How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Amazon Renewed Edifier W820NB — biggest strength: Hybrid active noise cancellation rated at -49 dB plus up to 88 hours of playtime (49 with ANC on), in a foldable over-ear design.
• Amazon Renewed Edifier W820NB — biggest trade-off: It is an over-ear headphone, so it is bulkier than a neckband, and as a Renewed item it carries a 90-day limited warranty rather than a full-length one.
• Blue Air Neckband — biggest strength: A flexible neckband with magnetic earbuds, 18–20 hours of talk time, dual-device Bluetooth pairing and a sweatproof build — built for movement and calls.
• Blue Air Neckband — biggest trade-off: Bluetooth 5.0 and environmental noise cancellation mean it reduces some background noise but does not actively cancel it the way the Edifier does.
• Who each pick is for: Choose the Edifier if immersive, quiet listening is the priority; choose the Blue Air Neckband if portability, calling and workouts are the priority.
The W820NB Plus Gen 2 is an over-ear headphone first and foremost, and the spec sheet reads like one. The headline number is the hybrid active noise cancellation rated at -49 dB, with multiple ANC modes that you can cycle through using physical buttons or fine-tune inside the EDIFIER ConneX app — there are dedicated modes for sport, office and travel. That is a meaningful amount of control for someone who moves between a noisy train, a quiet office and a gym in the same day.
Battery is the other standout. Edifier rates it at up to 88 hours of continuous use, dropping to 49 hours with ANC switched on, and fast charging delivers 15 hours of playback from a 15-minute charge. For anyone who hates charging routines, that combination is genuinely appealing. The driver setup is a dynamic driver covering 20Hz–40kHz, and the headphones support LDAC Hi-Res audio, spatial sound and app-based EQ presets. There is also a Volume Guard feature that lets you set a preferred maximum volume — a small but thoughtful touch if you share the headphones or just want to protect your ears.
Who should buy it: commuters, remote workers, frequent flyers and anyone who wants one pair of headphones for focused listening at home or on the move. The foldable, lightweight design and memory foam ear cushions make it easy to pack for travel, and AI-assisted noise cancellation on calls is aimed squarely at people who take meetings on the go.
Blue Air Neckband: Who It's For
The Blue Air Neckband takes the opposite approach: it is a light, flexible band that rests around your neck, with magnetic in-ear buds that clip together when you are not using them. That magnetic detail matters more than it sounds — it stops the earbuds from swinging around and tangling, which is exactly the annoyance that makes people give up on wireless earbuds during workouts. The build is sweatproof, which points the product firmly at running, gym sessions and outdoor activity, and it is designed to work with iPhone, Android, tablets and any Bluetooth device.
On the audio side, Blue Air lists a 40mm driver size with deep bass emphasis and 16-ohm impedance. The Bluetooth version is 5.0 with a CSR chip, giving stable transmission up to 10 meters, and dual-device connection lets you pair a phone and a laptop and switch between them without re-pairing. That is a practical feature for anyone who takes calls on a computer and listens to music on a phone.
The mic setup is described as noise-reducing rather than active noise cancelling, and the noise control listed is environmental noise cancellation — so expect the mic to clean up your voice on calls and the earbuds to soften some surrounding noise, but not to silence a plane cabin the way the Edifier does. Battery is rated at 18–20 hours of continuous calling with 300 hours of standby, and a full charge takes about 2 hours over USB. Voice assistant support via the MFB button, dedicated volume buttons, press-and-hold track skipping and double-tap redial round out the controls.
Who should buy it: runners, gym-goers, delivery and warehouse workers, drivers and anyone who spends a lot of the day on the phone and wants a headset that stays out of the way. It also suits people who dislike the pressure of an over-ear headphone.
Who should skip it: if your main goal is blocking out engine noise or open-plan office chatter, this is not the tool — the Edifier's ANC is in a different category. And if you want the latest Bluetooth generation, note this is Bluetooth 5.0.
• Best for noise cancellation → Amazon Renewed Edifier W820NB. A rated -49 dB hybrid ANC with multiple modes and app customization is a far more aggressive noise-blocking design than the Blue Air's environmental noise cancellation.
• Best for battery life → Amazon Renewed Edifier W820NB. Up to 88 hours (49 with ANC) versus 18–20 hours of talk time, plus a 15-minute charge that yields 15 hours of playback.
• Best for calls-focused work → Blue Air Neckband. Dual-device connection, a noise-reducing mic, voice assistant access, double-tap redial and dedicated volume buttons make it a phone-first headset.
• Best for workouts and running → Blue Air Neckband. Sweatproof construction, a flexible neckband and magnetic earbuds that stay clipped together are designed for movement.
• Best for travel and commuting → Amazon Renewed Edifier W820NB. Foldable, over-ear and built with travel ANC modes; the neckband's strength is portability, not isolation.
• Best for hi-res music listening → Amazon Renewed Edifier W820NB. LDAC Hi-Res support, a 20Hz–40kHz range, spatial sound and app EQ presets put it ahead on pure audio ambition.
• Best for warranty reassurance → Blue Air Neckband. It carries a 1-year warranty, while the Renewed Edifier comes with a 90-day limited warranty.
• Best for people who hate things on their ears → Blue Air Neckband. The neckband format keeps weight off your head entirely.
In my opinion, the Amazon Renewed Edifier W820NB is the better buy for most people, because it does the two things most buyers actually care about — blocking noise and lasting a long time — at a level the Blue Air Neckband simply does not target. If I were buying one pair for commuting, flights and long workdays, that is the one I would pick. That said, I would only recommend the Blue Air Neckband if you specifically need a neckband for running, gym work or all-day calling, and the sweatproof, magnetic, dual-connect design is exactly what you want. In my opinion the safest way to decide is to check the current price on Amazon for both and let your main use case break the tie.
That depends on how much you value the shorter warranty. The Renewed listing carries a 90-day limited warranty, while a new unit would typically have longer coverage. The hardware itself — -49 dB ANC, LDAC, 88-hour battery — is the same product line. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
Not the same kind. The Edifier uses hybrid active noise cancellation rated at -49 dB. The Blue Air uses environmental noise cancellation with a noise-reducing mic, which helps with calls and softens background sound but is not active noise cancelling.
The Blue Air Neckband, clearly. It is sweatproof, sits around your neck, and its magnetic earbuds stay clipped together between sets. The Edifier is an over-ear headphone — great for the treadmill at home, less ideal for sweaty movement.
The Blue Air Neckband supports dual connection for two devices and lets you switch between them without re-pairing. The Edifier W820NB Plus Gen 2 lists Bluetooth 6.1 with multipoint, so it also supports multi-device connection, on a newer Bluetooth version.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.