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Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• MEE audio SleepTones USB-C — biggest strength: Purpose-built for sleep and side sleeping, with soft silicone low-profile earpieces, ear retention loops, and a 59" (1.5 m) two-tone cord with a shirt clip and magnetic cable wrap.
• MEE audio SleepTones USB-C — biggest trade-off: Its 6 mm dynamic driver and "smooth, non-fatiguing" tuning favor white noise, podcasts and audiobooks over punchy, detailed music; it's also a single pair, and it's a wired-only USB-C set.
• MAXAUX USB C — biggest strength: A general-purpose design with a larger 10 mm dynamic driver, ergonomic in-ear shape, inline volume buttons and mic, passive noise cancellation, and a second pair included as a 2-pack.
• MAXAUX USB C — biggest trade-off: It's built for all-day wear and calls rather than sleep; nothing in its design is aimed at side-sleeping pressure points, and it uses plastic rather than silicone earpieces.
• Who each pick is for: MEE audio SleepTones USB-C for people who wear earbuds in bed, on their side, or overnight; MAXAUX USB C for people who want an everyday wired USB-C earbud for work, calls, streaming and commuting — with a spare pair in the box.
The SleepTones USB-C is one of the few USB-C wired earbuds designed around a specific problem: wearing earbuds while lying down. The earpieces are low-profile and made from soft silicone, which is meant to reduce pressure points when you're on your side. Integrated ear retention loops keep each earpiece from shifting once you're settled. If you've ever woken up because a hard plastic bud dug into your ear, that's the exact issue this shape is trying to solve.
The rest of the package is built for overnight and hands-free use. The 59" (1.5 m) cord gives you room to move, and the two-tone cable makes left and right easy to identify in the dark. There's a shirt clip and a magnetic cable wrap for cord management, a three-button remote, and a built-in microphone so you can change volume, control playback, take calls, or talk to a voice assistant without reaching for your phone. The 6 mm dynamic driver is tuned for smooth, non-fatiguing sound — which is a sensible choice for white noise apps, audiobooks, podcasts and gentle music at low volume. Sound isolation is passive, via the fit itself.
MAXAUX USB C: Who It's For
MAXAUX USB C is the more conventional of the two: an in-ear wired USB-C earbud intended for everyday use rather than sleep. The headlining spec is a 10 mm dynamic driver — noticeably larger than the SleepTones' 6 mm — paired with "HiFi stereo" and "professional sound tuning" claims, so it's positioned for people who actually listen to music, watch video and take calls on their USB-C device. It also lists zero latency, which matters if you're doing video calls, streaming or online classes and don't want audio drifting out of sync with the picture.
Comfort and communication are the other two pillars. It's described as comfortable for long-term wear and all-day sessions, with an ergonomic in-ear shape and passive noise cancellation, so the seal does the blocking rather than electronics. The inline control has volume buttons plus a microphone, and the mic is positioned closer to your mouth to improve voice clarity and reduce background noise on calls. It's a USB Type-C wired connection, model GB09, with a 32 ohm impedance and 98 dB sensitivity.
Two things stand out for buyers. First, it's sold as a 2-pack, so you get a spare set — handy for keeping one at a desk and one in a bag. Second, it carries a 24-month warranty, which is a longer coverage window than the SleepTones' one year. The trade-off is that it's a plastic enclosure with no sleep-specific design, no silicone low-profile earpieces, and no ear retention loops. Buy it if you want a workhorse wired USB-C earbud for calls, meetings, streaming and music, and you like having a backup pair. Skip it if your main use case is lying on your side in bed — that's simply not what it was built for.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for side sleepers → MEE audio SleepTones USB-C. Soft silicone low-profile earpieces and ear retention loops are designed specifically to reduce pressure points.
• Best for calls and meetings → MAXAUX USB C. The inline mic sits closer to your mouth to improve voice clarity, and it lists zero latency for video calls.
• Best for hands-free control and voice assistants → MEE audio SleepTones USB-C. Its three-button remote covers volume, playback, calls and voice assistant access.
• Best for cord management → MEE audio SleepTones USB-C. The 59" (1.5 m) two-tone cable, shirt clip and magnetic cable wrap are included for tidier, easier-to-identify cords.
• Best for having a spare → MAXAUX USB C. It comes as a 2-pack, so you get two sets instead of one.
• Best for long-term coverage → MAXAUX USB C. A 24-month warranty against the SleepTones' one-year manufacturer's warranty.
• Best for all-day wear → MAXAUX USB C. It's explicitly designed for long-term and all-day use; the SleepTones is tuned for relaxed, low-fatigue listening overnight.
In my opinion, there's no single winner here — the right pick depends entirely on when you wear them. If you wear earbuds in bed, I'd buy the MEE audio SleepTones USB-C, because its soft silicone low-profile earpieces, ear retention loops and cord management were clearly designed for exactly that, and the smooth tuning suits white noise and audiobooks. If you wear earbuds during the day, I'd buy the MAXAUX USB C: a 10 mm driver, inline mic with volume controls, zero latency, a spare pair and a 24-month warranty make it the more versatile everyday set. Buy for the pillow or buy for the desk — just match it to your routine.
how to use usb c headphones on mac
Plug the USB-C connector straight into a USB-C port on your Mac — the SleepTones USB-C and MAXAUX USB C are both wired USB Type-C sets, so no adapter is needed on a Mac that has a USB-C port. Your Mac should detect them as an audio output automatically, and you can pick them under Sound settings. The SleepTones' inline remote also handles volume and playback without touching the keyboard.
how to use usb c headphones on android phone
Connect the USB-C plug to your phone's USB-C port and play audio as usual; both sets are wired USB Type-C, so there's no pairing step. If your phone asks, allow USB audio access when prompted. The MAXAUX USB C and SleepTones USB-C both have inline volume buttons and a microphone, so calls and playback control work from the cable.
how to use usb c headphones on android
On Android, just plug in and press play — USB-C audio is handled by the phone, so you don't need any app. The SleepTones USB-C works with USB-C audio-capable devices including smartphones, and it adds a three-button remote for volume, playback, calls and voice assistant access. MAXAUX USB C adds inline volume buttons and a mic positioned for clearer calls.
how to use usb c headphones on ps5
Per MEE audio, the SleepTones USB-C does work with the PlayStation 5, but only when plugged into the USB-C jack on the console itself — not the controller. If you specifically want headphones that plug into the PS5 controller, you'd need a version with a 3.5 mm jack instead. MAXAUX USB C uses a USB Type-C connection, so the same console-port logic applies.
One practical note before you decide: this page doesn't quote prices, and I won't guess at them. Wired USB-C earbuds shift in cost often, so check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page and compare the two there.
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See also: MEE audio KidJamz KJ55 vs Ladont 5: USB C Headphones, MEE audio SleepTones vs syndesmos Headphones: Headphones for, Pyle Home Audio vs P PUPGSIS Studio Monitor Headphones+XLR/USB