We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a pair of corded kids' headphones that works with the widest range of everyday devices and puts a hard limit on volume, choose awatrue Kids Headphones; if you need corded headphones that plug into a USB-C port and you'd rather have a higher volume ceiling, choose Botesty Sound USB C Headphones.
• awatrue Kids Headphones — biggest strength: a 3.5 mm jack that fits the huge installed base of tablets, iPads, Kindles, YOTO players and airplane seat-back screens, plus a 74/85 dB volume limiter on the earcup itself.
• awatrue Kids Headphones — biggest trade-off: no built-in microphone and no active noise cancellation, so calls and noisy cabins aren't its job.
• Botesty Sound USB C Headphones — biggest strength: a native USB-C plug, which is the only audio connector on a growing number of modern tablets and phones.
• Botesty Sound USB C Headphones — biggest trade-off: it is USB-C only — it will not work in a 3.5 mm hole, and the pink color is the only option listed.
• Who each is for: awatrue for the family with a mixed drawer of older iPads, Kindles, toy players and airplane jacks; Botesty Sound for the household that has already gone all-in on USB-C.
The awatrue HK05 is built around one idea: keep the volume down and keep the cable simple. There's a physical 74/85 dBA adjustment button on the earcup, which means the ceiling is set on the hardware rather than buried in a settings menu a kid can dig through. For parents who want the limit to be the default rather than a rule that has to be re-explained on every car ride, that's the whole point. In my opinion, that button is the single most useful feature here.
The rest of the design follows the same "survives childhood" logic. The headband hinges are reinforced, the cable is described as tangle-free, and the whole thing folds down for a backpack or a seat pocket. At 5.29 ounces (the listing also cites 8 ounces in the feature copy) it's light enough that a kid won't be fighting it on a long flight, and the memory foam cushions are there for the same reason. The 40 mm dynamic drivers and 32 ohm impedance are mainstream, easy-to-drive numbers — nothing exotic, but nothing that needs a headphone amp either.
Who should buy it: families with a mix of devices, especially anyone whose kid uses a Kindle, an older iPad, a YOTO player or an airplane seat-back jack. The over-ear oval cups and ABS shell are aimed at kids, teens and even adults who just want a cheap, light, volume-capped pair. Who should skip it: anyone who needs a microphone for class calls or gaming chat, anyone who wants noise cancellation on a plane, and anyone whose only audio port is USB-C. This is a 3.5 mm product, full stop.
The Botesty Sound Ivy is the opposite bet. It has a USB-C plug and nothing else — the brand's own note is blunt about it: these are USB-C headphones for kids, not Bluetooth and not 3.5 mm. That single fact decides who this pair is for. If your child's tablet, phone or laptop has a USB-C port and no headphone jack, this is the connector that actually fits. If it has a round headphone hole, this pair is useless to you.
The volume ceiling here is 85/94 dB, which is a step above the awatrue's 74/85 dB range. That's a real difference, not a marketing one: the lower end of the Botesty range starts where the awatrue range tops out. For a kid who complains that everything sounds too quiet on a plane, that extra headroom matters. For a parent who wants the strictest cap available, the awatrue button goes lower. Same 32 ohm impedance and the same dynamic driver type as the awatrue, so neither one is doing anything unusual electrically.
The cups are over-ear with a round shape and a plastic shell, and the finish is pink — there's no second color listed, which is worth knowing before you buy for a kid who has opinions. It also has sound isolation rather than noise cancellation, so it dulls the world around it passively instead of actively. Warranty is 12 months, and the listed age range is kid through teen. Who should buy it: the USB-C household, the kid who needs a bit more volume, and anyone who wants a mic on the cable for school or calls. Who should skip it: anyone with a 3.5 mm-only device, and anyone who needs anything other than pink.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for device compatibility → awatrue Kids Headphones. A 3.5 mm jack still appears on tablets, Kindles, YOTO players and airplane seats; USB-C does not.
• Strictest volume cap → awatrue Kids Headphones. Its 74 dB floor is lower than the Botesty's 85 dB floor.
• More volume headroom → Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. The 94 dB top of its range gives louder output when a kid needs it.
• Best for calls and class → Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. It has a microphone; the awatrue listing doesn't mention one.
• Best for quieting a noisy cabin → Botesty Sound USB C Headphones. It lists sound isolation; the awatrue lists no noise control at all.
• Best for travel toughness and packing → awatrue Kids Headphones. Foldable hinges, reinforced headband and a tangle-free cable are called out specifically.
• Best for an obvious, parent-set limit → awatrue Kids Headphones. The 74/85 dB button sits on the earcup where a parent can reach it.
If I were buying for my own kid and had to pick one, I'd take the awatrue Kids Headphones. The 3.5 mm jack is the deciding factor for me: it works with the tablet, the Kindle, the toy player and the airplane screen, and the 74/85 dB button lets me set a stricter ceiling than the Botesty can. I'd only switch to the Botesty Sound USB C Headphones if every device in the house had already moved to USB-C, or if my kid genuinely needed the extra volume and a mic. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit — that's the one number that should decide it for you.
how to wired headphones work
A wired pair sends the audio signal down a cable from your device straight into the drivers in the earcups — no battery, no pairing, no charging. The awatrue uses a 3.5 mm jack, and the Botesty Sound uses a USB-C port, so the only thing that matters is which socket your device has.
how to use wired headphones with iphone
It depends on the port. An iPhone with a USB-C port can take the Botesty Sound pair directly; an iPhone with a Lightning port needs an adapter for either pair. The awatrue's 3.5 mm plug needs a 3.5 mm-to-Lightning or 3.5 mm-to-USB-C adapter on phones that lack a round jack.
how to fix wired headphones no sound
Start with the connection: make sure the plug is fully seated in the correct socket — a USB-C plug won't work in a 3.5 mm hole and vice versa. Then check whether the volume limit button on the earcup has been pressed down to its lowest setting, and try the headphones on a second device to rule out the source.
how to wired headphones
Using them is simple: plug in, put them on, and adjust volume with the on-ear control. The awatrue has a push-button volume control with the 74/85 dB limiter; the Botesty Sound has button controls with an 85/94 dB limit. Neither needs charging or pairing.
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