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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Jadebones 3 — biggest strength: you get three adapters in one pack, so a MacBook, an iPad and a phone can each keep one. Built-in DAC chip for stable, distortion-free audio, plug-and-play, no driver install.
• Jadebones 3 — biggest trade-off: audio only. No charging, no data, no lavalier mics. Plastic shell rather than metal.
• URANT Light-ning — biggest strength: aluminium alloy casing and a compact single-adapter design, with broad USB-C device coverage from MacBooks and iPads to Galaxy and Pixel phones.
• URANT Light-ning — biggest trade-off: it comes as one adapter, and it is just as audio-only as the Jadebones — no OTG devices, no charging, no data, no card readers.
• Who each is for: Jadebones 3 suits someone who wants spares for a multi-device household. URANT Light-ning suits someone who wants one tidy metal adapter for a MacBook and nothing more.
The Jadebones 3 is, at heart, a convenience purchase. You get a three-count pack of white USB-C to Lightning headphone adapters, each weighing about 7 g, each with a durable plastic shell and a two-port connector layout. That means you can leave one plugged into your MacBook, drop one in a bag for an iPad, and keep a third somewhere else entirely — and never be the person hunting for the one adapter in the house.
The feature that actually matters for audio is the built-in intelligent DAC chip. In plain terms, that is the part of the chain that converts the digital signal into something your headphones can play, and having it inside the adapter is what lets a USB-C port drive a Lightning headphone at all. Jadebones describes the result as stable transmission and a distortion-free listening experience, and that is the design goal rather than a claim I can measure. What I can say is that a DAC-based adapter is the correct architecture for this job — a passive plug would not do it.
Compatibility is broad: iPhone 16 and 15 families, iPad Air and iPad Pro, MacBook, a long list of Galaxy S and Note models, Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5, and Pixel 7/6/5/4, plus other USB-C devices. For a MacBook owner specifically, that means one adapter handles the laptop and most of the phones and tablets around it.
URANT Light-ning: Who It's For
URANT's adapter flips the direction of the same idea. It is a Lightning to USB-C audio converter, which means it's built for plugging a Lightning-headphone into a USB-C device — think a MacBook, an iPad Pro or Air, an iMac, or a Galaxy S24/S23/S22. If your headphones are the Lightning kind and your laptop is the USB-C kind, this is the bridge.
The build is the headline difference. URANT uses an aluminium alloy shell, and the adapter is described as ultra-thin and ultra-compact. In a bag or a pocket, metal tends to hold up better against the kind of flexing that eventually cracks a plastic housing, so this is the one I'd expect to survive being carried daily. It also needs no drivers or settings — plug it in and go.
Inside, URANT says the adapter uses a built-in lossless MFi certified chip for stable audio signal transmission. The MFi detail is worth noting because it points to the adapter being built to Apple's accessory specification rather than being a generic part, which matters when you're asking a MacBook to recognise a Lightning audio endpoint.
Compatibility is spelled out widely: iPhone 16/15 families, iPad Pro 13-inch and 11-inch 2024, iPad Air 13-inch and 11-inch 2024, iPad Pro 12.9" and 11", iPad 10th Gen 2022, iPad Air 4/5, iPad Mini 6, Galaxy S24/S23/S22 families, Huawei and Pixel, plus Windows 10 or above on the laptop side.
Who should buy it: a MacBook user with Lightning headphones who wants one well-made adapter and doesn't need spares. Who should skip it: anyone who wants multiple adapters, and anyone hoping for charging or data passthrough. It is headphone audio only — no OTG, no card readers, no CarPlay, no mice or keyboards, no flash drives, no charging, no data.
• Best for multiple devices or households → Jadebones 3. Three adapters means each USB-C device can keep one.
• Best for build quality and daily carry → URANT Light-ning. Aluminium alloy shell and an ultra-compact shape.
• Best for a MacBook-first setup with Lightning headphones → URANT Light-ning. It's explicitly aimed at that direction of conversion.
• Best for someone who loses small accessories → Jadebones 3. A three-pack plus a 1-year warranty softens the loss.
• Best for a mixed Android/Apple desk → Jadebones 3. Its compatibility list leans wider across Galaxy, Pixel and iPad.
• Best for a single clean connection → URANT Light-ning. One adapter, no clutter, MFi certified chip inside.
• Best for anyone who needs charging or data → neither. Both are strictly headphone-only audio adapters.
• Best for anyone using a lavalier mic for calls or recording → neither. Both explicitly exclude lavalier microphones.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to whether you want spares or want one good one. If you're setting up a MacBook and you already own Lightning headphones, I'd buy the URANT Light-ning: the aluminium shell, the MFi certified chip and the single-adapter simplicity fit that job exactly. If you're wiring up several USB-C devices at once, I'd buy the Jadebones 3 instead — three adapters in one pack is the more practical answer for a household, and the DAC-based design covers the audio fundamentals just as well. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, and remember both are headphone-only.
how to connect headphones macbook
Plug the adapter's USB-C end into your MacBook's USB-C port, then plug your Lightning headphones into the adapter's Lightning socket. Both products are plug-and-play with no driver or settings needed. Audio should route to the headphones automatically; if not, select them in your Mac's sound output settings.
how to use headphones for macbook
Use a USB-C to Lightning audio adapter like the Jadebones 3 or the URANT Light-ning, because MacBooks no longer have a Lightning port. Connect the adapter to the MacBook and the headphones to the adapter. Note that neither adapter supports charging or data passthrough — they carry headphone audio only.
how to connect headphones macbook air
The same method applies to a MacBook Air: USB-C adapter into the laptop, Lightning headphones into the adapter. URANT lists USB-C MacBook and Mac coverage, and Jadebones lists MacBook among its compatible devices. No software setup is required on either.
how to use headphones macbook pro
Connect the adapter to any USB-C port on the MacBook Pro, then plug in your Lightning headphones. Both adapters support headphone audio only, so don't expect charging or file transfer through them. If audio doesn't switch over, choose the headphones manually in your sound output settings.
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See also: TRIPP LITE USB-C vs Jadebones USB C: Headphones for Macbook, Hello Kitty Light Up Headphones vs GZLMMY Neckband Earphones, YGKSAA 4PCS vs iMangoo Right Angle: Aux Wired Headphones