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You make it sound like they put a cold fusion power plant in there.
All adapters of this kind, even the $4 ones have a DAC inside, apple put some more circuits, nothing special, nothing remotely justifying the price.
From the specification, it also contains an ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter). I am not aware of any affordable adapter that also includes this feature. However, I am confident that you can provide me with one.
 
From the specification, it also contains an ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter). I am not aware of any affordable adapter that also includes this feature. However, I am confident that you can provide me with one.
I can find a few on Taobao / Tmall, they are like $3 to $8 USD. Not sure how much more internationally, but it is not 40 dollars. Though one can say the Apple one will likely have more than decent audio quality, the circuitry being done right etc.
 
wait… is there not one of these included with the newer models with a USB-C port?
 
Can this be used to bring in audio to a iPhone for a zoom meeting? (bi-directional)
The majority of microphones I have observed also feature a male 3.5mm adapter, necessitating a female-to-female adapter. Nevertheless, there is no reason why not to use a female-to-female adapter. I am also using an ADC for video conferences, but my ADC is slightly more sophisticated.
IMG_0289.jpeg

Correction: My previous statement was incorrect. It is not feasible to perform the task because the microphone will not be functional. The male 3.5mm jack has only three connections, not four. This is known as TRS versus TRRS, and the latter is required for the microphone. Since this device is intended to be used with a stereo system, a TRS connection is a more suitable fit.
 
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wait… is there not one of these included with the newer models with a USB-C port?
The Beats Solo 4, Studio Pro, and some B&W models feature a dedicated 3.5mm Input port. In analog mode, these devices do not require power. However, the use of this adapter necessitates power for the DAC and amplifier in the Max.
 
Yes, you seem to be the only one here who knows that this is not just a piece of wire. A quality AD and DA converter for only $40. is not a bad deal at all. It is not just the two converts in the cable but they managed to fit a small CPU, memory and power conversion.

Things always seem "easy" when you don't know how it works. This is actually some impressive engineering.
Most people complaining about the price probably think this is just a cable.
 
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You make it sound like they put a cold fusion power plant in there.
All adapters of this kind, even the $4 ones have a DAC inside, apple put some more circuits, nothing special, nothing remotely justifying the price.
and the quality of all the DACs is the same ?
Headphones that you get for free in flight sound the same as AirPods Max ?
all headphones have speakers in them, $3 to $800.
 
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You make it sound like they put a cold fusion power plant in there.
All adapters of this kind, even the $4 ones have a DAC inside, apple put some more circuits, nothing special, nothing remotely justifying the price.
To people that care about sound quality, there’s most certainly a measurable difference. Most people don’t really care about sound quality so, for them the value isn’t worth the cost.
 
You are correct. The quality of the Apple ADC differentiates it from the cheaper offerings—or it did in the past.
It still does, they don’t even have to change it. The rest of the industry knows that most folks don’t value high quality sound, they’re just glad to have their eardrums vibrate. So, literally no one is trying to improve the quality of the ones they produce cheaper, even though they absolutely could.
 
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The Beats Solo 4, Studio Pro, and some B&W models feature a dedicated 3.5mm Input port. In analog mode, these devices do not require power. However, the use of this adapter necessitates power for the DAC and amplifier in the Max.
I’m moreso referring to a USB-C to 3.5 adapter, like how the previous phones (for a while) had the Lightning to 3.5

did Apple stop including an adapter all together, or is this simply a special adapter?
 
The majority of microphones I have observed also feature a male 3.5mm adapter, necessitating a female-to-female adapter. Nevertheless, there is no reason why not to use a female-to-female adapter. I am also using an ADC for video conferences, but my ADC is slightly more sophisticated.
View attachment 2495335
He may still need an active mic that provides line level audio, for the Apple cable being this small it is unlikely there is any ampilification.
 
I’m moreso referring to a USB-C to 3.5 adapter, like how the previous phones (for a while) had the Lightning to 3.5

did Apple stop including an adapter all together, or is this simply a special adapter?
When the phones switched to USB-C, or perhaps even earlier with the iPads losing 3.5mm, Apple begin selling a USB-C version of that Lightning adaptor that you are thinking, it is like 9 bucks, has DAC inside, and is one-way.

The new one right now is slightly longer, cable is braided, and more importantly is bi-directional.
 
This device comprises a DAC and an ADC. Why is it so challenging to comprehend its functionality?
A lot of the iPhone, iPad and Mac-using public aren't sophisticated in the matter of audio equipment, and would have to look up what DAC and an ADC are. Many people basically want something that lets their headphones receive audio signals from their computer, iPhone, iPad or plane seat connector, and may not know about lower vs. higher end adapter differences. And they may be wary of being upsold very expensive 'premium' quality cables that offer them no substantial end user benefit...which I believe Monster Inc. got a reputation for doing, and another poster already mentioned them.

Most people complaining about the price probably think this is just a cable.
Yes, and many in the public wouldn't know the difference. I went to Apple's overview of the product, which says:

"Overview

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.

Using with AirPods Max or Beats Studio Pro​

Connect your AirPods Max or Beats Studio Pro headphones to the audio-out port on an airplane or on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other device.

Using with iPhone or iPad​

Connect your iOS or iPadOS device to the audio-in port on your car stereo or other speaker system."

So it's not just for use with high-end audio gear.

A quality AD and DA converter for only $40. is not a bad deal at all.
Is the quality difference something the average Joe would easily notice, or something mainly audiophiles would pick up on (e.g.: like the people who praise vinyl over compressed digital music format)?

That one is male USB-C to female 3.5mm and only goes one direction. This one is male USB-C to male 3.5mm, bidirectional. And it's that last part what makes it so expensive.
I hadn't thought about the bidirectional bit before. This should help people decide whether the cost is worth it to them.
 
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The only time I need this is for a plane's entertainment system -- and if I'm willing to watch that horrible quality on a miniature screen, sound quality isn't important. I just listened to my iPhone during my last trip because I didn't have a way to hook into the plane.
 
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