Once in a great while, MajorHiFi stumbles upon a headphone accessory that actually changes the game. Enter the Moshi Integra Headphone Jack Adapter – a $18 lightning adapter that clobbers the stock offering from Apple. But just how much of an improvement can you expect for the money?
Moshi Integra Headphone Jack Adapter Review
The Moshi Integra Headphone Jack Adapter is simple; it arrives in simple packaging and feature a simple (yet rugged) design.
Utilizing nylon braiding, the adapter also features aluminum housings for the lightning connection and 3.5 mm audio connection. These housings are further secured with rubber connections where they join the nylon cabling.
The resultant build quality remains lightweight and unassuming, but still quite durable. Able to stand up to my abuse and then some, this tiny cable can take its fair share of rough treatment.
Sound Quality
I was only half-expecting this cheap lightning adapter to not suck. But thanks to some competent engineering by the good folks over at Moshi, this adapter proves better than the one from Apple.
Whereas the Apple lightning adapter tends to compress audio at the expense of detail, the Moshi adapter compresses detail too, just to a much, much lower degree.
Consequently, audio playing with the Moshi lightning adapter sounds cleaner, with less bleed or confusion in the low end; individual notes sound better-defined and tend not to blend together. The bass response also gets a slight crispness to it; compared to the sound of the Apple adapter, the Moshi alternative sports more contrast and a fuller, more accurate bass.
In the mids and highs, it’s a close call, but the Moshi adapter still comes out ahead by a slight margin. In these parts of the frequency range, the Moshi displays slightly more room and separation. This manifests in an airier, more detailed listening experience.
Recommendations
A solid buy for the price, the Moshi Integra Headphone Jack Adapter provides maximum value for your money. The sound sounds fantastic, preserving the tone and resolution of my test tracks – especially when compared to the stock offering from Apple.
Final Analysis
At $18, the Moshi Integra Headphone Jack Adapter won’t break your bank account. However, for the price, it does offer a chance to hear your music as it was intended, with far less compression than any other adapter cable on the market right now. Our take? If you’re an Apple customer and you’re not taking advantage of this Moshi marvel, you’re plum doing it wrong.
Get the Moshi Lightning Adapter for the best price here:
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