To hearken to music on any iPhone because the age-old iPhone 7, you both want a pair of Bluetooth headphones, a 3.5mm to Lightning adapter (not included within the field since 2018) or a pair of wired Lightning headphones, that connect with the Lightning port.
It is not one thing you see in each retailer or from each model, however Lightning headphones do exist, and so they mean you can plug a pair of headphones instantly into the port on the underside fringe of your iPhone.
That was a job that was fulfilled by the bundled Apple Earpods, however Apple stopped together with the wired Lightning earbuds within the field again in 2020 as a part of its try to scale back digital waste.
So, why select from our decide of the very best Lightning headphones? Effectively, Lightning headphones do have a particular high quality; they’re able to receiving lossless stereo 48kHz digital audio output from Apple gadgets and sending mono 48kHz digital audio enter. They will additionally draw energy from an Apple gadget, even when the gadget is asleep.
Apple’s Lightning port also can assist headphones with built-in digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) and amplifiers, so audio travelling by the Lightning port will move into the headphones digitally, thus avoiding typical analogue sign interferences you get with different headphones. Meaning it is one of many highest-quality methods to get audio delivered instantly out of your iPhone.
After all, wireless headphones are infinitely extra handy, and the vast majority of folks might be higher served by them. However in case you are in search of the easiest wired headphones in your iPhone, listed here are our high picks.
Greatest Lightning headphones

Belkin/Pocket-lint
Belkin SoundForm iPhone Headphones with Lightning Connector
1. Greatest total
Nice all-round possibility
These wired Lightning headphones include a tangle-free cable and are at house with calls or music, whereas there’s additionally an in-line quantity management.
- Very inexpensive
- Tangle-free cable
- In-line mic/management hangs off one ear
- Not essentially the most safe match
The Belkin Soundform makes our high decide as a result of we imagine what most individuals need is an inexpensive, unfussy pair of in-ears to switch the wired earpods that used to come back within the iPhone field. These are arguably the closest factor to these you may discover.
Out there in each black and white, these wired Lightning headphones additionally are available a USB-C model for Android telephones. They’re Apple-certified and include a tangle-free cable. Naturally, they’re at house with calls or music, whereas there’s additionally an in-line quantity management.
As you may see, they’re cheap in comparison with many different Lightning-headphone choices, too.

Pioneer/Pocket-lint
Pioneer Rayz Plus
2. Nice for noise cancelling
Easy and reliable
A genius charging port elevates the Rayz Plus over its competitors.
- Aggressive worth
- Energetic noise cancelling
- “Hey Siri” hands-free
The Pioneer Rayz Plus have built-in noise-cancelling know-how that guarantees to adapt to your ears, but in addition allows sufficient exterior noise to be sure you keep conscious of your environment. If you take them out of your ears, the music you have been listening to mechanically pauses and begins once more while you put them again in.
A comfort key on the in-line controls may be set to open a music app, mute calls or launch Rayz controls, which lets you alter varied headphone settings. Maybe top-of-the-line options of the Rayz Plus although, is that they allow you to cost your iPhone whereas listening to music.
All that is nice, and the sound high quality is good for the cash as effectively. However the match is one space that has let some customers down. They typically want pushing again in or adjusting to keep up the sound high quality and noise cancelling.
Nonetheless, for the cash, it is onerous to argue with what’s on provide right here.

1More/Pocket-lint
1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones
3. Incredible sound high quality
Nice sound, poor mic
These triple driver headphones sound improbable for the worth – simply do not use them for telephone calls.
- Nice sound high quality
- Good construct
- Nice worth
The sound high quality on these 1More Triple Driver in-ears is excellent for the cash, with three drivers in every bud dealing with each factor of the frequency vary – plus a 24-bit/48kHz DAC for distortion-free sound.
The aluminium alloy design appears the half too, whereas a 5-in-1 management handles playback – and may be managed with one thumb for final comfort.
The mic is not nice right here although and name high quality suffers due to it. There is no noise cancellation both, which you may discover elsewhere in our picks if that is vital to you. However for excellent sound high quality alone, for beneath $100, these are a terrific possibility.

Libratone
Libratone Q-Adapt in-ear
4. Nice for model
Best funds choice
Libratone is aware of tips on how to make nice, inexpensive headphones, and these in-ears are a primary instance.
- Nice sound
- ANC geared up
- Modern design and colors
- Not the most cost effective
- Not essentially the most sturdy
Libratone’s Q Adapt in-ear Lightning headphones use the ability from the Lightning port to energy their CityMix noise cancellation know-how. There are 4 various ranges of noise cancellation, which both lets some exterior noise in, so that you’re conscious of your environment, or blocks it out solely.
What Libratone has going for it, as with loads of its merchandise, is model. The Q-Adapt in-ears look improbable. They’re glossy, fairly, and are available 4 totally different delicate colors.
Whereas they may not be that low cost – contemplating they’re wired – they’re removed from being very costly. If you need good wired sound with out having to pay a small fortune, these are the buds for you.

Sennheiser Ambeo Sensible
5. Incredible function set
For individuals who want a match that may deal with exercises, this can be a nice providing.
- Reasonably priced
- Over-ear hook design for a safe match
- 360 sound is quirky
- The mic unit is chunky
This one’s a little bit of a wild card entry: Sennheiser’s Ambeo Sensible headset. They have been among the many first to launch with Lightning connector included, however Sennheiser did not wish to launch a median on a regular basis pair of in-ears. As an alternative, it launched with a really distinctive promoting level.
The Ambeo headphones function two omnidirectional microphones to supply a 360 impact in recorded audio, which suggests they double as a microphone for while you’re recording movies in your telephone. The thought is that you simply’re immersed in your audio panorama.
They function ANC however also can enable sounds by in an effort to hear what is going on on round you. Plus, now that they are older, they’re very inexpensive.
How to decide on Lightning headphones
Lightning headphones are fairly skinny on the bottom while you evaluate them to all the opposite obtainable kinds of headphones, significantly since every part is pushing in the direction of wi-fi or true wi-fi as of late. In spite of everything, we have discovered for therefore many various product classes, comfort actually is king. You possibly can’t get snarled if there are not any wires.
So what must you search for?
Why purchase Lightning headphones?
That is undoubtedly THE query when in search of this particular sort of headphone. Primarily as a result of Apple sells a really low cost and simple 3.5mm to Lightning adapter that you would simply plug any previous pair of wired earphones or headphones into. For us a very good pair of Lightning headphones has to incorporate one thing additional. instance is the kind of in-ears or over-ears that use that Lightning energy to allow Hello-Res audio with a built-in DAC.
Will you benefit from Hello-Res?
As streaming providers attempt to outdo one another’s choices, extra of them are upping the ante on the subject of streaming larger high quality audio. So in case you are shopping for a pair of Hello-Res succesful headphones, be sure you’re going to benefit from it. Verify what streaming service you are on and in case your favorite tracks and albums can be found in Lossless/Hello-Res audio codecs. If they’re, make sure you’ve activated the very best obtainable streaming/obtain high quality within the app’s settings.
Take into consideration the match
An enormous a part of shopping for any pair of in, over or on-ears is the match of the product. On the finish of the day, it would not matter how nice a pair of headphones sound in the event you hate sporting them. Search for one that provides a number of tip sizes (in the event you’re shopping for in-ears) or a well-designed and lengthening headband (in the event you’re shopping for over-ears).
The place will you put on them?
In addition to a match, the surroundings you are going to do most of your listening in will dictate which headphones you can purchase. As an illustration, in the event you’re listening to music day-after-day on a loud commute, you will not desire a pair just like the Audeze fashions that are open-back and do completely nothing to cancel out exterior noises. You need one thing with noise cancelling of some type.
What about in-ear fins and over-ear hooks?
For essentially the most half, earphones as of late are designed to remain in your ears with none extra assist. Nevertheless, there are occasions while you want one thing additional to maintain them in your ears, significantly in the event you use them to work out. Some will include built-in over-ear hooks that match excessive of your ears to maintain them held in place, or with softer silicon ‘fins’ that hug the within of your ear.
Do you want a number of bass, or not?
Some folks love bass greater than others, and also you would possibly discover it is due to the way you wish to use the earphones. In a exercise, you may want extra impression and presence from bass to drive you on, whereas listening to music at house within the quiet you discover it overpowering.
How vital is the final audio high quality?
That is an apparent one: very. If you wish to get pleasure from your music greater than anything, you desire a pair of earphones with actually good audio high quality. Most of the time, that is enabled by a pair of high-quality drivers and usually means you may’t skimp. You might want to spend some cash to get a pair that sounds actually good. One with good bass management, but in addition with readability and element within the larger frequencies. One of the best buds allow you to hear delicate components within the observe that cheaper buds do not, whereas the bass retains its texture and form, even when it is loud and low.
What about name high quality and utilizing them for Zoom calls?
Some earphones are fantastic for listening to music, and are tuned to make your favorite playlists sound immense, however won’t be pretty much as good for voice calls. If what you are in search of is a pair to make common calls with all through the day you desire a pair that has a very good set of exterior mics and – if wi-fi – beam-forming to choose up your voice clearly throughout calls.
What if I can not discover Lightning buds that work for me?
There are a few choices right here. First, you would fortunately simply purchase the three.5mm to Lightning adapter from Apple, after which the world of wired headphones is your oyster. Plus if you have already got cabled buds you adore it means you do not have to do away with them. Second: give wi-fi a attempt. Bluetooth applied sciences have superior quite a bit because the early days, to the purpose of them being near lag-free. Apple AirPods are widespread for a motive.
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