Headphone amplifiers with 3.5 mm input

mini-jack (3.5 mm)

— one of the most popular modern audio connectors. In headphone amplifiers, most commonly used for analogue audio; it can be a line-level signal or the sound from the headphone output from an external device (such nuances should be specified separately). The connector itself usually has a classic three-pin format and is responsible for both stereo channels at once.

Due to its small size, the mini-jack is very convenient for use in portable models (see "Type"). On the other hand, it is less noise-resistant and versatile compared to its "big brother" — Jack 6.35 mm input (see the relevant paragraph); in particular, the 3.5 mm jack is practically not used for balanced connection. It is also worth noting that other interfaces can be built into the mini-Jack input — for example, optical or coaxial (see the relevant paragraphs). However, the presence of the 3.5 mm input is indicated only if this connector is capable of operating in the traditional analogue format.