can you use waterproof headphones or waterproof mic with a phone?

[david151]

There are now many phones on the market that offer a water submergence rating. From what I understand, some of these phones have a 3.5mm jack that is sealed to prevent water ingress inside the phone. But can this jack still be used when underwater? I ask this in respect of:

1) There are many waterproof headphones on the market designed for swimming that have a 3.5mm jack - people typically use them with waterproof ipods.

2) There are a couple of waterproof lav microphones on the market with 3.5mm jacks.

logic would tell me that having something plugged into the phone jack is unlikely to cause damage as it will be internally sealed. But would it cause significant interference in terms of audio quality?

 

[thecoolnessrune]

1. iPods are not Waterproof. They're water resistant. They're not totally sealed (they have vents that are designed so that water does not easily penetrate their mesh). Enough pressure, or with different types of water, and that vent can be compromised. For instance, never use a non-purpose built device in Salt water pools or salt water in general. The lower surface cohesion of saltwater can get through these vents more readily and the salt will rapidly corrode and destroy the internals of your device.

2. In general, 3.5 mm jacks, especially with boots, are water resistant enough when already plugged in. In those cases, it should not cause an impact to audio quality, as water should not be able to ingress into the jack when its already plugged in.

3. Most LAV mics, even IPX-7 rated ones, are designed for water resistant audio transmitters. They're not for swimming, they're for sweat, makeup, and simulated / non-simulated rain on-stage during performances. They're not meant to be used underwater.

4. While there are devil-may-care people using iPods in the swimming pool, the proper tool for the job is a player that does not need to vent, and is totally sealed. These can be used in salt water pools. There's options from Delphin, Syrn, and Finis, amongst others.