Picture this: you’re on a long road trip with your besties. You reach for the aux cord to show off a playlist you’ve curated specifically for this drive. To your horror — the cord’s wires are exposed and frayed, and the plug is hanging onto a singular strand for its dear life. Too relatable? Probably, since you’re reading this article.
In this article, we recommend tried and tested aux cords you can rely on to blast your jams on the next drive. You never have to experience a silent road trip ever again!
Anker 3.5mm Premium Auxiliary Audio Cable
Our Pick
Benefits
- Universal use
- Gold plated connectors ensure high durability and audio quality
- Cord made with Aramid Fiber reinforcements for impressive durability
- Length of cord allows versatile use (about 2.5m)
Drawbacks
- Users feedbacked that it’s generally compatible with most devices, but not all
CableCreation 3.5mm Cotton Braided Aux Cable
Best Value
Benefits
- 24K gold-plated connectors for clear audio quality
- 10,000+ “bend lifespan”
- Cotton braided jacket adds to the durability and flexibility of the cord CONS
Drawbacks
- May produce static or crackling when connected to headphones
Long Aux Cable for the Perfect Driving Experience
Choosing High Quality Aux Cord Extensions
Don’t worry if you can’t settle on a certain auxiliary cord just yet. In this section, we share our buying guide and criteria to help you to make the most informed purchase decision.
Housing Material
Sure, to many, a cable shouldn’t cost too much. This is why many make the mistake to buy the cheapest one off the market. However, it’s much more worth it to invest in an aux cord that can last longer and resist damage. What’s the point of wearing down your cable till it’s a fire hazard? Plus, with better housing material, it ensures better audio playback as well. For example, the iVANKY Aux Cord is designed with at least three protective layers to ensure minimal corrosion and damage to impact its longevity. Usually, you can tell an auxiliary cord is made of good material when its connectors are gold-plated, and has at least dual-shielding properties. In addition, it’s a bonus point if the auxiliary cable has shielding as it prevents interference — which is the annoying static, crackly noise that sometimes plays when you use lower-quality cords.
Additionally, more cords are coming out with improved “bend lifespans” to allow for flexibility without compromising its durability. This feature is great to have if you’re going to put a lot of use to the aux cable.
Audio Playback Quality
Many consumers cross their fingers and hope their cheap aux cord will magically deliver premium sound quality. This is not the reality for many. The truth of the matter is, picking cords that manufacturers have put in effort to integrate protection from damage will produce the best audio quality. If you can find an aux cord like the GearIT Auxiliary Audio Cable that goes through regular quality tests, then you’ll know that audio performance is assured. When it comes to audio playback and durability, it’s worth it to invest in something pricier.
Additionally, you should read other users’ reviews on how the aux cord performs with different devices. Some may market themselves as universally compatible but may have difficulty with a certain brand of device.
Length
Across our picks, you can see that there are many audio cables that come in various lengths. Our recommendation is that you purchase a cable longer than you require to allow versatility in movement, usage and storage. When you have less cable to work with, you could run into problems like accidentally unplugging from the car stereo, or causing tripping hazards. If you need a recommendation, 0.9m to 1.8m cords are the most common lengths usually purchase.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, we hope we’ve convinced you that aux cords are more than just a wire. With premium materials and better-quality housings, you get more value for what you paid. Hopefully, you find the perfect aux to accompany you on your next road trip!
FAQ
When not in use, coil up your aux cord and store it in a dry place. This prevents it from causing accidents and elongates its lifespan. When unplugging the aux cord, do not yank it out from your device — even if you’re in a rush! This could weaken the strength of the wires and impact your playback quality. Store your cables away from children and pets, as it is a known occurrence for pets or children to chew on the cord and expose the wires within.
Contrary to popular belief, whether it’s longer or shorter than the average audio cable, it will not affect its playback quality. However, if it is unusually longer than average (i.e. beyond 9m), it may affect playback. The only thing length may impact is durability. With a longer cord, there is higher resistance to damage and vice versa.
In terms of set-up, a good-quality aux cord takes you less than a second to start streaming music into the device of your choice. With Bluetooth, it can be a hassle to set up. Additionally, not every device is Bluetooth-friendly and you run into the risk of the connection wearing off beyond certain distances. Plus, it may not work for long drives as certain devices automatically cut connections after a certain amount of time or due to your phone dying. With an aux cord, sometimes it allows you to charge and stream your playlist at the same time — which is a great feature for those trying to avoid a quiet road trip. At the end of the day, it depends on the devices you have and their compatibilities.