How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a travel-first adapter-and-earbuds combo that plugs into the plane's seatback screen and feeds audio to whatever headphones you already own, choose Avantree Relay; if you need standalone hybrid ANC earbuds with adaptive noise cancellation, hi-res codec support and an open-ear fit for long listening sessions on flights, choose EarFun Air Pro 4+.
• Avantree Relay — biggest strength: it is a Bluetooth 5.3 transmitter that turns any AUX output into a wireless source, with aptX-Adaptive for low-latency, high-quality transmission and hybrid ANC rated to cut up to 24dB of noise.
• Avantree Relay — biggest trade-off: the ANC figure is the modest one here, and its whole value depends on having an AUX port or your own Bluetooth headphones to pair with.
• EarFun Air Pro 4+ — biggest strength: adaptive hybrid ANC with QuietSmart 3.0 that adjusts in real time and cancels up to 50dB, plus dual drivers and aptX Lossless certification.
• EarFun Air Pro 4+ — biggest trade-off: the open-ear hook design deliberately lets the world in, so it is not the choice if you want maximum isolation from engine drone.
• Pick Avantree Relay if you fly often and want one adapter that works with the seatback system and any headphones you own.
• Pick EarFun Air Pro 4+ if you want one pair of earbuds that does the noise cancelling, the hi-res audio and the all-day comfort by itself.
Avantree Relay is best understood as two things in one package: an airplane Bluetooth adapter built on Bluetooth 5.3, and a set of active noise-cancelling wireless earbuds. The adapter half is the interesting part. It works with any device that outputs audio over AUX — planes, TVs, gym equipment — and it can connect to any Bluetooth headphones or earbuds you already own. That is a genuinely useful trick for anyone who has a favourite pair of headphones and refuses to use the airline's disposable ones. The dual 3.5mm adapter in the box is what makes it usable on essentially any flight, regardless of which connector type the seat has.
On the audio side, the Relay supports aptX-Adaptive, which transmits high-quality audio at low latency when paired with a compatible listening device. If you have ever watched a film on a plane with a lagging Bluetooth connection, you know why that matters — lip-sync drift is the classic dealbreaker, and aptX-Adaptive is aimed squarely at it. Bluetooth 5.3 keeps the connection stable.
The ANC here is hybrid, and it is rated to block up to 24dB of environmental noise. That is real cancellation, but it is not the deepest figure you will find. Ambient Mode flips the built-in mics on so you can hear what is happening around you, and the charging case has a battery display so you can see level and charging status without guessing.
Who should buy it: frequent flyers who want to reuse their own headphones with the plane's entertainment system, and commuters who want a compact hybrid ANC earbud set alongside the adapter. Who should skip it: anyone who wants one self-contained pair of earbuds and never plans to touch an AUX port — the adapter's whole reason for existing would go unused.
EarFun Air Pro 4+ is a much more ambitious audio product on paper. The headline is the adaptive hybrid ANC: EarFun's QuietSmart 3.0 detects external noise and adjusts cancellation in real time, cancelling ambient noise up to 50dB. That is more than double the cancellation figure of the Avantree set, and "adaptive" means it is not a fixed level — the earbuds react to what is around you rather than blasting one static profile.
The sound hardware is where it gets interesting. There is a hybrid driver system pairing a 10mm composite dynamic driver with a FeatherBA balanced armature, aligned at an 11-degree angle to reduce high-frequency attenuation. In plain terms, a dynamic driver usually handles bass and warmth while a balanced armature handles detail and treble — combining them is how you chase both punch and clarity at once. The Qualcomm QCC3091 chipset and Snapdragon Sound certification with aptX Lossless back that up, with additional codec support for LDAC, LC3 and LE Audio. Bluetooth 6.0 is the connectivity standard here.
Then there is the fit, which is the real differentiator. Despite the "Air Pro" name, this is an open-ear design with a double-curved surface and soft, adjustable ear hooks. It sits on your ear rather than sealing into the canal, which means you hear your music and the world around you at the same time. For running, cycling or walking through a city, that is a safety feature. For a long flight, it is a trade-off — open-ear designs leak sound in both directions, and no amount of ANC fully compensates for a driver that is not sealing your ear canal.
Controls are touch-based, the enclosure is plastic and silicone, and the frequency range is listed at 40Hz to 20kHz.
Who should buy it: people who want one pair of earbuds for everything — commute, gym, calls, travel — and who value staying aware of their surroundings. Who should skip it: anyone who wants maximum passive isolation or a deep in-canal seal for the noisiest environments.
• Best for flights with a seatback screen → Avantree Relay. The AUX adapter plus dual 3.5mm connector is built for exactly this, and it lets you use your own headphones.
• Best for maximum noise cancellation → EarFun Air Pro 4+. Up to 50dB adaptive hybrid ANC versus up to 24dB on the Relay.
• Best open ear headphones for flights → EarFun Air Pro 4+. The OpenJump hook design is the only open-ear option of the two.
• Best neckband headphones for flights → neither, strictly speaking. Neither product is a neckband; if that form factor is your requirement, look elsewhere. If you meant a travel adapter that pairs with your own headphones, the Relay is the closer match.
• Best Bluetooth earbuds for flights with your own gear → Avantree Relay. It transmits to whatever Bluetooth headphones you already pack.
• Best sound-quality spec sheet → EarFun Air Pro 4+. Dual drivers, aptX Lossless, Snapdragon Sound, LDAC and LC3 support.
• Best for all-day comfort and awareness → EarFun Air Pro 4+. Open-ear hooks plus transparency-by-design.
• Best for reusing older hardware → Avantree Relay. TVs, gym equipment and in-flight systems all output over AUX.
If I were buying for myself and my priority was surviving long-haul flights with my own headphones and the plane's screen, I would buy the Avantree Relay. The AUX adapter with the dual 3.5mm connector solves a problem nothing else on this page solves, and aptX-Adaptive plus Bluetooth 5.3 is the right toolkit for in-flight audio.
If I wanted one pair of earbuds to be my everything — commute, calls, workouts, travel — I would buy the EarFun Air Pro 4+. Up to 50dB of adaptive ANC and a dual-driver, aptX Lossless setup is the more capable audio product on paper, and the open-ear hooks are a deliberate, defensible design choice for awareness. For flights specifically, I would pair it with a good seal and accept the trade-off.
what is hybrid anc earbuds
Hybrid ANC uses microphones on both the outside and the inside of the earbud. The outer mic samples ambient noise, the inner mic measures what is left near your ear, and the system cancels both. Both products here use hybrid ANC — the Avantree Relay rated to up to 24dB, the EarFun Air Pro 4+ to up to 50dB with adaptive adjustment.
what are anc earbuds
ANC stands for Active Noise Cancellation. The earbuds use microphones and electronics to generate anti-noise that reduces what you hear around you, rather than relying only on a physical seal. It is most effective against steady low-frequency sound like engine drone, which is why it matters on flights.
what is anc earbuds
Same answer: ANC earbuds are earbuds with active noise cancellation built in. Here, the Avantree Relay offers hybrid ANC plus an Ambient Mode that switches the mics on to pass surrounding sound through, while the EarFun Air Pro 4+ uses adaptive hybrid ANC with QuietSmart 3.0 that adjusts in real time.
what are anc earbuds
They are wireless earbuds that actively reduce ambient noise using microphones and processing. Both picks in this comparison qualify. If deep cancellation is your priority, the EarFun Air Pro 4+ is the stronger option on the stated figures; if you mainly need to pipe plane audio to your own headphones, the Avantree Relay is the more useful tool.
Whichever way you lean, check the current price on Amazon before you commit — the button on this page will take you there.
• Kendir Earpiece vs Bawjog KZ Dawn: In Ear Headset
• XKDUN Open Ear Headphones vs TOZO O2 comparison
• DOOGEEEco Bone Air Swim vs lluvygoez
• XIAOMI Earbuds Redmi Buds vs Xoruezls Open Ear Earbuds
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.