Plugable USB Audio Adapter with 3.5mm Speaker-Headphone and Microphone Jack, Add an External Stereo Sound Card to Any PC, Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux - Driverless

This Plugable 1/8 audio plug to USB adapter works very well for the price. It is easy to use and operates immediately. I found little to no extraneous noise or interference.It is a little wider than a normal USB plug, but that is rarely a problem since I do not need plug in two Usb item on the same side.We have used this adapter as a simple way to connect our Behringer mixer to a computer for recording. It worked with or without connecting headphone. If you try to use headphones to monitor through the computer there will be latency. All USB connectors have some latency. That is why there is a headphone connector on this adapter.If you are looking for the absolute best audio adapter to connect to your computer you should use an audio interface (about $90 - $300 for a decent device).We have also used the adapter to connect a mic directly into the computer without a mixer. When using mics, please take note of any phantom power requirements.I have tried several other adapters. This one seems to be the most consistent and has the lowest noise.Remember, if you are using Audacity, you will need to plug it in, and then start the app. Audacity will not likely identify new USB mics with the app is running. Quit and restart the app.Responding to some reviews:You should read the description.It is designed for TRS, not TRRS plugs. If you have a lavaliere with a TRRS plug, like I do, you will need to use a TRRS to TRS adapter. It is a simple thing and most lavalieres come with the adapter. TRS has two lines in the plug and TRRS has three.Make sure you have the plugs firmly connected. This is sound equipment which means that the noise will occur if you do not connect the devices properly.You can connect headphones in the plug to get immediate, no latency, monitoring. No device has zero latency if you listen through the computer while recording.Check the quality of your mic. Some mics will have cord and connector issues.Check your computer's USB ports. I may be that they are not equally set up. It may also be that they are not exactly the same USB. Check the color of the port. Also, some computers will have slightly different signal strength from one or the other USB ports.Best practice would be to use an audio interface, but many of us try to save money. This item is ay good, low cost alternative for the analog to USB conversion until you move up to an interface.

On the surface this seems like a pretty basic peripheral. Jacks for headphones and microphone, USB-A for your computer. Only 44.1/16 audio; no options for higher sample rates and/or higher bit depth. But there are a couple of things that elevate it above most other similar low-end devices.First, it has been totally plug and play on everything I have tried it on. Windows, Mac, Linux, and even an Android phone with a USB-A adapter; just plug it in and everything works. No drivers to track down, no wait for drivers to download over an internet connection. You get sound in and out, and the volume controls work properly. I have tried a number of similar devices that can't do that. It's handy for to have around for Linux single board computers, including the Raspberry Pi, that have no audio jack or only have a very low quality one supported by PWM in software. And if you have a computer where the internal audio is broken, or doesn't have stereo inputs, or you need an extra input or output or two, it will fill in the gap.Second, it has STEREO inputs. The microphone jack can handle a two channel input, something that most similar dongles at this price can't do, including some other brands that look nearly identical.It won't suit all use cases. If you're looking to attach a headset or earbuds with a microphone, it's not what you're looking for; it doesn't support a TRRS input with headphones and microphones on the same plug, like you used to find on cell phones. (You could make those work with an adapter but it's simpler to just use something else.) It can't provide phantom power for your fancy condenser microphone. (But you should be connecting that to something better than a $10 dongle.) The sound quality and noise floor are fine for an inexpensive device, but it's not going to replace your high audio interface.All in all, if this addresses a problem you have, or if you are a computer experimenter and troubleshooter who wants an extra tool in your toolkit, this interface is a good choice. If you're putting together a traveling toolkit for fixing computers, this is small and light enough to toss in.