Replug Breakaway Audio Connector (white)

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Design : 7.0
  Features : 7.0
  Performance : 8.0
  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Donald Bell
• Reviewed on: 10/18/2007
• Released on: 10/01/2007

If you've ever ruined a laptop or MP3 player by tripping over a headphone cable, the Replug might save you from a repeat performance. The Replug ($18) is a headphone accessory that provides a breakaway connection to prevent accidental damage to your headphones or audio devices.

Although it looks like an adapter, the Replug does not adapt between two different types of headphone connections--at least, not yet. Instead, the Replug simply extends an existing 3.5mm headphone connection an extra two inches. It's not obvious by looking at it, but the Replug is actually a two-piece system. The stereo 3.5mm tip of the Replug can be pulled free from the adapter. At first, we expected that the Replug's breakaway system used high-strength magnets similar to Apple's MagSafe MacBook power supplies, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The detachable tip of the Replug has a small ridge behind it that firmly snaps into the body of the adapter.

We can think of dozens of situations where the Replug could save the day (treadmill mishaps, Powerpoint presentations, etc.), but it's not without some drawbacks. At a total of three inches long, the Replug is somewhat awkward and reminds us of a cooler-looking version of the Belkin iPhone adapter (without the iPhone compatibility). We also felt that the Replug's breakaway tip could be lost in a heartbeat. That said, at just $18 the Replug is the perfect accessory for the accident-prone.

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