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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-03 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Avantree C81-Gaming — biggest strength: Turns your PS5 into a Bluetooth audio source, so AirPods, Bose and other Bluetooth headphones can handle game and movie sound without wires.
• Avantree C81-Gaming — biggest trade-off: It is audio-only. Bluetooth headphone mics don't work through it, so voice chat has to run through the PS5 controller mic, and it won't work with 2.4GHz gaming headsets, Xbox, TVs or PS Portal.
• Akalyptra Controller — biggest strength: A complete wireless gamepad with Hall Effect sticks and triggers, two programmable back buttons, RGB lighting and a 3.5mm headphone jack — you plug wired headphones straight into the controller.
• Akalyptra Controller — biggest trade-off: It's a controller first. The built-in mic is for in-game interaction only, not voice chat, and its headphone jack needs wired headphones rather than the Bluetooth pair you may already own.
• Who each is for: Avantree C81-Gaming is for the PS5 owner who wants to keep their existing Bluetooth headphones. Akalyptra Controller is for someone who needs a new controller and prefers wired audio plus extra buttons.
The C81-Gaming is a tiny USB-C dongle — about an inch long and 10 grams — that plugs into your PS5 and broadcasts game audio out to Bluetooth headphones. That's the whole idea. You set audio output to "C81-G" once, and from then on the adapter reconnects automatically when you power up. No cables running across the couch, no swapping your nice Bose pair for a dedicated gaming headset.
Voice chat is the other thing to plan around. Bluetooth bandwidth is limited, so headphone mics won't work through the dongle — you use the PS5 controller's mic instead, and you have to set it manually under Settings > Sound > Microphone > Input Device. Buy this if you mostly play solo or story games and want your own headphones doing the audio work. Skip it if you need headphone-mic chat, if you're on Xbox or PS Portal, or if you game on a 2.4GHz wireless headset — none of that is supported here. A 24-month warranty and a USB-C to USB-A extension cable round out the package.
Akalyptra Controller: Who It's For
This is a different product solving a different problem. The Akalyptra Controller is a wireless PS5 and PC gamepad in a metallic purple finish, and its headphone story is wired: there's a 3.5mm jack on the controller itself. Plug in any wired headset and the audio comes through it, no dongle, no pairing, no codec compatibility to think about.
The hardware is aimed at players who want more control. Hall Effect joysticks and triggers resist the wear that eventually causes stick drift on standard modules, and they deliver pinpoint accuracy and fast response. Two back buttons are programmable or remappable, so you can trigger combos and complex actions without lifting your thumbs off the sticks. Dual vibration adds feedback, motion control is on board, and the RGB lighting offers eight modes — steady colors or a rainbow cycle, whichever you prefer.
Two honest caveats. The built-in mic is not for voice chat; it's for in-game interaction only, so team chat still needs a headset with its own mic plugged into the jack. And first-time pairing has a specific order: turn the controller off, connect it to the PS5 with a USB cable, turn it on, select the user, unplug the cable, then press Home to reconnect. Follow that sequence once and you're set. Buy this if you want a backup or upgrade controller with paddles and a wired audio jack. Skip it if your main goal is getting your existing Bluetooth headphones working on PS5 — that's not what this does.
• Best for using your existing Bluetooth headphones → Avantree C81-Gaming. It's built specifically to pipe PS5 audio to AirPods, Bose and similar.
• Best for wired headphone audio → Akalyptra Controller. The 3.5mm jack on the gamepad keeps things simple and delay-free.
• Best for competitive control features → Akalyptra Controller. Hall Effect sticks and triggers plus two programmable back buttons.
• Best for lowest-latency wireless audio → Avantree C81-Gaming, but only if your headphones support aptX-Adaptive or aptX-Low Latency.
• Best for voice chat → neither does it through headphones. The C81-Gaming routes chat via the PS5 controller mic; the Akalyptra built-in mic is for in-game interaction only.
• Best for a controller upgrade → Akalyptra Controller. Motion control, dual vibration and RGB lighting in a single wireless gamepad.
• Best for plug-and-forget simplicity → Avantree C81-Gaming. One-time setup, then automatic reconnection.
• Best for PC as well as PS5 → Akalyptra Controller. It lists Windows alongside PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim.
In my opinion, most people searching this comparison already own a decent pair of Bluetooth headphones and just want them working on PS5. For that buyer, I'd buy the Avantree C81-Gaming — it's purpose-built for exactly that job, and the aptX support means good sound with the right headphones. I'd only steer you to the Akalyptra Controller if your real need is a new gamepad with back buttons and a wired headphone jack. Decide which of those two problems you actually have, and the choice makes itself. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing specs can't tell you.
FAQ
how to use headphones for ps5
how to connect headphones for ps5
For Bluetooth headphones, the dongle handles the connection and auto-reconnects on later sessions. For the Akalyptra route, connect the controller to the PS5 by USB, turn it on, log in, unplug the cable, press Home, then plug your wired headphones into the jack.
how to headphones ps5
You need either a Bluetooth audio adapter or a controller with a headphone jack — the PS5 doesn't send audio to Bluetooth headphones on its own. The C81-Gaming covers the first path; the Akalyptra Controller covers the second.
how to use bluetooth headphones for ps5
Use the Avantree C81-Gaming. Note that headphone mics won't work through it, so set the PS5 controller mic as your input device, and expect possible audio delay unless your headphones support aptX-Adaptive or aptX-Low Latency.
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