Abstract: A cable take-up includes a cylindrical case and a plug mechanically attached to the case and extending axially from the case. Within the case, a cable is wound onto a rotating spool biased by a spring to retract the cable. A ratchet prevents the cable from retracting and a release for the ratchet is accessible from outside of the case. The cable preferably is a flat ribbon of Kevlar.RTM. plastic having several wires embedded therein. One end of the cable is connected to earpieces and the other end of the cable is connected to the plug through a commutator. The commutator includes a first disk having resilient, conductive contacts attached to the plug and a second, rotating disk having concentric, conductive stripes attached to the cable and rubbing on the conductive contacts.