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If you want a single cable that turns a USB-C phone or tablet into a wired-listening setup with inline controls, choose Bolle & Raven Thore USB-C Headphone; if you need to stretch an existing 3.5mm connection across a room without losing signal, choose VIOY Headphone Extension Cable. These two are not really rivals in the usual sense — one is a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter cord with a remote and mic, the other is a long 3.5mm male-to-female extender. But buyers searching both names are usually trying to solve the same underlying problem: getting audio from point A to point B reliably. The difference is which end of the chain you're fixing.
• Bolle & Raven Thore — biggest strength: A USB-C to 3.5mm cord with a built-in microphone and volume/play-pause remote, wrapped in proprietary nylon braid that resists fraying, tearing and fluffing.
• Bolle & Raven Thore — biggest trade-off: It's a short-format adapter cord, not a distance solution — and it only fits devices with a USB-C port, so older 3.5mm-only phones are out.
• VIOY — biggest strength: A 30 FT 3.5mm male-to-female extension with a high-purity copper core, dual shielding, 24k gold-plated connectors and a TPE/nylon braided jacket rated to a 15,000+ lifespan test.
• VIOY — biggest trade-off: It's TRS (3-pole) only. On TRRS headphones the audio still passes, but the inline mic and volume control will not work.
• Pick Bolle & Raven Thore if you're on a USB-C phone or tablet and want a wired connection with control and voice capability.
• Pick VIOY if your source already has a 3.5mm jack and the cable just isn't long enough.
The Thore is a problem-solver for a very specific annoyance: modern devices dropped the headphone jack, but you still own — and like — a good pair of 3.5mm headphones. This cord bridges that gap. One end is USB Type C, the other is a standard 3.5mm aux jack, and in the middle sits a built-in microphone plus a remote for volume and play/pause/answer/end. The 24-pin connector and auxiliary/USB connectivity mean it handles both audio output and control signals, not just a bare audio passthrough.
Bolle & Raven lists compatibility with iPad Pro 2018, Pixel 2/2XL/3/3XL, Moto Z3 Play, Razer Phone 2, Essential PH-1, One Plus 6T/7 Pro, and Note 10/10 Plus, plus general Android and iPad use. On the headphone side it's built around standard 3.5mm jacks, and the manufacturer names Beats, Sony, Sennheiser and Audio Technica as the intended ecosystem. At 14.2 g with a round nylon-braided jacket, it's the kind of cable you leave attached to one pair of headphones and forget about.
Who should buy it: USB-C phone or tablet owners who want wired audio with a working mic and inline controls — call handling, podcast listening, video conferencing on a tablet. Who should skip it: anyone whose device still has a 3.5mm jack (you don't need the adapter), anyone on Lightning rather than USB-C, and anyone trying to cover a long physical distance. This is a short bridge cord, not an extender. If length is your problem, this is the wrong tool entirely.
The VIOY is the opposite kind of fix. Nothing is broken — your source and your headphones both have 3.5mm jacks. The cable is simply too short. So VIOY sells a 30 FT male-to-female extension: plug the male end into your phone, tablet, MP3 player, car stereo or home theater aux port, and the female end becomes a new jack wherever you want it.
The engineering story here is signal integrity over distance. VIOY uses a high-purity copper core with dual shielding to keep static and interference out, and 24k gold-plated connectors with a solid copper shell for conductivity and oxidation resistance. The jacket is cotton-mesh braided over TPE, and the spec sheet cites a 15,000+ lifespan test. VIOY also notes it's easy to plug in without removing a phone or tablet case — a small thing that matters daily.
The critical caveat is printed right in the specs: this is a TRS (3-pole) cable. If your headphones are TRRS (4-pole) — the kind with a mic and inline volume buttons — the audio will still play, but the microphone and volume control will not function. VIOY states this plainly: the extension does not work with inline volume control, and with TRRS headphones the mic is dead.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for USB-C devices with no headphone jack → Bolle & Raven Thore USB-C Headphone.
• Best for adding physical reach to an existing 3.5mm setup → VIOY Headphone Extension Cable.
• Best for calls, voice chat and inline control → Bolle & Raven Thore — it has the mic and volume remote; VIOY explicitly doesn't pass those signals.
• Best for long-distance, static-free runs → VIOY, thanks to the copper core, dual shielding and 30 FT length.
• Best for durability-focused braiding → Both qualify — Thore uses anti-fray proprietary nylon; VIOY uses cotton-mesh braid over TPE with a cited 15,000+ lifespan test.
• Best for travel and pocket carry → Bolle & Raven Thore at 14.2 g; a 30 FT cable is not a pocket item.
• Best for home theater, car stereo and room-to-room audio → VIOY.
• Best for older 3.5mm-only phones → VIOY — the Thore needs a USB-C port.
In my opinion, if you're choosing one, the honest answer comes down to which problem you actually have — and most people searching these two names have a USB-C device and a good pair of 3.5mm headphones, which points to the Bolle & Raven Thore. It solves a genuine dead end, adds a working mic and remote, and the braided build is designed for daily abuse. I'd pick the VIOY only if your source already has a 3.5mm jack and distance is the real issue. Buy the Thore to connect; buy the VIOY to extend. And check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both are inexpensive enough that owning the right one for each job is reasonable.
Audio yes, microphone no. VIOY's specs state the cable is TRS (3-pole) only; with TRRS headphones the sound plays but the mic and inline volume control won't work.
Not with Lightning iPhones. The Thore is a USB-C to 3.5mm cord, listed for USB-C devices like iPad Pro 2018, Pixel, One Plus and Note 10 models.
No. VIOY is a 3.5mm male-to-female extender. If your phone has no 3.5mm jack, the Thore is the one that adds that connection.
It's 30 FT. Great for room-scale runs between a TV, receiver or car stereo and your headphones; less convenient if you only needed a short extension.
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