USB-C isn’t magic. The length and type of the cable can severely affect its reliability (as Mac users have been painfully aware of since 2016). I don’t trust anything less than a 100W, short (0.5m or less) Thunderbolt 3 cable if I want anything more than USB 2.0 speeds or basic charging.
edit: I’m aware this is a rather extreme superstition, but I’ve been already spent too much time messing with cables
Classic iPod or mp3 player? Also, the “Music” app on iOS still works like iTunes. You can load albums directly from your computer, even without an Apple Music subscription. Or you could get a Walkman.
I think you might be misunderstanding what “observation” means in that context.
Wikipedia: Observer Effect