We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 9 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a single adapter that lets you keep charging while you listen on a modern USB-C phone, choose Aksenli USB C; if you need an actual pair of wired USB-C earbuds with a built-in mic and in-ear sound isolation, choose MAS CARNEY TI3. These two listings look like they compete for the same buyer, but they solve completely different problems — one is a dongle, the other is a headset.
• Aksenli USB C — biggest strength: a 3-in-1 splitter with USB-C charging, a USB-C headphone jack and a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can listen and charge at the same time.
• Aksenli USB C — biggest trade-off: it's an adapter only. There are no earbuds in the box, and on iOS devices the call controls live on the phone itself, not on your headphones.
• MAS CARNEY TI3 — biggest strength: a complete wired USB-C earphone set with a 14.2mm dynamic driver, 80 ohm impedance, an inbuilt microphone, in-line volume control and in-ear sound isolation.
• MAS CARNEY TI3 — biggest trade-off: it's a headphone, not a hub. There's no charging passthrough, so you can't top up your phone from the same accessory.
• Who each pick is for: Aksenli USB C for people who already own good 3.5mm or USB-C headphones and just want one compact accessory that adds charging back; MAS CARNEY TI3 for people who want to plug in and start listening without buying anything else.
The Aksenli USB C is a tiny 3-in-1 adapter. On one end you plug it into your phone, tablet or laptop; on the other you get three openings: a USB-C charging port, a USB-C headphone jack and a classic 3.5mm headphone jack. The whole point of the design is simultaneity — you can plug wired headphones into the 3.5mm socket and still run a charging cable into the USB-C port at the same time. That sounds like a small thing until you're on a long flight, a train journey or an all-day work session where your phone is your music player and your battery is dropping.
It also handles the basics you'd expect: plug and play with no app or driver, support for wired call functions and volume control, and a small, lightweight build that the listing describes as elastic and resistant to breakage, with oxidation and rust resistance for stable audio transmission. The emphasis is clearly on portability — it's the kind of thing that disappears into a pocket, a purse or a backpack and only shows up when you need it.
Compatibility is where the Aksenli earns its keep. It's aimed at USB-C devices broadly, including Apple's USB-C lineup (iPhone 15, iPad 10, iPad Air 4 and 5, iPad mini 6, and iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch models from 2018 to 2023) plus a long list of Samsung Galaxy S and Note models, Motorola Moto G and Z series, and Google Pixel phones going back several generations. If your drawer already has a favourite pair of wired headphones, this adapter is what lets you keep using them on a phone that dropped the 3.5mm jack — and keep charging while you do.
Who should buy it: anyone with USB-C devices who wants to listen and charge at the same time, especially if they already own 3.5mm or USB-C headphones they like. Who should skip it: anyone who needs earbuds included, and iOS users who expect full call control through their headphones.
MAS CARNEY TI3: Who It's For
The MAS CARNEY TI3 is a different animal entirely: a pair of wired, in-ear USB-C earphones with a microphone built in. There's no dongle logic here — you plug the USB-C connector straight into your phone, tablet, laptop or TV and you're listening. The listing leans hard on the audio hardware, and the spec sheet backs it up: a 14.2mm dynamic driver with an engineered sound curve, a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and 80 ohm impedance. That's a genuinely large driver for an in-ear model, and the tuning is described as aiming for a high-quality, concert-like presentation.
The build and fit story is unusually specific. The earpieces use an aluminium enclosure, the in-ear shape is rounded and follows the geometry of the ear for a more comfortable fit, and the design includes sound isolation — so background noise gets pushed down rather than competing with your music. There's in-line volume control with a touch-style control method, a built-in microphone and remote for hands-free calls, and a 4.2 ft (120 cm) cable that the listing describes as anti-winding. In the box the TI3 comes in black, and the package includes a black plastic carrying case.
Compatibility is broad in the way you'd expect from a USB-C headphone: Samsung, Huawei, Google Pixel and the latest Apple iPhone 15 are all named, plus standard USB-C smartphones, tablets, computers, laptops and TVs. The listing does carry a few practical notes worth knowing. The device needs to be running Android 4.2, iOS 8.0 or Windows 10 or above. With original Apple earphones, calls and music work but remote volume control doesn't. And if you hit a situation where sound comes out of the phone instead of the earphones, the fix is to enable "OTG" or Developer Mode in the phone's settings. There's also a candid note that on phones which have both a USB-C port and a separate 3.5mm port — the Galaxy S8 is the example given — phone calls may not work through the adapter, and that on DJI or Nintendo devices only music playback tested as stable.
Those notes aren't deal-breakers, but they tell you this is a headset built for phones, tablets and computers first, and for niche gadgets second. At 16 g for the earphones themselves, it's light enough to wear for long stretches, and the included case makes it easy to keep the set together.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for listen-and-charge at the same time → Aksenli USB C. The 3-in-1 design exists specifically so a 3.5mm headphone and a USB-C charging cable can run together.
• Best for a complete listening setup out of the box → MAS CARNEY TI3. You get the earphones, the mic, the in-line controls and a carrying case in one purchase.
• Best for reusing headphones you already own → Aksenli USB C. If you love your current wired pair, the adapter is the cheaper-feeling path to keep using them on a USB-C phone.
• Best for sound isolation and in-ear comfort → MAS CARNEY TI3. Sound isolation plus a rounded in-ear shape built around ear geometry are the whole design brief here.
• Best for hands-free calls through the headset → MAS CARNEY TI3. It has an inbuilt microphone and remote; the Aksenli explicitly limits call control to the phone itself on iOS.
• Best for very long sessions away from a charger → Aksenli USB C. Being able to top up while listening is the difference between a full day and a dead battery.
• Best for travel and minimal packing → depends. The Aksenli is one tiny adapter; the TI3 is a full earphone set with a case. Pack the Aksenli if you're bringing your own headphones, the TI3 if you're bringing nothing else.
• Best for wide device coverage → Aksenli USB C on paper. Its compatibility list spans Samsung, Motorola, Pixel and Apple's USB-C devices; the TI3 covers the same major brands but with a few more caveats for niche hardware.
If I had to pick one for myself, I'd buy the Aksenli USB C — but only because I already own wired headphones I like, and the listen-while-charging trick is the single feature I'd miss most on a USB-C phone. For anyone starting from zero, though, I'd point them at the MAS CARNEY TI3: it's a self-contained headset with a 14.2mm driver, a mic, in-line volume control, sound isolation and a case, and it works with the phones, tablets and laptops most people actually use. In my opinion the Aksenli is the better accessory and the TI3 is the better product. Decide which of those two things you're actually shopping for, then check the current price on Amazon for the one you choose.
FAQ
Not through the headset. The TI3 is a straight USB-C earphone with a wired connection and no charging passthrough. If charging while listening is essential, the Aksenli adapter is the one designed for that, since it has a dedicated USB-C charging port alongside the audio jacks.
Broadly yes. The Aksenli lists Apple's USB-C devices (iPhone 15, iPad 10, Air 4 and 5, mini 6, recent iPad Pro models) plus a long list of Samsung Galaxy S and Note phones, Motorola and Pixel devices. The MAS CARNEY TI3 names Samsung, Huawei, Google Pixel and iPhone 15, and works with standard USB-C phones, tablets, computers, laptops and TVs. Note the Aksenli's iOS caveat: calls must be answered or ended on the device, not through the headphones.
It depends on what you already own. If you have wired headphones, the Aksenli gives you charging plus audio passthrough for the cost of one small accessory, which is the more efficient spend. If you have no wired earphones at all, the TI3 is the more complete purchase because it includes the earphones, the microphone, in-line volume control, a 4.2 ft cable and a carrying case. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever fits your setup before deciding.
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