The 2018 iPad Pro has no room for a headphone jack, but Kanex makes a USB-C adapter that includes the 3.5mm audio port needed for standard headphones or speakers.
We tested this handy accessory with Apple’s pro tablet, so don’t miss our review.
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Kanex DuraBraid USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter & Charging review
This adapter has a simple job so it has an equally simple design. A small housing holds the 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB-C charging port. This is attached by a 4.2-inch flexible cable to a USB-C connector.
The USB-C port next to the headphone jack allows the iPad Pro to be charged while this adapter is plugged in. It’s not required though; headphones can be used without an external power source.
The metal housing is 1.4 inches by 1.0 inches by 0.2 in., and the whole device is 6 inches long, so it’s quite pocketable. All the external components are basic black and the look is professional.
Cables are often a weak point on products like this, so this cable is covered in Kanex’s DuraBraid to help it last longer. The build quality is quite good for all the parts of this adapter.
Kanex DuraBraid USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter & Charging performance
Use of Kanex’s adapter is straightforward. Plug it into an iPad Pro’s USB-C port, then plug a pair of headphones and a USB-C charging cable into the adapter.
This product is $29.95 so don’t expect truly studio-quality audio. That said, our testing found it fully up to job it was created for: allowing someone to listen to music on non-wireless headphones while working on their tablet. We tested bass-heavy songs, K-pop to classical. Podcasts too. It all sounded fine.
The USB-C pass-through port didn’t interfere with charging the iPad Pro.
This audio jack adapter works just as well with Android devices. We tested Kanex’s offering on an LG handset without a headset jack and it performed exactly as one would hope.
Kanex DuraBraid USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter & Charging final thoughts
Open-office plans essentially require headphones, and AirPods aren’t right for everyone. All who want to use a standard pair of headphones with their iPad Pro can do so with Kanex’s USB-C to 3.5mm audio jack adapter.
Pricing
Kanex’s list price for this product is $29.95. Amazon has it for that price at the time of this writing.
Buy from: Amazon
For comparison, rival Satechi offers a very similar adapter that sells for $24.99. But iPad Pro users might also consider a more elaborate option, albeit one that’s more expensive. The just-announced Kanex iAdapt includes a 3.5mm headset jack but also HDMI, USB-A 3.0, and SD and microSD card readers.
Kanex provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more stuff we recommend.
