Apple shocked the smartphone industry by removing the 3.5mm headphone jack from the iPhone 7. More than 6 years later, most OEMs have followed suit, dropping the beloved jack from their high-end phones. Instead, brands are selling wireless earbuds and iPhone headphone jack adapters to make up for it, but wired headphones are still better in some ways.
A good pair of wired headphones produces better sound and has zero lag, which is a huge boon for gamers. You can also experience lossless audio with a pair of wired headphones. If you still want to use a pair of wired headphones with your iPhone, the only way out is to use a headphone jack adapter. Here are some of the best headphone adapters for iPhone that you can use to use wired headphones.
Table of Contents
Do you want an Apple headphone adapter that provides great sound output but is more durable? Well, Ugreen has you covered, albeit at twice the price! The Ugreen Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter costs twice as much as Apple’s, but comes with a braided cable for longer life. You also get a powerful DAC for lossless audio.
Let’s tackle the important aspect first – the sound output. Apple Music outputs 24-bit audio lossless and plays fine with the Ugreen Lightning to Headphone Adapter as it supports 26-bit audio output up to 48KHz. In short, the audio you’ll hear with this adapter will be similar to what you’d get with Apple’s adapter.
Unlike the Apple adapter, though, the attached cable is stronger and more durable due to the extra braiding. The connector is also housed in the metal housing, which extends the life of the adapter if you plug and unplug it multiple times. This is an MFI certified adapter, so you shouldn’t have any compatibility issues either.
Just like Apple’s adapter, you can use this Lightning to Headphone Jack adapter for music, calls, connecting a microphone, and more. It’s slightly more expensive, but you pay for quality materials and longevity. It’s also one of the most popular iPhone adapters on Amazon due to its impressive build quality.
One of the biggest downsides of removing the headphone jack is that you can’t charge your phone and listen to music through wired headphones at the same time. Luckily, Anker Lightning is the product will take care of both charging and headphone need! This adapter plugs into the lightning port and gives you a 3.5mm headphone jack and an additional lightning port to charge your phone.
We’ve all been in a situation where we just want to watch one more episode of our favorite show, but the iPhone’s battery is dying, so we have to unplug the headphones to connect to the charger. That’s inconvenient, which is why Anker developed the MFi-certified Smart Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Adapter.
The 2-in-1 Headphone Adapter for iPhone gives you two ports by taking up the lighting port on your iPhone – a 3.5mm headphone jack that outputs 24-bit audio at 48KHz, and a lighting port that can fast charge your iPhone up to 20W . 24-bit audio support means you can use this adapter to listen to lossless music while charging your iPhone quickly.
That’s really commendable, and it’s why Anker headphone jack adapter cost a bit more. However, for a premium product like Anker, the convenience you get in return is unmatched. If you want to use an AUX cable in your car, it’s a great accessory for traveling. The design is a bit bulky, but considering the onboard electronics, you can’t complain. If your budget allows, the Anker 2-in-1 Lightning to 3.5mm Adapter is undoubtedly the best and most versatile
This is Apple’s official Lightning to 3.5mm adapter for the iPhone, and surprisingly, it’s one of the cheapest adapters you can find on the market. Despite its cheap price, it’s easily one of the best adapters for sound output, thanks to a dedicated DAC. If sound quality is paramount to you, you can pick up this adapter blindly and you won’t be disappointed.
Apple accessories are often expensive, which is why we often recommend similar options from other third-party manufacturers. However, when it comes to Lightning to 3.5mm adapters, Apple’s official headphone jack adapters are cheap and impressive. It has a built-in DAC that can drive the best headphones without breaking a sweat.
The DAC also allows you to connect compatible headphones through Apple Music for lossless audio. This is something audiophiles will definitely appreciate. In addition to being able to connect a headset, you can also use this Lighting to 3.5mm adapter to connect an external microphone for video recording or online meetings via the camera app.
The Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Adapter DACs are quite flimsy and easily damaged, but are affordable; so if you use them a lot, you can get 2-3 of them. Since it’s an Apple first-party accessory, you won’t have any compatibility issues no matter which iPhone you’re using. It’s also one of the most popular products on Amazon, as you can tell by looking at the number of reviews. highly recommended.
If you’re not very careful with your tech and you think you might break a cable in Apple’s adapter, this iPhone headphone jack adapter from Mangotek eliminates wires. This is a small plastic adapter with a lighting connector on one end and a 3.5mm jack on the other. This way, the adapter plugs directly into the iPhone and your headphones can also be connected directly to the adapter without any wires or cables.
As we’ve already mentioned, one of the downsides of the Apple Lightning to 3.5mm adapter is the flimsy wire. If you accidentally store it and stuff it in a pocket or backpack, it can end up easily breaking. The best solution to this problem is to eliminate any wires, which Mangotek has successfully done with this adapter.
It’s a small widget with an angled connector, which is also handy if you want to hold your phone in your hand with the headphones connected. You can always connect the adapter to the headset as there are no extra wires hanging around all the time.
The only thing to keep in mind before buying this product is that if you’re using a case with your iPhone, the angled nature of the Lightning connector, as well as its thickness, can make it difficult to insert the adapter, especially if the case is thicker. Even though it’s MFI certified, you also can’t get a premium DAC like an Apple adapter.
1. Will the Lightning adapter affect the sound quality?
If you’re listening to standard MP3 songs, you won’t notice any difference no matter which adapter you use. If you want to experience high bitrate lossless audio, it’s best to buy a good adapter like Apple’s official DAC.
2. Is there a DAC in the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter?
Not all adapters have dedicated DACs. Some adapters, like Apple’s official adapter and the Anker adapter mentioned here, have dedicated DACs.
3. Will the Bluetooth adapter affect the sound quality?
Depending on the codec used, there is a certain amount of quality loss in transmitting sound over Bluetooth. If sound quality is paramount, a wired adapter is always a better choice.
Conclusion- Should You Buy iPhone Headphone Jack Adapter?
No matter how good the wireless earphones are, a good pair of wired earphones will always have a personality of its own. So if you want to use your existing wired headphones with your iPhone, you can choose any of these Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapters and enjoy lossless audio or zero-lag gaming on Apple Music while you outwit your enemies!