Although not yet widespread, or at least not heavily promoted by headphone manufacturers, USB-C audio is an important feature and a must-have for your next pair of headphones.
Despite knowing the key features of wireless headphones, many people still miss out on USB-C audio and don't want to make that mistake again. Although not yet widespread, or at least not heavily promoted by headphone manufacturers, USB-C audio is a crucial feature and a must-have for your next pair of headphones.
What is USB-C audio?
Another unique capability of USB-C
USB-C audio is a protocol that allows the transmission of digital audio over a USB Type-C interface. With USB-C audio support, you don't need your device to have a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. Simply plug your headphones into the available USB-C port on your iOS or Android device and enjoy music via cable, just like in the old days. As you can imagine, this feature is especially useful for playing hi-res music.
It may sound like a new standard, but it's not – USB-C audio has been around for over a decade at the time of writing.
Why is USB-C audio a must-have for your next pair of headphones?
No more compromises!
Most headphones with USB-C ports are only used for charging. However, many people want their next wireless headphones to take full advantage of this port. If it doesn't support USB-C audio, you should probably skip it for the following reasons:
1. You can listen to music via a wired connection without needing an adapter.
When Apple made the bold move of removing the headphone jack from the iPhone in 2016 with the launch of the iPhone 7, it angered many people. Certainly, this may have been unnecessary at the time, but in retrospect, it's fair to say that removing the headphone jack actually made smartphones better. Other smartphone manufacturers kept the port for longer, but eventually followed in Apple's footsteps.
However, it's worth noting that this is only possible if the headphones support USB-C audio. Otherwise, you're out of luck. Nobody wants to miss out on that again. People want the freedom to buy wireless headphones and still be able to plug in a cable and listen to music whenever they want. Because with USB-C audio support, your wireless headphones aren't limited to Bluetooth anymore .
2. It helps wireless headphones last longer.
When it comes to listening to music, Bluetooth is the most convenient option. You simply pair your headphones with your phone or laptop, and you're done! Of course, you might occasionally encounter Bluetooth connection issues, such as pairing problems, but in most cases, you can troubleshoot these problems yourself with a simple online search.
That's why USB-C audio is such an important feature on wireless headphones. With it, you can certainly continue using your headphones via USB-C without worrying about battery life, especially after the battery has degraded. As long as the headphone design remains intact, you can still buy them after a decade or two, plug in a USB-C cable, and enjoy your music.
3. This is a backup solution when the headphones run out of battery or the Bluetooth is malfunctioning.
Even if you upgrade your wireless headphones regularly enough to avoid serious battery degradation, you still face two risks: sudden power failure due to low battery and Bluetooth connection issues. If you've used wireless headphones long enough, you've almost certainly experienced the situation where your headphones run out of battery when you need them most.
But if the headphones have a USB-C port, these two risks will no longer be an issue. You won't get that if you buy wireless headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6 which don't support USB-C audio.
4. You can listen to hi-res music.
The continued disappearance of headphone jacks from headphones and smartphones means you have to take another step forward to listen to lossless music. And with headphone-jack-less wireless headphones becoming increasingly common, your only chance of listening to hi-res music is via USB-C audio. For this reason, if you've subscribed to a hi-res streaming service like Spotify , Apple Music , or Tidal and are listening via Bluetooth, you're ruining your hi-res audio.
The truth is, Bluetooth still doesn't offer enough bandwidth and stability to transmit files without compromising quality. Therefore, your next wireless headphones should have USB-C audio. If you've already paid for a music streaming service that supports hi-res audio playback (like Spotify), then you certainly won't hesitate.