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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Avantree C171 — biggest strength: a complete, ready-to-use USB-C wired earbud with a built-in mic, in-line push-button controls and an ear-hook fit built for movement.
• Avantree C171 — biggest trade-off: it's a closed system. It only works with USB-C devices, won't fit iPhone 11–14 (Lightning) or anything with a 3.5mm jack, and may not play nicely with the Samsung S24.
• YUEWEESER 2pcs — biggest strength: a pair of tiny USB-C audio adapters that let your existing wired headphones plug into a MacBook, with a lossless DAC chip and an aluminum shell.
• YUEWEESER 2pcs — biggest trade-off: it makes no sound on its own. It also won't charge, won't transfer data, and won't support lavalier mics — audio out only.
• Pick Avantree C171 if you want one thing to buy and one thing to carry.
• Pick YUEWEESER 2pcs if you already love a pair of wired headphones and just need to get them talking to a USB-C laptop.
The C171 is a self-contained answer to "I need headphones for my MacBook." It terminates in USB-C, so it plugs straight into a modern MacBook without a dongle, and the 32-ohm dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range cover the full everyday listening band. There's a built-in microphone for calls, and physical in-line buttons handle play/pause, volume, track skip and replay, call answer/reject, and voice-assistant activation. You never have to reach for the laptop.
Who should buy it: MacBook users who want a grab-and-go wired headset for meetings, calls, workouts and casual listening, and who value physical buttons over touch. Who should skip it: anyone still on a Lightning iPhone (11–14), anyone who needs a 3.5mm connection, or Samsung S24 owners who may hit a compatibility wall. Also skip it if you're loyal to an existing pair of headphones — this replaces them, it doesn't adapt them.
YUEWEESER 2pcs: Who It's For
This is not a headphone. It's a two-pack of USB-C male-to-female audio adapters, and that distinction is the whole point. Plug the USB-C end into your MacBook, plug your existing wired headphones into the other end, and you're listening. Inside sits a lossless decoding DAC audio chip that handles the digital-to-analog conversion and, per the spec sheet, filters current noise for cleaner calls and music. If your headphones have an in-line remote, the adapter passes pause, play and volume through.
The build is aluminum alloy, which the manufacturer says helps dissipate internal heat, and the connector is rated for more than 10,000 plug-and-unplug cycles — a durability figure that matters if this lives permanently in your laptop bag. It's ultra-thin, driver-free and plug-and-play. Compatibility is broad: iPhone 15/16 family, iPad Air and Pro, MacBook, Galaxy S23 through S20 and Note series, Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5, and Pixel 7 down to Pixel 4.
The hard limits are worth repeating. It does not charge. It does not transfer data. It does not support lavalier microphones. It's audio playback and headset audio only. You get two units and a 1-year warranty.
Who should buy it: anyone with a good pair of wired headphones who wants them working on a USB-C MacBook, cheaply and without software. Who should skip it: people who don't own wired headphones yet, anyone who needs simultaneous charging, and anyone expecting a mic upgrade — this is a passthrough, not a microphone.
• Best for out-of-the-box listening → Avantree C171. Nothing else to buy, nothing else to plug in.
• Best for reusing gear you already own → YUEWEESER 2pcs. Your headphones, your sound signature, now on USB-C.
• Best for workouts and running → Avantree C171. The ear-hook design is purpose-built to stay put during movement.
• Best for calls on the laptop → Avantree C171. It has its own microphone; the YUEWEESER adapter explicitly doesn't support lavalier mics and just passes audio through.
• Best for durability in a bag → YUEWEESER 2pcs. Aluminum shell and a 10,000-cycle connector rating; the C171 is a soft-cable product, not a metal adapter.
• Best for a second device or a backup → YUEWEESER 2pcs. You get two adapters, so one can live in the laptop bag and one at the desk.
• Best for physical, no-look controls → Avantree C171. Dedicated buttons for volume, tracks and calls beat fiddling with on-screen sliders.
• Widest device coverage → YUEWEESER 2pcs. Its compatibility list spans iPhone 15/16, iPad, MacBook, Galaxy and Pixel; the C171 is USB-C only and flags S24 uncertainty.
In my opinion, the Avantree C171 is the better buy for most people searching for headphones for a MacBook, because it's a finished product: you get the buds, the mic, the controls and the fit in one purchase, and it works the moment it leaves the box. The YUEWEESER 2pcs is the smarter pick for a narrower but very real group — people who already own wired headphones they love and refuse to replace them. If you're starting from nothing, buy the C171. If you're starting from a drawer full of 3.5mm headphones, buy the adapters. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
how to use headphones for macbook
Plug your headphones into the MacBook's USB-C port directly if they're USB-C like the Avantree C171, or use a USB-C audio adapter like the YUEWEESER 2pcs if your headphones have a different plug. The adapter is driver-free and plug-and-play, so macOS should recognize it immediately. Then select the output device in your sound settings.
how to connect headphones macbook
For wired USB-C headphones, just insert the connector — there's no pairing step. With the YUEWEESER adapter, plug the adapter into the MacBook first, then plug your headphones into the adapter's female end. The C171 connects the same way, straight in, with its in-line buttons controlling playback once recognized.
how to connect headphones macbook air
Exactly the same process as any USB-C MacBook: insert a USB-C headphone or a USB-C audio adapter into the port. Both products here list MacBook compatibility, and the YUEWEESER adapter also covers iPad Air and Pro. Nothing installs; the system picks up the audio device on connection.
how to use headphones macbook pro
On a MacBook Pro, use the USB-C port for either product. The C171 goes in directly and gives you mic, volume and track control from its in-line buttons. The YUEWEESER adapter goes in first and passes your existing headphone audio through — but remember it won't charge your laptop or move data while it's in use.
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