Is there anything special about the Apple USB-C cable, other than its quality, that would prevent me from using a USB-C cable from another brand?
And the same question for the wall adapter.
MacBook Pro USB-C – Is It Okay to Use Non-OEM Cable or Adapter?
powerusb
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Technically, those adapters don't exist.
The USB device should be recognized by the Mac OS not as another Bluetooth device, but as an Audio Device.
I agree with you on this one. You definitely don't want to have a secondary Bluetooth adapter appearing in macOS. So to clearly define what you're looking for is a USB audio interface with Bluetooth capability.
We have to make one. Here's what you need:
- USB DAC Audio Interface. I personally like and use the Behringer UCA202. I have mine attached to my iMac and plugged into a Bose Wave Radio.
- Bluetooth Transmitter/Receiver. I also like and use the TaoTronics Bluetooth Transmitter & Receiver. I have mine hooked up as a transmitter to an LG TV in the bedroom so I can watch TV using my regular Bluetooth headset (I didn't want one of those proprietary things where I couldn't use the headset of my choice).
Now, all you have to do is connect the USB DAC to the Bluetooth transmitter and then pair your headphones to it and not the Mac's Bluetooth. (Here's the awesome part) Since it's attached to the Mac as a USB audio device, all you have to do is turn the volume up to the max on the BT transmitter and use the Mac to control the volume on the DAC. You will maintain full volume control through the Mac. However, the volume control on the headset will manipulate the volume on the transmitter, not the DAC, so you'll have to keep that in mind.
As far as stereo/mono, this setup will transmit whatever you send over. For instance, the TV I have mine attached to does stereo and mono output and the BT transmitter handles each with no problem
The picture in your question is referred to as an AC wall adapter, or "duckhead" (US) and slides out of the AC power adapter so you can then slide in the AC power cable (US), pictured in the link in your question.
The picture below shows the "duck head" being slid out of the AC power adapter and once removed the AC power cable gets slid in its place, thus providing an extension cord to the AC power adapter.
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Best Answer
The only thing that's 'special' about them is they are MFI-certified from Apple. This means that Apple ensures it will work with all their devices. Third-party accessory makers can also have their products MFI-certified by following the guidelines that Apple publishes.
The question of 'quality' is subjective in that what I think it means might be different than what you think it means. I spent a lot of money on my Apple products so I will only buy MFI accessories (they could cost more money than non-certified products).
In this manner, any USB-C cable will work but it's up to you to decide if a higher-quality cable will give you the peace of mind that there's less a chance that the cable will fail or cause other problems for you.