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AirPods Max with third party Lightning - 3.5mm cable?

N

NewZealandMatt

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 3, 2007
73
94
Hi there, has anyone tried using the AirPods Max for wired sound with a third party Lightning - 3.5mm cable?

Just wondering if I need to order the Apple one or if the ProMax one I already have will work. Hopefully it will - Apple one is currently showing 8-10 weeks shipping to New Zealand.

Many thanks for your help!
 
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LEDOLPH

LEDOLPH

macrumors newbie
Dec 16, 2020
23
38
Europe
No dice. I bought this especially:

www.amazon.co.uk

UGREEN Aux to Lightning Cable [MFi Certified] 6.6FT Stereo Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Lead Aux Cable for iPhone in Car Audio Compatible with iPhone 14 Pro Max 13 12 11 XR iPad Pro 11 Mini (2M)

Practical Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable * Simplify Connection--The Lightning to Aux Car Cable offers a simple way to connect your iPhone/iPad/iPod to audio output devices of aux port, without audio converters. For example, play music from iPhone 12 to car stereo radio, from iPod to headphones/sp...
www.amazon.co.uk

It seems that the pricey Apple cable is bi-directional - whereas on 3rd party MFI cables the signal goes from Lightning to the jack but NOT vice versa. The Airpods don’t even recognise the cable. At least it will play audio from an iPhone to the external speakers I suppose - I already binned the packaging, so no returns! Of course it wouldn’t have happened if like ALL other headphone manufacturers - the cable came with the headphones...
 
Last edited:
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R

richard371

macrumors 68040
Feb 1, 2008
3,738
1,922
LEDOLPH said:
No dice. I bought this especially:

www.amazon.co.uk

UGREEN Aux to Lightning Cable [MFi Certified] 6.6FT Stereo Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Lead Aux Cable for iPhone in Car Audio Compatible with iPhone 14 Pro Max 13 12 11 XR iPad Pro 11 Mini (2M)

Practical Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable * Simplify Connection--The Lightning to Aux Car Cable offers a simple way to connect your iPhone/iPad/iPod to audio output devices of aux port, without audio converters. For example, play music from iPhone 12 to car stereo radio, from iPod to headphones/sp...
www.amazon.co.uk

It seems that the pricey Apple cable is bi-directional - whereas on 3rd party MFI cables the signal goes from Lightning to the jack but NOT vice versa. The Airpods don’t even recognise the cable. At least it will play audio from an iPhone to the external speakers I suppose - I already binned the packaging, so no returns! Of course it wouldn’t have happened if like ALL other headphone manufacturers - the cable came with the headphones...
Click to expand...
Let us know if it works. Im pretty sure it won't as its not bi directional.
 
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V

venom600

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2003
1,310
1,167
Los Angeles, CA
LEDOLPH said:
No dice. I bought this especially:

www.amazon.co.uk

UGREEN Aux to Lightning Cable [MFi Certified] 6.6FT Stereo Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Lead Aux Cable for iPhone in Car Audio Compatible with iPhone 14 Pro Max 13 12 11 XR iPad Pro 11 Mini (2M)

Practical Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable * Simplify Connection--The Lightning to Aux Car Cable offers a simple way to connect your iPhone/iPad/iPod to audio output devices of aux port, without audio converters. For example, play music from iPhone 12 to car stereo radio, from iPod to headphones/sp...
www.amazon.co.uk

It seems that the pricey Apple cable is bi-directional - whereas on 3rd party MFI cables the signal goes from Lightning to the jack but NOT vice versa. The Airpods don’t even recognise the cable. At least it will play audio from an iPhone to the external speakers I suppose - I already binned the packaging, so no returns! Of course it wouldn’t have happened if like ALL other headphone manufacturers - the cable came with the headphones...
Click to expand...

Good to know, I came here looking for that information specifically. Btw, If you bought that cable on Amazon, you can return it without the packaging. I've had to do that before, wasn't an issue.
 
J

john.burn

macrumors member
Feb 8, 2007
97
19
NewZealandMatt said:
Hi there, has anyone tried using the AirPods Max for wired sound with a third party Lightning - 3.5mm cable?

Just wondering if I need to order the Apple one or if the ProMax one I already have will work. Hopefully it will - Apple one is currently showing 8-10 weeks shipping to New Zealand.

Many thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
In the U.K. the Apple white cable is available immediately, it’s only the black cable that’s back ordered... might be the same in NZ?

John.
 
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LEDOLPH

LEDOLPH

macrumors newbie
Dec 16, 2020
23
38
Europe
FYI just got the Apple cable and it is nasty: plasticky, unusually wiry. They could at least have done a Homepod braid for £35. I might be sending this back and waiting for a 3rd party.

FYI if wired audio sources are quiet then so is the overall volume - Playstation Audio from a controller I found to be too quiet with the cable.

UPDATE: Cable does the job I suppose. I wonder if the shoddy execuution is Apple begrudgingly allowing backwards compatibility when all they really want is a wireless world. It‘s not like a DAC will make a difference with all the signal processing in the headphones or is it?
 
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Absrnd

Absrnd

macrumors 6502a
Apr 15, 2010
915
1,671
Flatland
LEDOLPH said:
FYI just got the Apple cable and it is nasty: plasticky, unusually wiry. They could at least have done a Homepod braid for £35. I might be sending this back and waiting for a 3rd party.

FYI if wired audio sources are quiet then so is the overall volume - Playstation Audio from a controller I found to be too quiet with the cable.

UPDATE: Cable does the job I suppose. I wonder if the shoddy execuution is Apple begrudgingly allowing backwards compatibility when all they really want is a wireless world. It‘s not like a DAC will make a difference with all the signal processing in the headphones or is it?
Click to expand...
What I have heard is, that it is on purpose thin, and not braided, to prevent hearing shaving sounds through the headphones.
I really hate when that happens, very distracting.
 
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Julien

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,859
5,445
Atlanta
It is important to know what is required of the cable and why others don't work. The Max's require a cable with an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). Also it must convert the analog signal to AAC for the AirPods.

Cables that come with the iPhone (or 3ed party) are just the opposite and have a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC).

This built in electronics are actually a large part of the high price. Also any use use of a cable thinking they are bypassing the DAC to pass a hi res signal to the Max's is false. The only technical advantage is lower latency and less chance of dropouts than using BT.
 
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LEDOLPH

LEDOLPH

macrumors newbie
Dec 16, 2020
23
38
Europe
Absrnd said:
What I have heard is, that it is on purpose thin, and not braided, to prevent hearing shaving sounds through the headphones.
I really hate when that happens, very distracting.
Click to expand...
Yeah I read that too and I know what you mean. But compare it to the premium analogue cable that comes with the B&O H95’s. Even with chips inside it does not feel or look durable. We shall see!
 
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Absrnd

Absrnd

macrumors 6502a
Apr 15, 2010
915
1,671
Flatland
LEDOLPH said:
Yeah I read that too and I know what you mean. But compare it to the premium analogue cable that comes with the B&O H95’s. Even with chips inside it does not feel or look durable. We shall see!
Click to expand...
And that is the whole problems with buying cables today, people think that thick braided cables are better quality, and companies play along and also sell them for premium prices, but tests confirmed that is total bull, when it comes to digital signals :)
 
V

venom600

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2003
1,310
1,167
Los Angeles, CA
Absrnd said:
And that is the whole problems with buying cables today, people think that thick braided cables are better quality, and companies play along and also sell them for premium prices, but tests confirmed that is total bull, when it comes to digital signals :)
Click to expand...

Headphone cables are analog. The only digital part of this cable is in the lightning connector. The reason we want ba better cable isnt audio quality. It’s durability. a nice braided cable is going to stand up to use better than this thing will.
 
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Y

yticolev

macrumors 6502
Sep 27, 2015
298
274
venom600 said:
Headphone cables are analog. The only digital part of this cable is in the lightning connector. The reason we want ba better cable isnt audio quality. It’s durability. a nice braided cable is going to stand up to use better than this thing will.
Click to expand...
Perhaps, but will cause audio microphonic issues as the heavier cable brushes your clothes. No doubt third parties will step in as some will always want something different.
 
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