Thanks for the replies so far. To answer a couple, something I neglected to
mention but it seems a moot point, between the headphone plug (Sennheieser
headphones by the way) and the fifty foot extension, is a ten foot cable because
the fifty foot still wasn't long enough the way I have to route it.

I took the ten footer out of the loop and plugged the headphones directly into
the fifty footer and I still get the drop outs. I've plugged the headphones
directly into the TV and all is fine. So it has to be the long cable. It runs
behind two bookcases and one of those electric fireplaces with the artifical
flame, so no one goes near it. That's what has me perplexed once I get it
working again, that it still goes out with nothing bumping into it at all.

As for cutting off the plug and installing a new one, I could certainly try that
before tackling the attic in the summer heat. But it's one of those black cables
with the molded plugs on each end, the cable itself being no more than about an
eighth of an inch in diameter. Is it still possible to strip such a small cable
and seperate what has to be very fine gauge wires, to solder to a new plug? I
never gave that any thought. But if it can be done, I'll go to Radio Shack and
see if I can find a female plug as a replacement. Thanks again.