TS plug options

jim1960 · #1 03-28-2021, 08:06 PM

I recently had a couple of instrument cables made and went with a couple of interesting TS plug options. On either end I have an NP2RX-AU-SILENT and an NP2RX-ULTIMATE. These have been around for awhile but I've never tried them until now.

The NP2RX-AU-SILENT comes is a right angle plug that allows the player to insert and remove it without having to lower the amp volume. It totally eliminates the crackle and pop you get when you pull a plug from a live amp or guitar. There is also a straight (non right-angle) version of this plug.
From the Neutrik website: The silentPLUG automatically mutes (shorts) an instrument (guitar) cable to avoid pops and squeals when changing the instrument (guitar) under load.

The NP2RX-ULTIMATE is a right angle TS plug which also has the silent feature and in addition has a four-position tone-shaping knob that, if I'm being honest, doesn't really act much differently than a guitar's tone knob. The result is slightly different but not substantially so.

I think the NP2RX-AU-SILENT is a great option as it will let me switch guitars and amps without any extra steps in between. It works as advertised. You pull the plug and all you hear is the sound of the plug coming out of the socket, not a peep from the amp. The NP2RX-ULTIMATE, while interesting, just isn't different enough from the tone knob and I'll likely not go for that option again.

pieterh · #2 03-28-2021, 11:53 PM

I’ve started to swap out average plugs on decent cable with just those plugs, both the straight and the angled versions depending on the instrument (Tele, Jazz and 335 get the angled jack, Strat gets the straight etc).

Not only is the silent-switching ingenious they are also sturdy with excellent strain relief.

I have some Sommar cable which is good with Rean plugs, which weren’t so good. With the new Neutrik plugs on they are extremely good stage ready cables.

Ray175 · #3 03-29-2021, 02:04 AM

When I'm not using a wireless system (also silent when plugging and unplugging) I use Sommer or Cordial silent cables - both solid and reliable, whether with straight or right angled plugs. The exta cost is worth it to my ears....

jonfields45 · #4 03-29-2021, 06:30 AM

Some active guitars will not be past their power up transients when these plugs stop their mute action. They work best with passive electric guitars in my experience.

Ray175 · #5 03-29-2021, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonfields45

Some active guitars will not be past their power up transients when these plugs stop their mute action. They work best with passive electric guitars in my experience.

Interesting - I have 2 active guitars (1978 Ibanez MC400 NT and 1986 Charvel Model 4) and no problems........ On what guitars did you encounter problems?

jonfields45 · #6 03-29-2021, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray175

Interesting - I have 2 active guitars (1978 Ibanez MC400 NT and 1986 Charvel Model 4) and no problems........ On what guitars did you encounter problems?

Taylor ES1.3/T5z (some time ago...not sure I remember this correctly) and an Ibanez bass with the EMG 3EQ1CMK1 bass preamp.

I think the main problem is these preamps power up by grounding the ring and the unmuting of the tip is racing the grounding of the ring on insertion. The ring just after the sleeve is grounded is at some voltage between ground and 9 volts. It can be quite a racket if a hot tip touches an ungrounded ring. The problem might have been worse for me pulling it out than pushing it in.

clintj · #7 03-29-2021, 08:09 PM

The input jacks on the majority of amps use shorting contacts to mute the input when no cable is inserted, and on older amps also enable the high and low input functions. If you pull the cable out a quarter inch or so from the amp, you'll engage the contacts that mute the input, letting you change guitars silently. You don't need to spend money on special plugs to do the same thing unless you want to, or have an amp that doesn't do this.

Steve DeRosa · #8 03-29-2021, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

...The NP2RX-ULTIMATE is a right angle TS plug which also has the silent feature and in addition has a four-position tone-shaping knob that, if I'm being honest, doesn't really act much differently than a guitar's tone knob. The result is slightly different but not substantially so...

Speaking as a part-time bass player, I like the idea - operating outside the range of any built-in tone controls it could instantly provide some mellower presets (valuable in an age of ultra-bright roundwound strings and tweeter-equipped amps that reach into the near-20kHz range); in addition, if you own one of those "volume-only" early Ovations (I do) here's a potential onboard quack-tamer - and it could turn a single-volume hard-rock machine into a potential multi-genre performer...

Paleolith54 · #9 03-29-2021, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clintj

The input jacks on the majority of amps use shorting contacts to mute the input when no cable is inserted, and on older amps also enable the high and low input functions. If you pull the cable out a quarter inch or so from the amp, you'll engage the contacts that mute the input, letting you change guitars silently. You don't need to spend money on special plugs to do the same thing unless you want to, or have an amp that doesn't do this.

That's really useful, thanks. I didn't know. I handle this by the fact that my tuner mutes the signal when engaged. Well, that and the fact that I only play one guitar, so changing is really a non-issue for me.