On: Do I really need to get out the soldering-iron aga...

[thinkmassive]

Any advice on a quality Lightning to 3.5mm adapter? The official Apple one is so flimsy that one or both channels cut out anytime I move the phone. My workaround is to heatshrink the cable and both ends, so it’s rigid enough not to cut out. But it’s ugly and probably won’t last more than a few months.

[joecool1029 → thinkmassive]

Its going to sound crazy but stick a paperclip into the lightning port and scrape along the top. I bet a small amount of dirt will come out.

These ports pick up some lint and dust after a few months and it packs in pretty hard. Eventually it will give you connection issues.

[snazz → joecool1029]

A thin toothpick should achieve the same without scratching the inside of the port.

[tcoff91 → joecool1029]

I would say use one of those brushes that are for flossing in between teeth, that’s what I use and it works great.

[seanp2k2 → tcoff91]

Use a cotton swab with some of the material plucked off to make it thinner and soak it in CAIG DeoxIT or MG Chemicals Electrosolve (you can typically buy these from Fry's / MicroCenter / online). These chemicals are made to actually clean and de-oxidize contacts.

[jjeaff → thinkmassive]

Sounds like a defective connector. Mine doesn't cut out at all that I have noticed.

[Spooky23 → jjeaff]

If you use it a lot, it gets flaky after a few months because of the poor quality of the wiring and wire boot.

[mlindner → thinkmassive]

You have dust/lint inside the bottom of the port that is preventing your connector from going in all the way. Get a fine tool and reach in and grab out the crud at the bottom. I had the same problem until I did this.