Are there any wired USB-C headphones that aren't a load of plops?

[flotemysost]

A thread as exciting as it sounds.

Basically, it seems Samsung stopped putting 35mm headphone jacks in their phones a while ago, and AKG no longer make the wired USB-C earphones that used to come with Samsung devices. My pair carked it after a few years of daily use; I managed to find a pair on Back Market but they're either broken or a dodgy knock-off, as it sounds like the kitchen of a particularly oleaginous greasy spoon with all the popping and sputtering going on. Since then, it seems pretty hard to get hold of ones from any manufacturer that aren't completely rubbish.

Now the obvious response would be "it's 2023, just get wireless headphones you fucking dodo" and I do have a decent pair of wireless over-ear ones that I use for work, but my problem is I lose things ALL the time (especially if they're not attached to me in some way) and I'm wary of taking those out and about (other than work) because they were fairly dear. Also smaller in-ear ones are just easier to fit in bags etc. for going out out, but carrying round two tiny discrete nuggets that aren't attached to anything just seems like a recipe for disaster.

So do any decent wired USB-C earphones exist, or do I just need to bite the bullet and stop losing things all the fucking time? Currently using a cheapo wireless Dad number with the cable between the ears, they'll do for now but the battery life is pretty bin worthy. Any recommendations welcome, cheers!

[Malcy]

I use an adaptor for my wired headphones which goes into the charging port of my iPhone. I assume you could get similar for a Samsung. Means you could use any pair of headphones.

[flotemysost]

^ ah good idea, cheers Malcy! My phone did get a bit funny with the last wired headphones I tried (kept plunging the volume down to 0 and wouldn't let me change it, regardless of any volume safety limit settings, or otherwise playing an infuriating game of musical chairs by pausing whatever was playing at random intervals) but I expect that's a separate issue that I'd need to investigate in the device settings.

[Captain Z]

Based on my partner's experience in the same situation a year or more ago, the answer is no.

[studpuppet]

My suggestion would be instead of using a bog standard adaptor, go and buy yourself a chi-fi combined DAC/amp and headphone jack. Presuming the wired headphones you want to use are better quality than standard earbuds etc, the DAC and amp will give you a better sound than the phone's internal one.

I needed a jack for my Android phone, and ended up getting an iBasso DC01 cheap on eBay (about £20).

Fiio do a range of DACs with both USB-C and Lightning connectors - they also do bluetooth DACs that you plug your headphones into, connect with bluetooth and then your wired headphones become wireless. I bought a Fiio BTR1K (again, it was around £20) because my 13 year old car only has an AUX port, so I attach this to the AUX lead and my kids can connect their phones to the car audio via bluetooth.

[samadriel]

but carrying round two tiny discrete nuggets that aren't attached to anything

I was in town and had some expensive new in-ear headphones in my skull awhile back and one fell out; I watched in slow motion as it bounced twice on the ground and fell straight down a storm drain.

Sorry, I can't help you, I just needed to share that. After that incident, I bought chunky wireless Sennheiser over-ear headphones which I'm not in danger of losing, they're just too big to misplace. Fantastic battery life too, plug it in (usb c) for a little while every couple of days, and you're set. 70 quid according to Google, but worth it I say; my wife got a significantly cheaper pair of phones cos she wanted pink ones, and, well, you get what you pay for audio-wise.

[flotemysost]

I was in town and had some expensive new in-ear headphones in my skull awhile back and one fell out; I watched in slow motion as it bounced twice on the ground and fell straight down a storm drain.

Sorry, I can't help you, I just needed to share that. After that incident, I bought chunky wireless Sennheiser over-ear headphones which I'm not in danger of losing, they're just too big to misplace. Fantastic battery life too, plug it in (usb c) for a little while every couple of days, and you're set. 70 quid according to Google, but worth it I say; my wife got a significantly cheaper pair of phones cos she wanted pink ones, and, well, you get what you pay for audio-wise.

Haha thank you, I enjoyed that story (and I'm sorry for your loss).

I have got a pair of over-ear JBL jobbies that I mostly use for work, I suppose it's just that wired in-ear phones are much easier to fit in smaller bags when out and about but the adaptor option is a good shout, need to look into that still.