If you're serious about the audio quality from your computer, you know that the onboard sound chip often leaves something (or lots of somethings!) to be desired. Whether you've decided on a great pair of over-ear headphones or IEMs for your gaming needs, to get the best out of them, you know adding a capable audio interface or DAC/Amp stack is next on your shopping list.

Asking around for suggestions will make you dizzy. The range of options and price tiers makes putting together a shortlist a daunting task, and that's before you start looking at reviews, specifications, and measurements. I'm not going to say you shouldn't do that, because you totally should, but while you go through the arduous process, you deserve to have better audio coming from your PC, and just $9 will do that. I'm talking about the humble Apple USB-C to Headphone Jack adapter, which isn't only the most affordable thing Apple sells, but it's also one of the company's hidden gems.

The Apple USB-C to Headphone Jack is something special

Phenomenal Cosmic Powers! Itty Bitty Living Space!

I can't remember the last time I used the onboard audio chip on my desktop PC. It certainly wasn't on this motherboard, which I've been using since AMD released the Ryzen 7000 series of CPUs, and it might have been several generations before that. Laptops are a different story, as I use the onboard mic and speakers for video calls, but I digress. While sound chips on motherboards improved over time, most improvements are now found in software and aren't tied to specific hardware.

Plus, I like having a consistent audio profile on every device, and the easiest way to get that is with a USB DAC/Amp paired with headphones. I've used more stacks than I can count, and the Apple USB-C audio adapter genuinely surprised me. It's powerful enough for all but the hardest-to-drive headphones, has a clean, low-noise floor for sensitive IEM use, and, more importantly, costs less than $10.

Reminder—it's the size of your fingernail

It's also tiny. Inside is a stereo-to-analog converter (DAC), stereo headphone amp, microphone preamp, monophonic analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and power circuitry to run everything. It's a marvel of miniaturization and is as powerful (if not slightly more) than the 3.5mm circuitry in the iPhone 5S before Apple removed it entirely in the next generation.

That also means this dongle works with 4-pole headsets with microphones, so it's a complete audio solution for your computer (or anything else with a USB-C output, although some users say it's quiet on Android devices). But it also supports in-line controls, so if you've got play/pause and skip controls on your headphones, it'll pass the control signal down to your computer, which is fantastic and something most USB DACs won't do.

I've got desktop headphone systems that don't sound this good

And nothing can beat this dongle for value

It's not often you find an inexpensive audio product that performs similarly to devices many times its cost, but the Apple audio dongle is one such unicorn. Its output impedance is less than one ohm, which makes it easy to pair with headphones or IEMs, and is nearly at ideal levels. You'd have to spend substantially more to get this performance. It uses an efficient circuit to drive conversions, so using it with a battery-powered device drains less than using other dongles.

But the awe-inspiring thing is how well it measures compared to other sources. Amir of Audio Science Review put it to the test against the two Pixel USB-C dongles, and not only does it outperform those, but it rivals devices like the Chord Mojo, which costs 50x what the Apple audio dongle will set you back. It's not quite up to the task on 300-ohm headphones like the Sennheiser HD-650, but for anything lower, it's an absolute steal at this price.

Unlike many other audio sources, it does an excellent job of staying neutral, so the inner audiophile will not be lacking dynamics, imaging, or clarity. I've got a handful and tend to leave them in the carrying case of the headphones I use them with, so I'm not stressing the thin cable on the dongle when I use it. I know, that means I've bought a bunch more things than I needed to, but I can't resist a bargain, and... and.. it's $9​​​​​​.

It's got everything you need

When plugged into a computer, this adapter provides up to 24-bit 48kHz stereo sound, which is plenty for gaming, watching movies, and most audio sources. It doesn't mean you don't get high-res output for use with Apple Music, Tidal, Qobuz, etc., but it's still decent quality for the price. Plus, you get microphone input and in-line controls, if your headphones support them, headphone sensing so it turns off when no headphones are plugged in, and has a short cable so you're not swimming in extra. I've used mine with $20 IEMs, $1,000 IEMs, and almost every headphone I own, and I still can't quite get over how good this little dongle is.

• Meze AER 105

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At $9, get a spare (after all, it's tiny and I've lost several already)

Something inexpensive rarely outperforms its more premium counterparts, and it's absolutely unheard of with Apple devices. The Apple audio dongle (or more correctly, the USB-C to Headphone Jack Adapter) is a diamond in the rough, a unicorn product that came from Apple's desire to remove the 3.5mm jack from the iPhone, while knowing that not offering an inexpensive alternative would harm retention rates. It's one of the best DACs you can buy for under $200, never mind under $10, and it has made a difference in audio quality on every device I've used.