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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Avantree SoundJet R1-25Hr — biggest strength: it takes audio from any 3.5 mm output (airline seat screen, gym machine, tablet) and sends it to Bluetooth headphones, with two pairs connected at once and up to 25 hours of playtime.
• Avantree SoundJet R1-25Hr — biggest trade-off: it is a transmitter only. It is not a Bluetooth receiver, has no earpieces of its own, and is not meant for phone calls, instruments, or TVs without a 3.5 mm output.
• AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones — biggest strength: plug-and-play wired simplicity. A 3.5 mm plug, open-ear hooks, an inline microphone and volume control, and a roughly 4.92 ft tangle-resistant cable that works across a huge list of laptops, phones and tablets.
• AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones — biggest trade-off: it is wired only, so you are tethered to the device, and there is no Bluetooth or wireless option at all.
• Who each pick is for: the Avantree for travelers and anyone who wants their existing Bluetooth headphones to work with a wired source; the AIAUXAI for people who want comfortable open-ear listening on a device that still has a headphone jack.
The SoundJet R1-25Hr is not a pair of headphones. It is a small Bluetooth audio transmitter with a 3.5 mm plug on one end and a wireless connection on the other. Its whole reason for existing is the airplane seat screen: you plug it into the seat's headphone jack and your own Bluetooth earbuds or headphones pick up the audio wirelessly. The included dual-prong airline adapter covers both of the common seat-jack formats, so you're not stuck if the plane uses the older two-pin socket.
What makes it stand out is the two-headphone pairing. Two people can connect at the same time and watch the same movie, and dedicated connection indicators show when each pair is ready. For a couple or a parent and child on a long flight, that's a genuinely useful trick — no splitting a cable, no one stuck with one earbud. Avantree backs it with a premium Qualcomm chipset supporting aptX Adaptive and aptX HD for compatible headphones, and Bluetooth 5.3 for the link itself. AirPods and other headphones just use whatever codec both ends support.
Battery is the other headline: up to 25 hours on one charge, and USB-C pass-through charging means you can keep listening while the adapter tops up. Long-haul flights, multi-leg trips and all-day use are well within reach.
Who should buy it: frequent flyers, anyone who owns good Bluetooth headphones and hates airline loaners, and travelers who want to share a screen. Who should skip it: anyone hoping for a Bluetooth receiver to add wireless audio to a non-Bluetooth speaker or car stereo — that's not what this is. It's also not for phone calls, musical instruments, or TVs without a 3.5 mm output. And if your source device has no 3.5 mm jack at all, this adapter has nothing to plug into. Note the plastic-and-PVC enclosure and the fact that it ships in several color options — it's a small travel accessory, not a premium metal gadget.
The AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones are the opposite philosophy: no battery, no pairing, no codec talk. You plug the 3.5 mm jack in and you're listening. The earpieces sit over your ears on hooks rather than inside your ear canals, which is the whole point of an open-ear design — your ears stay open to traffic, coworkers, or your surroundings while audio plays. The enclosure is a thermoplastic elastomer, which is a soft, flexible material well suited to a hook that bends around your ear.
The fit-and-finish details are aimed at daily practicality. There's a roughly 4.92 ft tangle-resistant cable, so you get real slack between your head and the device, and a 90-degree reinforced plug that survives being jammed into a pocket or bag. An inline remote gives you volume control and there's a built-in microphone, so it doubles as a basic headset for calls and video meetings. Noise control is listed as sound isolation — modest, as you'd expect from an open-ear design that deliberately doesn't seal your canal.
Compatibility is unusually broad. The listing covers a long list of Samsung Galaxy phones, Google Pixel and Chromebook models, iPads and iPad minis, older iPhones with a headphone jack, and OnePlus devices. In practice that means it works with anything that still has a 3.5 mm socket: laptops, desktops, tablets, Kindles, and the wired-only phones people keep around. The age range starts at 7 and up, and it ships with a protective carrying case.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for long flights and sharing a screen → Avantree SoundJet R1-25Hr. Two Bluetooth headphones at once, 25-hour battery, airline adapter included.
• Best for zero-hassle wired listening → AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones. No charging, no pairing, just a 3.5 mm plug.
• Best for open-ear comfort and awareness → AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones. Hook-style earpieces that don't block your ear canal.
• Best for battery life → Avantree SoundJet R1-25Hr. Up to 25 hours, plus USB-C pass-through charging while you listen.
• Best for phones, laptops and tablets with a headphone jack → AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones. Its compatibility list spans Samsung, Google, iPad, older iPhone and OnePlus devices.
• Best for using your existing premium headphones → Avantree SoundJet R1-25Hr. It feeds audio to whatever Bluetooth headphones you already own, including AirPods and Bose.
• Best for calls and video meetings → AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones. It has a built-in microphone and inline volume control; the Avantree is not designed for calls.
• Best for kids and casual everyday use → AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones. Simple, wired, with a carrying case and a reinforced plug.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Avantree SoundJet R1-25Hr — but only if your problem is wireless audio on a plane or another 3.5 mm source. In my opinion it solves a specific, painful problem that almost nothing else does: getting your own Bluetooth headphones to work with an in-flight screen, and letting two people listen together. The AIAUXAI is the better everyday pick for wired, open-ear listening on a laptop or phone, and it's the one I'd hand a student or a runner. They're not really rivals — they're two different tools. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
No. It's a Bluetooth transmitter. It has no earpieces and sends audio from a 3.5 mm output to your own Bluetooth headphones or earbuds.
Yes, for models that still have a 3.5 mm headphone jack — the compatibility list includes many Samsung Galaxy and older iPhone models. Newer phones without a jack need an adapter.
No. It's designed for audio playback from a 3.5 mm source, not for calls, instruments, or TVs without a 3.5 mm output.
The AIAUXAI Open Ear Headphones. The open-ear hooks keep you aware of your surroundings and there's no battery to charge — just plug into a device with a headphone jack.
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