I think I mildly over did it! Electrical tape and shrink tubing. Along with higher quality cable.

They're Sony headphones and I'm about fed up with the plug failures!

Here is close up of the actual plug and the area where I've wired the plug to the main cable. Flexibility is little but I don't care lol.

My experience has led me to believe flexibility of this particular area is bad. So no more lol. (there is a few thin spots I intentionally left for flexibility but not much.

File was too big to post on a single message.

You can get some tough 3.5mm jacks - the type made of metal with metal spring strain relief

But if this place is not flexible you risk ripping the headphone socket off the PCB inside the player... Most of them are SMD soldered to tiny pads and lift up with the slightest of force applied from outside

I did buy some of those but at the moment my solder iron is out of commission so for now I'll have to improvise...

Neutrik makes high quality connectors for stuff like this

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/888433-REG/Neutrik_ntp3rc_3_5mm_Right_Angled_Plug.html

I use these - Beyer DT100 - best headphones I've ever had, they're not standard equipment in broadcasting studios for nothing.

I use these - Beyer DT100 - best headphones I've ever had, they're not standard equipment in broadcasting studios for nothing.

those look like good headphones. Personally I'm looking into the Audeze iSine 10 Earbuds, I'm more of an earbud person in general and these seem to have food base response and equally good mids and treb.

Neutrik makes high quality connectors for stuff like this

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/888433-REG/Neutrik_ntp3rc_3_5mm_Right_Angled_Plug.html

Those are perfect.

those look like good headphones. Personally I'm looking into the Audeze iSine 10 Earbuds, I'm more of an earbud person in general and these seem to have food base response and equally good mids and treb.

Those are perfect.

Don't like earbuds, they don't keep outside sounds out enough, and they always fall out of my ears..! Bad enough with the wired ones, now with these wireless things if one falls out you may not see it go and you might tread on it

Don't like earbuds, they don't keep outside sounds out enough, and they always fall out of my ears..! Bad enough with the wired ones, now with these wireless things if one falls out you may not see it go and you might tread on it

That is a common problem on cheap ones. If your getting higher quality ones (Wich to of Cours cost more the 5 or 10 Pounds) Then you can als get good ones.

That is a common problem on cheap ones. If your getting higher quality ones (Wich to of Cours cost more the 5 or 10 Pounds) Then you can als get good ones.

I just don't like earbuds, they don't suit me. Wouldn't matter if they were cheap or cost a fortune. I have had my Beyer headphones for over 15 years and they are still as good as new. Every component is replaceable - ear pads, audio inserts, headband, cables, the lot. As I said, they're not standard issue in most broadcasting studios, certainly in the UK, for nothing. They are also available with a boom microphone.

Earbuds and in ear monitors are different.

The isine10's are in ear monitors.

They have a rubber flang which grips your ears and provides sound isolation.

Whereas Earbuds are molded plastic devices with no sound isolation. Examples of Earbuds are the things Apple likes to hand out free with their phones. Those white things that fall out of your ears all the time.

The isine10's and many other more expensive ear monitors do have replaceable parts. That's one of the reasons I'm purchasing them in the future because I need something heavy duty that won't get thrashed in my adventures. And I refuse to use Bluetooth!

The isine10's and many other more expensive ear monitors do have replaceable parts. That's one of the reasons I'm purchasing them in the future because I need something heavy duty that won't get thrashed in my adventures. And I refuse to use Bluetooth!

Well I agree with you there..! But my background is in broadcasting, and I doubt you'll see in-ear devices of any description in a radio studio..! And before anyone asks, the in-ear devices you see TV reporters using are generally moulded individually to the person's ear canal. I used similar things when I rode motorcycles. But for general listening, I prefer the Beyers.

IEMs (In Ear Monitors) are mostly used in the live music industry by mostly musicians and monitor engineers. Not all IEMs utilize custom ear molds, but many do. The ones that don’t utilize custom molds usually have replaceable tips in various materials and sizes for user comfort and work well in the rental space since not everyone can drop the coin on a good set off the hop.

Also some posh riedel headsets use a custom molded ear piece that a mic is attached to for use with communication systems, like the namesake or clearcom, RTS, GreenGo, etc

Can i suggest AKG brand?
I'm using K-240, jack plug is of good quality and they are very good and soft to ears.

For your headphone plug, using an metal jack with protection spring can help.

If you need 90° plug, this seems to be well built:
https://it.rs-online.com/web/p/connettori-jack/7249025/

Otherwise, this seems to be ok:
https://it.rs-online.com/web/p/connettori-jack/8138866/

If you want to change cable:
https://it.rs-online.com/web/p/cavi-multipolari-per-microfoni/7492576/

I ended up buying the Westone W30 in ear monitors.

They sound wonderful.