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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a wired, no-battery USB-C earbud that stays put during runs and gives you physical buttons for calls, choose Avantree C171; if you need over-ear active noise cancelling with a huge 70-hour battery and a 3.5mm fallback, choose BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise.
• Avantree C171 — biggest strength: A wired USB-C connection with an earhook and three sizes of eartips, so there is no battery to charge and the fit is built for movement and sports.
• Avantree C171 — biggest trade-off: It only works with USB-C ports, so Lightning iPhones (11–14) and 3.5mm jacks are out, and it may not play nicely with the Samsung S24.
• BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise — biggest strength: Hybrid active noise cancellation with a transparent mode, 70 hours of playback, and Bluetooth 6 with a 10-meter range.
• BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise — biggest trade-off: It is a plastic over-ear headphone that needs a 2.5-hour charge and relies on buttons on the cup, which is bulkier than a pocketable earbud.
• Who each pick is for: Pick the Avantree C171 if you want a plug-and-play wired mic for USB-C phones and tablets; pick the BERIBES if you want wireless ANC headphones for long listening sessions and travel.
The Avantree C171 is a USB-C wired earbud built around a simple idea: plug it in and it works. There is no pairing, no charging case, and no battery level to babysit. The in-line physical buttons handle play/pause, volume, track skipping, call answer/reject, and even your phone's voice assistant, so you can keep your phone in your pocket while you run, walk, or take a call.
The fit is the other half of the story. An earhook plus three sets of differently sized soft eartips means you can tune the seal to your ear, and the silicone build keeps things light at 25 g. For running, gym work, and any activity where a loose bud would fall out, that hook design is the reason to look here. The 32-ohm dynamic driver covers a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range, and the mic is built in for calls. Noise control is sound isolation — it seals out some ambient noise passively rather than cancelling it electronically.
BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise: Who It's For
The BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise is a beige over-ear Bluetooth headphone with hybrid ANC and a transparent mode. Hybrid active noise cancellation means it uses mics to actively reduce surrounding sound, and the transparent mode lets outside noise back in when you need to hear a announcement or a conversation without taking the headphones off. That combination is what makes it a travel and commute headphone rather than a gym earbud.
The battery is the headline number: 70 hours of average life on a 2.5-hour charge. For anyone who hates charging cables, that is a genuinely useful figure — it means charging roughly once a week even with heavy daily use. Bluetooth 6 with a 10-meter range keeps the connection stable around the house, and the 40 mm dynamic driver (32 ohm, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 113 dB sensitivity) drives a full-size over-ear sound. There is also a 3.5mm jack, so you can go wired when the battery is empty or when you want zero latency.
Controls are physical push buttons on the cup, which is easy to find by touch. The shell is plastic, which keeps the weight down but is not a premium material. It carries a 1-year warranty.
Who should buy it? Commuters, students, remote workers, and travelers who want ANC, a transparent mode, and week-long battery life in one pair of over-ear headphones. Who should skip it? If you need something that disappears into a pocket, or you want a wired mic you never have to charge, the C171 fits better. And if you specifically want earbuds for running, an over-ear cup is the wrong shape.
• Best for running and sports → Avantree C171. The earhook and soft eartips are designed to stay in place while you move, and there is no battery to run down mid-run.
• Best for battery life → BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise. 70 hours per charge versus a wired connection that never needs charging at all — one is endurance, the other is zero-maintenance.
• Best for noise cancelling → BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise. Hybrid active noise cancellation with a transparent mode versus the C171's passive sound isolation.
• Best for calls with a mic → Either, depending on your setup. The C171 has a built-in mic with in-line call controls; the BERIBES has a mic plus button controls for Bluetooth calls.
• Best for USB-C phones and tablets → Avantree C171. Plug straight into iPhone 15/16, most Android phones, and tablets — no pairing screen required.
• Best for iPhone 11–14 or 3.5mm users → Neither is a clean fit. The C171 needs USB-C, and the BERIBES is wireless-first with a 3.5mm jack only as a fallback.
• Best for travel and commuting → BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise. Over-ear cups, ANC, transparent mode, and a 10-meter Bluetooth range make it the more comfortable long-session pick.
• Best for a lightweight, minimal setup → Avantree C171. At 25 g with a carrying case, it is the one you can forget you are carrying.
If I had to pick one, it would depend entirely on how you listen — but forced to choose, I would buy the BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise for most people. In my opinion, the combination of hybrid ANC, a transparent mode, and 70 hours of battery covers more of daily life: commuting, working, flights, and long evenings. I would only switch to the Avantree C171 if my priority were a wired USB-C mic for calls and a secure earhook fit for running, with no charging to think about. If your phone is USB-C and your day is active, the C171 is the smarter pick. If your day is noisy and long, the BERIBES wins. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit — the button on this page has it.
how to use headphones with mic on pc
Plug the Avantree C171 into a USB-C port and the operating system should recognize it as both headphones and a microphone. For the BERIBES, pair it over Bluetooth 6, then set it as the input and output device in your sound settings. In both cases, confirm the mic is selected as the default input, not your laptop's built-in mic.
how to connect headphones with mic on pc
The C171 is the simpler one: it is a wired USB-C connection, so there is no pairing step at all. The BERIBES needs Bluetooth pairing — put it in pairing mode, find it in your PC's Bluetooth list, and connect; its 10-meter range gives you room to move. If Bluetooth is unavailable, the BERIBES also has a 3.5mm jack you can use with a compatible port.
how to use headphones with mic on phone
With the C171, plug into a USB-C phone (iPhone 15/16, most Android models) and the in-line buttons control calls, volume, and playback directly. Remember it is not compatible with iPhone 11–14 or 3.5mm ports, and may not work with the Samsung S24. With the BERIBES, pair over Bluetooth and use the cup buttons to answer calls and toggle ANC or transparent mode.
how to test headphones with mic
For the C171, plug in, open a voice recorder, and speak while watching the level meter — then press the in-line call button to confirm it answers and rejects. For the BERIBES, pair it, record a short clip, and switch between ANC on and transparent mode to hear the difference. Also test the mic from a normal distance to check clarity on both.
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