We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-05 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a fold-flat, battery-powered wireless pair that a teen can toss in a backpack and forget about, choose Audiovox MTGHP1CA; if you need a wired USB-C kids' headphone with a hard volume ceiling and a mic for school and gaming, choose KONNAO Upgrade USB Type. That's the short version, and it's really the whole decision. For teens, everything else — comfort, fit, durability, how they actually listen — flows from those two design choices. Let me walk through what each one is built to do.
• Audiovox MTGHP1CA — biggest strength: single-channel wireless operation with no cable at all, plus it folds flat for storage and runs on two included AA batteries.
• Audiovox MTGHP1CA — biggest trade-off: it's a single-channel wireless design, not a feature-packed modern headset — no microphone, no volume limiting, and it depends on AA batteries rather than a rechargeable cell.
• KONNAO Upgrade USB Type — biggest strength: a switchable 85dB/94dB volume limiter and a plug-and-play USB-C connector with a built-in microphone, in a lightweight over-ear shell with no metal parts.
• KONNAO Upgrade USB Type — biggest trade-off: it's wired, so your teen is tethered to the device, and it only works with USB-C headphone jacks — not USB-C charging ports.
• Who Audiovox MTGHP1CA is for: a teen who wants untethered wireless listening and needs a replacement pair that folds away neatly.
• Who KONNAO Upgrade USB Type is for: a parent buying for a kid or teen who needs safe volume limits, a mic, and a simple wired connection to a school device or PC.
The Audiovox MTGHP1CA is a single-channel wireless, fold-flat headphone. That phrase tells you most of what you need to know. "Wireless" means no cable running from the headband to the phone or tablet. "Single channel" means it's built around one audio channel rather than a stereo imaging setup — this is a practical, get-the-job-done design, not an audiophile piece. And "fold-flat" means the earcups collapse so the whole thing stores in a bag without fighting for space.
The specs back up the no-fuss angle. It takes two AA batteries, and they're included, so it works out of the box. There's an auto shut-off feature, which matters more than it sounds: with AA-powered gear, leaving it on is the fastest way to drain a pair of batteries, and auto shut-off is the guardrail against that. It weighs 8 ounces and measures 2 x 7.5 x 7.5 inches, so it's a compact on-ear style you can carry around.
Who should buy it: a teen who wants wireless freedom without charging cables, someone replacing a lost or broken pair of wireless headphones and who just wants something that works the same way, and anyone who values folding storage over extra features. This is also a sensible pick for a teen who is rough on gear, because there's no rechargeable battery to degrade and no delicate electronics to baby.
KONNAO Upgrade USB Type: Who It's For
The KONNAO Upgrade USB Type is the opposite philosophy: wired, safe, and purpose-built for kids and teens using USB-C devices. The headline feature is the 85dB/94dB volume limit. KONNAO's own framing cites that 32 million children worldwide deal with hearing loss and that a majority of it is preventable — which is why the limiter exists. In practice, you set it to cap output at 85dB for everyday listening, or switch to 94dB when your teen is in a noisy environment like a bus or a busy classroom and needs a little more headroom. That single switch is the reason a lot of parents pick this one.
The connector story matters just as much. It's designed for devices and PCs with USB-C headphone jacks, it's plug-and-play, and it needs no USB converter. That last point is worth repeating because it's the whole selling point for school use — nothing to lose, nothing to forget, nothing to configure. One important caveat straight from the specs: it is not compatible with USB-C charging ports. It's a headphone jack, not a charging port, and that trips people up.
Comfort and safety are clearly engineered for younger wearers. The earcups are an oval over-ear design with soft foam and breathable protein leather. There are no metal parts, which keeps the weight down so it doesn't press on a child's head, and the streamlined shape avoids 90° sharp corners so there's nothing to catch or jab. It's a dynamic driver with 25 ohm impedance — a low-impedance load that's easy for phones, tablets and PCs to drive, which is exactly what you want from a wired headset plugged into school hardware.
Who should buy it: parents of kids over 3 and teens who need a microphone for remote classes, voice chat and gaming; anyone whose device uses a USB-C headphone jack; and anyone who wants a hard volume ceiling rather than trusting a child to self-regulate. KONNAO also backs it with a 2-year replacement and lifetime technical support, which is a meaningful signal for a product aimed at kids who are hard on their things.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for wireless freedom → Audiovox MTGHP1CA. No cable, no tether, and it folds flat between uses.
• Best for safe listening volume → KONNAO Upgrade USB Type. The 85dB/94dB switch is the deciding feature for parents.
• Best for school and class use → KONNAO Upgrade USB Type. Plug-and-play USB-C with no converter required, plus a built-in mic.
• Best for gaming and voice chat → KONNAO Upgrade USB Type. The microphone is what makes it viable for game audio and talking to friends; the Audiovox has none.
• Best for tangle-free, charge-free simplicity → Audiovox MTGHP1CA. Two included AA batteries and auto shut-off mean no charging routine.
• Best for younger kids (3+) → KONNAO Upgrade USB Type. Lightweight, no metal parts, no sharp corners, volume capped.
• Best for a teen who loses or breaks gear → Audiovox MTGHP1CA. Nothing to charge, nothing to pair, and it folds away small.
• Best for device flexibility → depends on the jack. USB-C headphone jack? KONNAO. Anything else, and you're in Audiovox territory.
If you're specifically hunting the best noise canceling on ear headphones for teens, be clear about what each one offers: the KONNAO uses passive noise cancellation, and the Audiovox is a single-channel wireless design with no noise-cancellation feature listed. Neither is an active noise cancelling product, so if powered ANC is a must-have, this comparison isn't your match.
If I were buying for a teen who mostly listens wirelessly and needs something that survives a backpack, I'd take the Audiovox MTGHP1CA. It's the simpler, more forgiving product: no cable, no pairing, no charging, and it folds flat.
But if the teen in question is using a USB-C school device, joining voice chat, or is young enough that a volume ceiling matters, I'd buy the KONNAO Upgrade USB Type without hesitation. The 85dB/94dB limiter and the mic are the two features that actually change how a teen uses headphones day to day, and in my opinion that makes it the stronger pick for school-age users and anyone shopping the best gaming headphones for teens bracket on a wired connection.
FAQ
what are the best open ear headphones
Neither of these is an open-ear design. The Audiovox MTGHP1CA is a compact on-ear fold-flat wireless headphone, and the KONNAO Upgrade USB Type is an over-ear wired headphone. If open-ear is a hard requirement, you'll want to look at a different category entirely.
are on ear headphones good
On-ear headphones like the Audiovox MTGHP1CA sit against the ear rather than around it, which makes them compact and easy to fold and store. The trade-off is less isolation and less cushioning than a full over-ear design like the KONNAO, so long sessions can feel different between the two styles.
are open ear headphones good
Open-ear headphones leave the ear canal unobstructed, which some people prefer for awareness of surroundings, but they typically isolate less. That's a different design from both products here — the KONNAO is over-ear with passive noise cancellation, and the Audiovox is on-ear, so neither is open-ear.
are on ear headphones comfortable
Comfort comes down to fit and materials. The KONNAO leans into this with oval over-ear earcups, soft foam, breathable protein leather, a lightweight build with no metal parts, and no sharp corners. The Audiovox is a lighter on-ear design at 8 ounces, which suits shorter sessions well. In my opinion, the KONNAO's over-ear cushioning is the more comfortable bet for longer listening.
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