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If you want a complete, kid-ready wired headphone with a built-in mic, a volume limit and a share port, choose awatrue Kids Headphones; if you need a cheap way to plug any 3.5mm wired headphone into a modern USB-C phone or tablet that has no headphone jack, choose Verbstel 5.
• awatrue Kids Headphones — biggest strength: a full over-ear wired headset built for children, with a 40mm driver, an in-line HD microphone, an 85/94 dB volume limit and a 3.5mm share port so two kids can listen together.
• awatrue Kids Headphones — biggest trade-off: it's a single pair of headphones with one fixed 3.5mm plug, so it only works on devices that still have an aux jack — and it tips the scale at 5.2 ounces, which is light for an adult but still something on a small head over long sessions.
• Verbstel 5 — biggest strength: a five-pack of USB-C to 3.5mm adapters with a smart DAC chip, so any wired headphone you already own works on a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop with no driver install.
• Verbstel 5 — biggest trade-off: it makes no sound on its own. It's a pass-through dongle, so its quality depends entirely on the headphones and the source device you plug into it.
• Who each pick is for: awatrue for a parent buying a first real headset for school, online classes or gaming; Verbstel 5 for anyone whose phone dropped the headphone jack but who still loves their wired cans.
The awatrue AT2 is the rare kids' headphone that reads like it was actually designed around a child's day. The earcups use soft, breathable leather-style padding that the spec sheet describes as skin-friendly and SGS-tested for cleanliness, and the whole frame is built from a high-toughness ABS material meant to survive being stuffed in a backpack. The plug itself is a detail I like: instead of the thin aluminum 3.5mm plugs that snap easily, awatrue uses steel needles, and the description references 5,000 plug-in cycles and a 3kg pull test. That's the kind of spec that matters when a seven-year-old yanks the cable out by the cord.
On the audio side you get a 40mm dynamic driver, 32 ohm impedance, a 20Hz–20kHz frequency range and 85 dB sensitivity, plus a passive noise-cancelling in-line microphone. The headline safety feature is the volume ceiling — it limits output between 85 and 94 dB depending on ambient noise, and 85 dB is the level generally recommended for quiet environments. For online classes, voice calls and light gaming, that's a sensible trade: slightly less headroom in exchange for protecting young ears. The share port is the sleeper feature. A second pair of 3.5mm headphones plugs straight into the awatrue with no splitter, so two kids can watch the same tablet. Expect the volume to dip a little when sharing, since the second headphone adds impedance — normal, not a defect.
Who should buy it: parents of primary-school kids who need one wired headset for school, iPad lessons or a games console, and who want a mic, a volume cap and a rugged build in a single purchase. It ships with a lightweight drawstring bag, which helps for the home-to-school shuffle.
Who should skip it: adults wanting serious sound quality, anyone whose only device is USB-C-only, and buyers who want wireless. This is a 3.5mm wired headphone, full stop.
The Verbstel 5 is not a headphone at all — it's a five-pack of USB-C to 3.5mm female adapters, and that framing matters. Inside is a smart DAC chip that converts the digital audio stream from a USB-C port into an analog signal your wired headphones can actually use, which is the whole reason a dongle like this can sound clean rather than thin. It's plug-and-play: no driver, no setup, no app. You plug the USB-C end into your phone or laptop, plug your headphones into the 3.5mm end, and you're listening.
Compatibility is the strong suit. The listing names iPhone 16, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, iPad, MacBook, the Samsung Galaxy range up to the S23 Ultra, and Google Pixel phones, plus other USB-C devices. Because these are phones that dropped the analog jack, this adapter is effectively the bridge back to every wired headphone, headset and speaker you already own. It also passes through wire controls — microphone, volume, pause and play — so an in-line mic on your existing headset still works for calls.
At 0.02 kg and roughly 3.94 x 2.56 x 0.71 inches for the set, it disappears in a pocket or bag. Five units means one for your bag, one for the car, one for the desk, and spares. The white finish keeps it easy to spot in a drawer full of black cables. A one-year warranty is listed.
Who should skip it: anyone whose device still has a real 3.5mm jack — you don't need it. And if you want headphones, not an adapter, this isn't your product.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a child's first headset → awatrue Kids Headphones: volume limit, rugged build, in-line mic, share port.
• Best for using wired headphones on a USB-C phone → Verbstel 5: the DAC-equipped adapter is the entire point.
• Best for hearing protection → awatrue Kids Headphones: the 85/94 dB ceiling is designed specifically for young ears.
• Best for sharing audio between two people → awatrue Kids Headphones: the built-in 3.5mm share port removes the need for a splitter.
• Best for travel and bag-space → Verbstel 5: 0.02 kg and tiny dimensions beat a 5.2-ounce over-ear headphone.
• Best for online classes and calls on a kid's device → awatrue Kids Headphones: the 40mm driver and in-line mic are aimed at exactly that.
• Best for reviving older wired gear → Verbstel 5: it doesn't care what brand your headphones are, as long as they end in 3.5mm.
• Best for a household with several USB-C devices → Verbstel 5: five adapters cover multiple people and multiple rooms.
In my opinion, the awatrue Kids Headphones is the one I'd buy if a child is the end user, because it solves the whole problem in one box — sound, mic, volume protection, durability and sharing. The Verbstel 5 only wins when the real problem is a missing headphone jack, not a missing headphone. So: buy the awatrue if you're outfitting a kid; buy the Verbstel 5 if you already own headphones you love and just need them to work on a modern USB-C device. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit — the page has a button for it.
how to make aux cable with headphones
You don't need to build anything — a 3.5mm aux connection is just a male-to-male cable between two jacks. If your headphones already end in a 3.5mm plug, like the awatrue Kids Headphones, they plug straight into any device with an aux port. If your device has no aux port, you need an adapter like the Verbstel 5, which turns a USB-C port into a 3.5mm socket.
how to use wired headphones without headphone jack
You use a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. The Verbstel 5 does exactly this: its smart DAC chip converts audio from a USB-C device to a standard 3.5mm output, and it's plug-and-play with no driver needed. It's compatible with iPhone 15 and 16 series, iPad, MacBook, Samsung Galaxy and Pixel devices, among others.
how do i connect my wired headphones to my phone
First check whether your phone has a 3.5mm jack. If it does, plug the headphones in directly. If it doesn't, plug the Verbstel 5 adapter into the USB-C port and then plug your headphones into the adapter. In-line controls like volume, microphone and pause/play pass through the adapter, so your headset still works for calls.
Not on their own — they use a fixed 3.5mm plug, so a USB-C-only phone has nothing to plug into. Pair them with a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter like the Verbstel 5 and they'll work fine. Note that the share port and the in-line mic both rely on that 3.5mm connection.
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See also: Mr Rex 2.5mm vs QearFun Kids Unicorn: Aux Wired Headphones, kids headphones wired, JVC HAF160B vs awatrue Kids Headphones