And then people keep asking me why I have trust issues with wireless tech. A 3.5mm jack just works, with everything, every time, all the time, regardless of any outside factors.
I take a guess that you are using an HDA based sound chip? If yes, have a look at [1]. Can't help you out more than that though, it's been years since I was forced to deal with that crap on Linux.
If it's any consolation... I recently came across an ASUS all-in-one PC where it was not enough to install the Realtek Windows HDA driver, no... that would have been too easy. You also needed to install a tiny extra driver that wasn't visible by default on their driver list in the Audio driver section. The entire audio world is utter, utter madness.
Huh. No issues like that at all with any of my Linux desktops and analog jacks (mostly Devuan). They all seem to detect and maintain sources fine.
The problem I personally have (if there are any pulseaudio experts out there) is it continually re-enabling ephemeral audio sources like HDMI and bluetooth when they are plugged back in, even if I'd set them to "off" before unplugging them - fortunately since I set the analog to default it usually doesn't mess anything up, but it's a bit untidy, and also annoying for the one USB webcam that has a mic plugged in, where I get a surprise input if I don't watch it.
It'd be great to have it persist settings for identically named sources even after they are removed.
Try removing pulseaudio, if only temporarily. I know pulseaudio is one of the few linux things that actually does things based on headset jack detection. For all I know the driver on your system might be broken, or sending spurious inputs.
Also had that issue. The 3.5 would work if it was plugged in just the right amount. If it was bumped it would disconnect. In a similar issue, my Nintendo switch controllers often disconnect while in the plugged in mode because the connectors just lose contact sometimes. I wish I could tell it to use them in bluetooth mode and charge only over the connector because bluetooth is pretty much flawless.
Sounds like you pushed the wrong button. If you can't even keep your 3.5mm audio running there's little chance you can work Bluetooth with all its foibles.
There is at least one relevant "outside" factor. While the connector is standardized, the housing end of the plug does not seem to be. As soon as a phone is in a case, the case's hole for the 3.5mm connector is too small to accept the housing of a normal 3.5mm plug. That's true even for the shell the active3 tab comes with, not only some cheap after-market. It still works with the connector not fully in, but not reliably.
Maybe my 3.5mm connectors are all too old and I should try to find a replacement with a more narrow housing. Or a 3.5mm male/female "adapter" with a narrow housing.
If you have a drill and a small bit, you can open up the external case's hole quite easily. It's an unfortunate task compared to the more universally sized options, but the trade-off is there if you want.
It indeed is something easily fixable. The one thing I dislike about wireless communication is that, besides relying on software that (hopefully correctly) implements scarily complex specifications, it uses invisible radio waves. For wired connections, you can see and touch the thing that connects your two devices. Thus they're much easier to troubleshoot.
Given that bluetooth still sucks for mic input, I wanted to find headphones with usb-c charging, bluetooth and noise cancelling but also a wired mode, with a boom mic being a nice-to-have. As it turns out, none of the main options (Airpods Max, Bose and Sony) have a mic that works over the wired connection. I ended up getting HyperX Cloud Mix, but it doesn't have usb-c charging (I hacked this in) or noise cancelling.
I don't understand what this means. I've used dozens of wired 3.5mm devices for decades and have never had an issue with a spring. I have headphones from the early 2000s that still work and only needed replacement ear-cup foam.
The spring is that bent metal piece. As you push the plug in it initially pushes by the spring and then it catches in the narrow section of the plug to hold it in.
I can't find any evidence that this is common on 3.5mm jacks. If it is, it must be an incredibly reliable design, because I've never heard of a 3.5mm audio port breaking.
There are multiple examples online. Jacks which no longer do stereo but only one channel, or that require "fiddling" with the connection or rotating the plug, or the risks of leaving a plug inside a socket for a prolonged period of time, etc.
And it is really problematic since it is the jack which wears out, which is usually hard to replace; soldered to expensive equipment.
So again: I can't find any evidence that the 3.5mm size of the connector has a spring. The bigger sizes does, but there is nothing online mentioning a spring. Please link to someone with a broken 3.5mm connector due to a spring, if you can find it. I can't.
Also, "there are examples online" != "this is a common thing". I have used dozens of 3.5mm and Bluetooth devices, and I've never had a Bluetooth device that 100% worked and I've never had a 3.5mm device that didn't work.
There are counterexamples in both categories, but my sample size is big enough now that I am willing to bet that the 3.5mm connector is just very well-designed and difficult to damage.
Why would it wear out? I'm not an expert on material science, but this metal piece is not permanently bending, its just springing back which should just last forever.
The part is made with a specific dimension when plated; the plating wears off -- this produces an undersized spring component and results in a sloppy/loose fit.
it happens more with headphones with a very heavy wire or jacks that get plugs swapped very often.
it can be fixed by carefully using a pick to deform the spring further out, so people tend to think that if that's the case then it must be the spring itself getting lazy.
Bought Airpod Pro on heavy discounted price, I've been using them for more than a year worked with both Android phones I've had, osx, windows everywhere with no issues.
I chose them because they were the smallest and most discreet ones and I'm glad for once to have Apple's quality.
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I keep having to reset it and fiddle with it every reboot.