Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Now Selling USB-C to 3.5mm Audio Cable

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,471
37,715


Following today's announcement of Lossless audio and Personalized Spatial Audio for the AirPods Max, Apple today released a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable.

usb-c-3.5mm-cable.jpg

The cable is designed for the AirPods Max with USB-C and Beats Studio Pro headphones, allowing them to be connected directly to the audio-out port of a Mac, in-flight entertainment system, or other device.

This bidirectional cable can be used with both 3.5 mm audio-out and audio-in ports, allowing you to connect your AirPods Max or Beats Studio Pro headphones to 3.5 mm audio sources, or to connect your iPhone or iPad to speakers with 3.5 mm audio ports. When connected to AirPods Max, this cable enables ultra-low latency on par with the device's built-in speakers for an optimal experience when gaming or creating content.
Click to expand...

Apple used to sell a similar Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable, but it has now been discontinued. Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable is available now for $39.00.

Article Link: Apple Now Selling USB-C to 3.5mm Audio Cable
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/apple-selling-usb-c-to-3-5mm-audio-cable/
  • Haha
Reactions: killr_b, decypher44 and Apple Knowledge Navigator
Not yet available in the UK store. I'm hoping this won't be geo-restricted.

Also, shame this won't work with APP 2. I hope apple include using the APP 3 case as a hard bridge to AirPods in teh future.
 
For this cable they only mention low latency, but not lossless. Does it mean lossless only works with the included usb-c to usb-c cable?
 
  • Like
Reactions: rufwork
G46&Fbnth5 said:
For this cable they only mention low latency, but not lossless. Does it mean lossless only works with the included usb-c to usb-c cable?
Click to expand...
That seems to be the case, but the Apple press release isn't entirely clear on what modes support what...
I think you will be able to use these with "lossless" content and it will be just as lossless as using any other 3.5mm-connected headphones, but they are just not making that claim because it is not a full digital signal to the headphones.

I wish this cable was available in black (like the Lightning/3.5mm one was), but, you get what you get I suppose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DefNotAnLLM, artifex, michaelnugent and 1 other person
Does that mean that it will work with a non-Apple device? (Nintendo Switch, Android Phone, Xbox Controller, Windows/Linux PC, etc.)
 
“Bi-directional”? So that means it contains both an ADC and a DAC in that connector? That may explain the price…

When using this cable with the APM, it seems the cable converts analog to digital, then the headphone converts digital back to analog. Wired input on these headphones always seemed weird to me, since it must undergo two conversions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DefNotAnLLM, SDJim, artifex and 11 others
What happens if you go straight USB-C (or lightning to USB-C) from an iPhone to the Max? Nothing? That would seem like the obvious way to get lossless.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
  • Disagree
Reactions: rettro and JulienBerthelot
AppleTO said:
What happens if you go straight USB-C (or lightning to USB-C) from an iPhone to the Max? Nothing? That would seem like the obvious way to get lossless.
Click to expand...
I agree, it's crazy that these expensive over ear headphones don't support basic USB audio. 🙄 Not only does this cable require the audio signal to go through 2 conversions, DAC and ADC, but on top of that you still need to charge them even though you are listening over a cable.
If they would support USB-C to USB-C cables with a digital signal they could play music and charge at the same time, basically turning off all wireless communication.

Edit: it seems USB Audio is supported with the included cable, according to the newsroom story, sorry and thanks @neuropsychguy

I guess they just wanted lossless audio and head tracking, and all the fancy stuff, to be available before allowing USB Audio at all. A bit confusing but hey, the future looks bright 😉

​

 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Wow
  • Disagree
Reactions: artifex, subjonas, decypher44 and 5 others
xawnia said:
I agree, it's crazy that these expensive over ear headphones don't support basic USB audio. 🙄 Not only does this cable require the audio signal to go through 2 conversions, DAC and ADC, but on top of that you still need to charge them even though you are listening over a cable.
If they would support USB-C to USB-C cables with a digital signal they could play music and charge at the same time, basically turning off all wireless communication.
Click to expand...
It would appear that USB Audio isn’t the “solution” that it SHOULD be as there are a couple incompatible ways of implementing it. This way, Apple avoids USB Audio altogether and avoids having to work with every random piece of USB Audio gear. I would imagine that saves a considerable amount on testing.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: xawnia
xawnia said:
If they would support USB-C to USB-C cables with a digital signal they could play music and charge at the same time, basically turning off all wireless communication.
Click to expand...
Apple does that with this update, which is the whole point of the update. What this specific thread is about is that Apple also started selling a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter cable for sources without a USB-C audio connection.

"With the included USB-C cable [the one that comes with the headphones or that you otherwise own or buy, not this new adapter], users can enjoy the highest-quality audio across music, movies, and games, while music creators can experience significant enhancements to songwriting, beat making, production, and mixing."
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: xawnia, JulienBerthelot, subjonas and 7 others
I'm a bit confused, does this allow lossless on the usb c Max or not? Why are Beats able to do it in wired mode? Why are Sonos able to use usb audio?
 
MacRumors said:


Following today's announcement of Lossless audio and Personalized Spatial Audio for the AirPods Max, Apple today released a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable.

usb-c-3.5mm-cable.jpg

The cable is designed for the AirPods Max with USB-C and Beats Studio Pro headphones, allowing them to be connected directly to the audio-out port of a Mac, in-flight entertainment system, or other device.



Apple used to sell a similar Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable, but it has now been discontinued. Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable is available now for $39.00.

Article Link: Apple Now Selling USB-C to 3.5mm Audio Cable
Click to expand...
But they said they gonna make a portless iPhone? What happened now?
 
  • Like
  • Angry
Reactions: Zzznorch, decypher44 and HighwaySnowman
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back