How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a barely-there pair of on-ear headphones that disappears on your head during long listening sessions, choose Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M; if you need a kid-safe wired headset with a volume limit, a mic and a USB-C plug for school and tablets, choose Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. These two look like they compete on paper, but they solve completely different problems. One is built around being light. The other is built around being safe for young ears.
• Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M — biggest strength: An ultra-thin housing at just 0.7 oz (20 g), which is the whole point of the design. It's the lightweight pick here, by a wide margin.
• Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M — biggest trade-off: It's a wired 3.5 mm pair with a 1.2 m cord and no microphone, so it's for listening, not calls or class.
• Botesty Sound USB C Headphones — biggest strength: A USB-C wired connection plus a built-in mic and an 85/94dB volume limit, purpose-built for kids, teens and school use.
• Botesty Sound USB C Headphones — biggest trade-off: It's over-ear, plastic, 0.18 kg, and heavier in feel than the Audio Technica pair — comfort is a different kind of comfort, aimed at a younger wearer.
• Who Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M is for: Adults who want light, unobtrusive everyday listening.
• Who Botesty Sound USB C Headphones is for: Parents buying for a kid or teen who plugs into an iPad, tablet or airplane seat.
The Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M is a lightweight, ear-fit style headphone, and the spec sheet makes its priorities obvious. The ultra-thin housing and the 20 g (0.7 oz) weight are the headline: this is a headphone designed to sit lightly and stay out of the way. Audio-Technica frames it around a fit that doesn't press hard, with clear playback and less strain on the ears — that's the intent of the design, not a marketing flourish. The 1.2 m cord gives you slack to move your head, set the phone down, or tuck the cable through a jacket without tugging.
Inside, you get a dynamic driver with a frequency range of 16 Hz to 24,000 Hz and 20 ohm impedance. That 20 ohm figure matters in practical terms: low-impedance headphones are easy to drive, so a phone, a laptop or a basic player can push them without a headphone amp. The 16–24,000 Hz range covers the full audible span, which means the tuning can reach down for bass and up for detail without an obvious ceiling. This is a wired 3.5 mm headphone. There's a media control and touch control on board, and sound isolation is listed as the noise control approach — so it's about blocking a little outside noise passively, not active cancellation.
Who should buy it? In my opinion, this is the pick for an adult who wants something light enough to forget about. Commuters who listen for an hour or two at a stretch, desk workers who keep headphones on all afternoon, and anyone who finds heavier on-ear or over-ear pairs start to press after a while. The 6 available colors also mean you can match it to your bag or your mood rather than being stuck with one finish.
Botesty Sound USB C Headphones: Who It's For
The Botesty Sound USB C Headphones (model Ivy) are aimed squarely at kids and teens, and the feature list reads that way. The volume limit is the defining spec: 85/94dB, which is the kind of two-stage cap parents look for when a child is wearing headphones at school, on a tablet, or on a plane. The idea is that the ceiling stays in place no matter how enthusiastically a kid turns the volume up.
Connection is USB-C, wired, with button controls and a built-in mic. That combination is what makes it a school headset rather than a music-only pair: plug it into a USB-C iPad or tablet, and it handles both listening and talking. There's no wireless mode and no Bluetooth — it's purely wired, which also means no battery to charge and nothing to pair. For a kid, that's a feature, not a limitation. There's no noise control and no active cancellation, so it's a straightforward passive design.
The build is over-ear, plastic, in a gradient blue finish, and it weighs 0.18 kg. That's a chunkier, more enveloping fit than the Audio Technica pair — over-ear cups rather than a light ear-fit frame, which makes sense for a younger wearer who wants the headphone to feel present and secure. The 32 ohm impedance is still easy enough to drive from a tablet or laptop; you're not going to need extra gear. A 12-month warranty is listed, and the packaging includes the headphones themselves.
Who should buy it? Parents of kids and teens who need a wired headset for school, remote classes, tablet use or travel, and who want the reassurance of a volume limit plus a mic for talking. It's also a sensible pick for an adult who specifically wants a cheap-to-own wired USB-C headset for calls and doesn't care about wireless. Who should skip it? Anyone whose device still uses a 3.5 mm jack, since this is USB-C only. And anyone shopping for themselves as an adult listener who wants a light, neutral music-first headphone — this one is tuned around a child's use case, not yours.
• Best for lightweight comfort → Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M. At 20 g, nothing about the Botesty Sound pair's 0.18 kg over-ear build comes close.
• Best for kids and school use → Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. The 85/94dB volume limit and mic are purpose-built for it.
• Best for phone calls and voice chat → Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. It has a mic; the Audio Technica pair lists media control, not a microphone.
• Best for modern USB-C devices → Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. It plugs straight into a USB-C iPad, tablet or laptop with no adapter.
• Best for older 3.5 mm gear → Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M. The 3.5 mm jack works with phones, laptops and players that still have the port.
• Best for long listening sessions as an adult → Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M. The light fit and low 20 ohm impedance make it easy to keep on.
• Best for travel with a child → Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. The volume cap and over-ear fit suit airplane and back-seat use.
• Best for battery-free simplicity → either one. Both are wired, so neither needs charging — the Botesty Sound pair because it's USB-C, the Audio Technica pair because it's 3.5 mm.
If I were buying for myself — an adult who listens for long stretches and hates the feeling of headphones pressing on my head — I'd go with the Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M. The 20 g weight and ultra-thin housing are exactly the kind of design choice that keeps a headphone wearable for hours, and the 16–24,000 Hz range and 20 ohm impedance mean it plays nicely with whatever I plug it into. That's my pick for personal, everyday listening.
But if I were buying for a child or teen, my answer flips completely. The Botesty Sound USB C Headphones win on the strength of the 85/94dB volume limit and the mic — features that exist for a reason, and that the Audio Technica pair simply doesn't offer. Different buyer, different answer. In my opinion, matching the headphone to the person matters more than comparing them head to head.
how to wear on ear headphones
On-ear headphones rest on top of your outer ear rather than around it, so the goal is a light, even seal without clamping. Set the headband so the earpieces sit flat against your ears, then adjust each side until the pressure feels balanced. With a light pair like the Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M, the fit is meant to feel barely there.
how to make on ear headphones more comfortable
Start by extending the headband so the earpieces aren't pressing harder than they need to, and take short breaks during long sessions. A lighter design helps a lot here — the Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M's 0.7 oz (20 g) housing puts far less weight on your ears than a heavier over-ear pair like the 0.18 kg Botesty Sound model.
how to wear on ear headphones comfortably
Keep the band centered on your head, not tilted, and let the earpieces sit level on both ears so one side isn't doing more work. If your headphones clamp, stretch the band gently over a wider object between uses. Light weight and a low clamp force are the two things that matter most.
how to clean on ear headphones
Wipe the earpieces and headband with a soft, slightly damp cloth, and avoid soaking the drivers or any ports. For the Botesty Sound USB C Headphones, keep moisture away from the USB-C plug; for the Audio Technica ATH-EQ300M, keep it away from the 3.5 mm jack and the cord. Let everything dry fully before you plug back in.
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.
See also: QearFun Sparkly Unicorn Headphones vs YUEBAITU Long Cord, beyerdynamic Box vs Linsoul Kiwi Ears Aether: Open Back, Niukeke Replacement Ear Pads vs Awgvener PS5: RGB Gaming, Global Teck Worldwide Evolve2 vs Generic Single Ear