Why is the 4.4mm connector on Sony portable players not grounded? A regular balanced headphone cable only has four connection points - R+, R-, L+, and L-. However, it does not include a grounding point on the 4.4mm plug. On the other hand, if the 4.4mm headphone connector was grounded, it could create negative feedback when plugged in or disconnected. It is possible that the Sony 4.4mm connector is not grounded for this reason.
Why does sound quality improve after grounding? The key requirement is that the 4.4mm headphone cable used must be shielded and properly grounded. The Sony players' chassis, specifically the NW-WM1Z and NW-WM1ZM2, are made of high-purity, high-conductivity gold-plated oxygen-free copper material, which can provide good grounding for shielded cables. When connecting a shielded 4.4mm plug cable, the protective layer of the cable is then grounded to the player's chassis. As a result, it can better prevent the impact of external electrostatic and electromagnetic interference.
Built-in grounding enhances the reliability and safety of Sony players' chassis connected to the grounded 3.5mm connector. The grounding plug DJ44S is much shorter than the 3.5mm headphone plug, which ensures proper grounding and prevents damage to the connector due to unbalanced force. Unbalanced force means that the pressure point can be excessively shifted in one direction when inserting or removing the plug at an inclined angle. Since the 3.5mm headphone connector typically uses a plastic housing, this can lead to connector damage.
Specifications:
- Designed for NW-WM1AM2 / WM1ZM2
- Material: Aluminum 6063
- Internal wiring: 25.5AWG 6N OCC
- Contact group: Gold-plated copper
- Weight: 37g
Package includes:
- Adapter for SONY NW-WM1AM2 / WM1ZM2
