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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want one clever adapter that rescues the wired headphones you already own and works across both Lightning iPhones and USB-C gear, choose KETAKY Plus USB C; if you need a complete pair of USB-C earbuds with a mic, inline controls and a right-angle plug you can leave on your phone all day, choose ACANDYA USB C Earbuds.
These two products sound like they belong in the same category, but they solve completely different problems. One is a converter that turns your existing 3.5mm headphones into something your modern phone accepts. The other is the headphones themselves — a finished pair of wired USB-C earbuds. Deciding between them comes down to one question: do you already own a pair of wired headphones you love, or do you need a whole set?
• KETAKY Plus USB C — biggest strength: a true 2-in-1 dongle with both a Lightning and a USB-C side, so one small accessory covers iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and Android USB-C devices.
• KETAKY Plus USB C — biggest trade-off: it's an adapter, not headphones, and the Lightning side doesn't support the playback controls the USB-C side does, so you're relying on your own wired headset.
• ACANDYA USB C Earbuds — biggest strength: a self-contained pair of USB-C earbuds with a built-in mic, inline volume/remote controls, a 1.2 m cord and a 90° right-angle plug.
• ACANDYA USB C Earbuds — biggest trade-off: it's USB-C only, so older Lightning iPhones are out, and it's a single fixed pair rather than a way to reuse headphones you already own.
• Who each pick is for: KETAKY Plus USB C is for people who love their current wired headphones and want them to work everywhere; ACANDYA USB C Earbuds is for people who just want a clean, all-in-one wired USB-C listening setup.
KETAKY Plus USB C is best understood as a bridge. It's a compact black dongle with two connectors — Lightning and USB-C — each feeding a 3.5mm audio jack. That means the wired headphones, earbuds or even an aux cable you already trust can plug into almost any modern device. On the audio side, the built-in DAC is rated for up to 24-bit/96kHz playback, with a noise-canceling design aimed at keeping the signal clean. In my opinion that's the headline feature: you're not buying sound, you're buying access to better sound through hardware you already own.
So who should buy it? Anyone with a favorite pair of wired headphones who keeps switching between an iPhone, an iPad, a laptop and an Android phone. Travelers and commuters who want one pocket-sized accessory instead of a drawer of dongles. Who should skip it? If you don't own wired headphones you like, or if you want a microphone and inline remote built into the cable, this isn't the product — you'd be paying for a converter with nothing to convert.
ACANDYA USB C Earbuds: Who It's For
ACANDYA USB C Earbuds are the finished article: a wired in-ear headset with a USB-C plug, a 1.2 m cord, a built-in microphone and an inline button for calls, track switching and volume. The driver setup is a dynamic driver with a 32-ohm impedance and a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range — the standard full-range window — paired with a DAC chip built into the Type-C connector. The design brief here is balance: the spec sheet describes powerful bass and clear sound, with sound isolation to cut ambient noise. In my opinion that's the right target for commuting, gaming and casual listening.
The detail I like most is the 90° right-angle connector. If you've ever held a phone in landscape for a game or a video with a straight plug digging into your palm, you know why this matters. An L-shaped plug sits flush against the phone, is easier to grip for long sessions and is simpler to insert and remove. The package also includes a black protective carrying case, which is a small thing that makes a real difference for tossing earbuds in a bag without tangling them into a knot.
Who should buy it? Anyone on a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop who wants wired audio without hunting for an adapter — the compatibility list spans iPhone 15/16/17 families, Samsung Galaxy S20 through S26, Google Pixel, OnePlus, Motorola, iPads and MacBooks. Who should skip it? Anyone still on a Lightning iPhone, since these are USB-C only. And anyone who already owns great wired headphones and just needs a connector — that's the other product's job.
• Best for reusing headphones you already own → KETAKY Plus USB C. It converts, it doesn't replace.
• Best for a complete listening setup out of the box → ACANDYA USB C Earbuds. Mic, remote and cable included.
• Best for mixed-ecosystem households → KETAKY Plus USB C. One dongle covers Lightning iPhones, USB-C phones, tablets and laptops.
• Best for hands-free calls and volume control → ACANDYA USB C Earbuds. The inline mic and button are built into the cord.
• Best for gaming and video in landscape → ACANDYA USB C Earbuds. The 90° right-angle plug keeps the cable out of your grip.
• Best for audio spec on paper → KETAKY Plus USB C. The DAC is rated up to 24-bit/96kHz for high-resolution playback.
• Best for Lightning iPhone owners → KETAKY Plus USB C. The ACANDYA earbuds don't support Lightning at all.
• Best for travel minimalism → depends on your bag. The KETAKY is a tiny dongle; the ACANDYA is a full pair of earbuds with a case.
If I had to pick one for myself, I'd choose KETAKY Plus USB C. The reason is flexibility: I already own wired headphones I like, and a single pocket-sized adapter that works with Lightning iPhones, USB-C Android phones, iPads and MacBooks solves more of my daily problems than any one pair of earbuds could. The MFi certification and the 24-bit/96kHz DAC rating tell me it was built to be reliable rather than disposable. That said, if I didn't own a wired headset — or I wanted a mic and inline controls without extra parts — I'd buy the ACANDYA USB C Earbuds without hesitating, because the right-angle plug and all-in-one design are genuinely well thought out.
FAQ
No. They're a USB-C product, so they fit USB-C iPhones like the 15, 16 and 17 families, plus USB-C Galaxy, Pixel and other Android devices. If you're on a Lightning iPhone, the KETAKY Plus USB C adapter is the one that fits.
The adapter itself isn't a headset — it passes your headphones' audio through. Its USB-C side supports inline playback controls like play/pause, volume and track skip, but the Lightning side doesn't support those advanced controls, and neither side adds a microphone of its own.
Not usefully — the ACANDYA earbuds already end in a USB-C plug, so they connect directly to your phone. The KETAKY adapter is designed for headphones with a 3.5mm jack that need converting to Lightning or USB-C.
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