Wonderland) ([Woodland Hills](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodland_Hills,_Los_Angeles,_California))[/li][li]History of [Silicon Valley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley) ([Sunnyvale](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunnyvale,_California))[/li][li][Ancient Egypt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt) ([Campbell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell,_California))[/li][li][1893 Chicago World’s Fair](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Columbian_Exposition) ([Fremont](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont,_California))[/li][li][Industrial Revolution](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution) ([City of Industry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Industry,_California))[/li][li][California Gold Rush](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush) ([Sacramento](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento))[/li][li]NASA Space Center ([Anaheim](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaheim))[/li][li]19th-Century California Railroads ([Roseville](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseville,_California))[/li][li][Atlantis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis) ([San Marcos](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marcos,_California))[/li][/ul] Arizona stores: [ul] [li][Aztec](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec) temple ([Phoenix](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix,_Arizona))[/li][li][Golf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf) theme ([Tempe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempe,_Arizona))[/li][/ul] Nevada stores: [ul] [li]History of [the Strip](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Strip) ([Las Vegas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_metropolitan_area))[/li][/ul] Texas Stores: [ul] [li]Music Industry ([Austin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin))[/li][li]History of Irving ([Irving](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving,_Texas))[/li][li]Lazy-K Ranch ([Dallas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas))[/li][li]Oil Industry ([Houston](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston))[/li][li]Space Exploration, including a replica of the [International Space Station](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station) ([Webster](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster,_Texas)).[/li][li]History of Plano ([Plano](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plano))[[5]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fry%27s_Electronics#cite_note-4)[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/7 "2011-04-07T13:39:31Z")
Righteous! ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-size-is-the-headset-jack-on-a-standard-phone/577422/8 "2011-04-07T14:05:22Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > (I am fortunate to live near a very handy little joint called All Electronics, where they sell all that sort of thing very reasonably, no frills. i think that might be a cult. people go in and come out half a day or more later and they look strange.