Interchangeable connector jack

A multi-contact connector jack is interchangeable with mating plugs having an equal number of contacts for forming a high performance connector and with plugs having a lesser number of contacts without damage to the jack. The jack has a plurality of rear cantilevered spring wires arranged in a linear array for mating with contact blades in the plug, wherein at least the two end positioned spring wires have a plug contact region followed by a depressed region wherein the plug nose of a plug of fewer contacts ceases to depress the spring wires to an extreme degree, thereby preserving the resilience of the spring wires.