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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Cubilux 3.5mm biggest strength: a stepless analog volume wheel on a 4-foot cable that lets you fine-tune loudness in tiny increments — including nudging it down just enough to fall asleep.
• Cubilux 3.5mm biggest trade-off: it does not amplify. It can only reduce or pass through volume, it won't boost a quiet source, and it won't control microphone level.
• iMangoo USB C Headphones biggest strength: a self-contained USB-C earbud set with a built-in DAC, 13 mm dynamic drivers, an in-line remote for volume plus play/pause/skip, and a mic for calls.
• iMangoo USB C Headphones biggest trade-off: it is locked to USB-C devices only, so any older phone, laptop or console with a round 3.5 mm jack is out.
• Who each is for: Cubilux 3.5mm is for people who already own wired headphones or speakers and want better control over them. iMangoo USB C Headphones is for people who need a working headset for a USB-C phone and nothing else.
The Cubilux 3.5mm is not headphones. It is a 4-foot male-to-female TRRS attenuator cable — a short extension cord with a small in-line wheel in the middle. You plug the male end into your phone, laptop or headphone amp, and your existing earphones or speaker into the female end. From that point on, your thumb has a dedicated volume dial that moves continuously rather than in the fixed steps your phone gives you.
That stepless behavior is the whole point. Phone and laptop volume buttons jump in chunks, and the quietest step is often still too loud for late-night listening, open-plan office work or a bedside podcast. The Cubilux lets you creep the level down to exactly where you want it. The data sheet specifically calls out the sleeping use case, and that matches how I'd expect most people to actually use it: as a precision trim, not as a main volume control.
The build is deliberately simple. Oxygen-free copper conductors and gold-plated connectors are there to keep the signal clean so the analog wheel doesn't introduce hiss or static, and the cable plays nicely with headphones that also have their own digital button controls — you can use both at once. Two limits matter, though. First, it does not amplify: it will never make a quiet source louder, so don't buy it hoping to fix low output. Second, it adjusts the audio output signal only — the mic signal passes through, but the wheel does not change microphone volume. It's also meant for a headphone amplifier, not a speaker amplifier.
iMangoo USB C Headphones: Who It's For
The iMangoo USB C Headphones are in-ear wired earbuds that terminate in a USB-C plug instead of a round jack. Inside the plug sits a built-in DAC chip, which is what lets a purely digital USB-C port drive analog drivers properly. That chip, combined with 13 mm dynamic drivers, 32 ohm impedance, 114 dB sensitivity and a 20 kHz frequency response, is the reason the spec sheet talks about clean stereo bass without buzzing, breaking or popping. In plain terms: this is a plug-and-play headset for phones and tablets that dropped the headphone jack.
The feature that matters most for this comparison is the remote. The in-line control handles volume, plus play/pause and track skipping, and the control method is listed as remote with a volume control type. There's also a microphone for hands-free calls, which is the difference between "earbuds" and "a headset you can actually work in." The cable runs 1.2 meters — long enough to keep the phone in a pocket or on a desk without yanking the buds out of your ears — and the package includes eartips and a protective carrying case. iMangoo lists an 8-month warranty. The earbuds are orange, in-ear, plastic-bodied, with metal-plated connectors for a more durable contact. Sound isolation is part of the design, so they'll block some surrounding noise mechanically rather than electronically.
The obvious trade-off is compatibility. This is a USB-C-only product. The listing names iPhone 15/16/17 family, Galaxy S26 down through S20, Z Flip and Z Fold, and Pixel 6 through 10 with USB-C devices — that's the world it lives in. If your laptop, desktop, console controller or older phone still uses a 3.5 mm jack, these earbuds won't connect without an adapter, and an adapter defeats the simplicity you're paying for.
Buy the iMangoo if you have a USB-C phone, you want one cable that handles music and calls, and you'd rather not carry a dongle. Skip it if you split your listening between USB-C and 3.5 mm devices, or if you already own headphones you love and only need better volume control — that's the Cubilux job.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a complete listening setup → iMangoo USB C Headphones. Drivers, cable, remote, mic and case in one purchase; nothing else to add.
• Best for late-night or shared-space listening → Cubilux 3.5mm. The spec sheet explicitly frames it around turning headphones down far enough for sleeping.
• Best for phone calls and meetings → iMangoo USB C Headphones. The in-line mic and remote answer/end calls; the Cubilux passes mic audio through but cannot adjust it.
• Best for USB-C phones without a headphone jack → iMangoo USB C Headphones. Built-in DAC, USB-C termination, no adapter required.
• Best for keeping existing headphones and speakers → Cubilux 3.5mm. It upgrades gear you already like instead of replacing it.
• Best for boosting quiet audio → neither, honestly. The Cubilux cannot amplify by design; if your problem is "too quiet," a headphone amplifier is the right tool.
• Best for travel convenience → iMangoo USB C Headphones. The included carrying case and 1.2 m cable make it a grab-and-go item; the Cubilux is a 4-foot cable you have to remember to pack.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the iMangoo USB C Headphones for most people — in my opinion it solves the bigger, more common problem. If your phone is USB-C only, you need earbuds that work the moment you plug them in, and you want volume, track control and calls on the cable, this is the complete answer in a single purchase, with a carrying case and an 8-month warranty included.
But I'd genuinely recommend the Cubilux 3.5mm to a narrower, very specific buyer: someone who already owns wired headphones or a speaker they like, has a 3.5 mm jack, and is annoyed by coarse volume steps. In my opinion it's the better fix for that exact frustration, and a pointless purchase for anyone else. Match the product to the problem and neither is a compromise.
how to disable volume control on wired headphones
You can't "disable" a volume control that isn't there — but on a cable like the Cubilux 3.5mm, the in-line wheel is passive, so turning it to maximum effectively takes it out of the circuit and hands volume back to your device. The data sheet notes the analog control works alongside digital button controls, so your phone's buttons still function either way. If you want no in-line control at all, a plain extension cable is the simpler answer.
do earbuds have volume control
Some do, some don't. The iMangoo USB C Headphones do — the remote handles volume along with play/pause and track skipping. The Cubilux 3.5mm is not an earbud; it's an attenuator cable you add to earbuds or a speaker that may or may not have their own controls. If in-line volume is a must-have, check the control spec before buying.
No. The data sheet is explicit that it does not amplify and will not boost volume. It only lets you turn the audio output down with a stepless wheel. If your audio is too quiet, you need a headphone amplifier, not this cable.
No. The iMangoo USB C Headphones connect through USB-C only, with a built-in DAC designed for USB-C devices. They won't fit a standard 3.5 mm port without an adapter. If your devices are mixed, the Cubilux 3.5mm is the more flexible match.
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