We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-09 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want earbuds that double as a managed work headset with adaptive noise cancelling and a premium aluminum build for the trailhead-to-office crowd, choose Cisco; if you need a travel-focused kit that pairs hybrid ANC earbuds with an airplane Bluetooth adapter and a transparency mode for hiking, choose Avantree. Both are hybrid ANC earbuds, but they aim at very different days. Here's how I'd split them for hiking, commuting and calls in 2026.
Cisco vs Avantree at a Glance
• Cisco's biggest strength: Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation plus passive noise cancellation, a 5-hour talk-time battery with a charging case that adds 2.5 more charges, IP57 rating, and centralized management through Webex Control Hub.
• Cisco's biggest trade-off: It's built around Cisco and Webex ecosystems — the integrated call controls and management shine only if you're in that world, and the 5-hour figure is talk time with ANC.
• Avantree's biggest trade-off: The spec sheet is thinner on battery life, water resistance and codec detail, so you're trusting the design intent rather than a deep spec list.
• Choose Cisco if you want one pair for work calls, secure comms and outdoor use, and you value a Scandinavian aluminum build with five ear tip options.
• Choose Avantree if you fly often, want open awareness while hiking, and like the idea of one kit covering plane audio and everyday listening.
The Cisco earbuds — sold as the Bang & Olufsen 950, model HS-WL-950-BUN-C — are the more "serious tool" of the two. The spec sheet reads like a work device first and a lifestyle earbud second. Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation adjusts to your environment, and it's backed by passive noise cancellation from the fit itself, which matters when you're on a windy ridge or a noisy train platform. The IP57 rating is the detail I'd underline for hiking: it's a real splash-and-dust rating, not a vague "sweat resistant" claim.
Battery is where you need to read carefully. Cisco lists 5 hours of talk time with ANC, and the case adds 2.5 additional charges. That's a workday-plus profile if you're mostly on calls, and the Qi wireless charging means you can drop the aluminum case on a pad instead of hunting for a cable. The case itself is aluminum with a tempered glass and polymer build, and you get five ear tips including Comply foam — that last one is a genuine fit advantage on long walks, because foam tips seal and stay put better than silicone when you're moving.
The compatibility angle is the real dividing line. These are the only earbuds optimized for Webex and Cisco devices with integrated call controls over Bluetooth, and they support centralized management via Webex Control Hub. If you're an IT admin or a heavy Webex user, that's not a nice-to-have — it's the reason to buy. Bluetooth 5.2 with a 32-foot range, touch and motion controls, and a two-year limited liability warranty round it out.
Who should skip it? If you're not in the Cisco or Webex ecosystem, you're paying for management and integration features you'll never open. And if you want a transparency mode to hear traffic or trail chatter, note that Cisco's sheet lists Active, Adaptive and Passive noise cancellation — not an ambient transparency mode. For pure hiking awareness, that's a gap.
The Avantree kit is a different animal: it's a travel bundle. You get the Clan N1 hybrid ANC earbuds plus the Relay Airplane Bluetooth 5.3 adapter. The adapter is the headline trick — it connects your Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to an airplane seatback audio jack using AUX or the included dual-prong adapter. Anyone who has stared at a seatback screen with wired-only audio knows exactly why that matters. It runs a Qualcomm chipset for stable, power-efficient wireless transmission.
The earbuds themselves block up to 24dB of environmental noise with hybrid ANC. That's a concrete figure, and it's the kind of reduction that takes the edge off engine drone, train rumble and road noise without creating that pressurized feeling cheaper ANC can produce. The Ambient Mode is the part I'd flag for hikers: it triggers the built-in mics to pass environmental sound through so you stay aware of your surroundings. If you're looking for the best transparency mode ear clip headphones for hiking — or more accurately, an earbud with a real ambient mode — this is the feature that does that job here.
The case has a battery display, which sounds minor until you've owned a case without one. You can check charge level and charging status at a glance instead of guessing whether you have enough for the trip home.
The honest trade-off: Avantree's data sheet is much lighter on detail. There's no listed water-resistance rating, no battery-hour figure, no Bluetooth version stated for the earbuds themselves (the 5.3 belongs to the adapter), and no ear tip or fit information. So I can tell you what the design is for — commuting, calls, flights, awareness — but I can't promise you a specific runtime or a specific IP rating, because those numbers aren't published. If those two specs are dealbreakers for you, that's a real reason to lean Cisco.
Who should buy it? Frequent flyers, commuters who want ANC and an ambient mode in one pair, and hikers who want to hear their surroundings while still cutting wind and traffic noise. Who should skip it? Anyone who needs a documented IP rating for wet, dusty trails, or who needs enterprise call management.
• Best for hiking with situational awareness → Avantree. Ambient Mode pipes outside sound in through the mics, which is what you want on a trail.
• Best for wet or dusty outdoor conditions → Cisco. The IP57 rating is the only explicit ingress protection in either sheet.
• Best for work calls and secure comms → Cisco. Integrated call controls, Webex optimization and Control Hub management are unique to it.
• Best for airplane travel → Avantree. The bundled Relay adapter with AUX and dual-prong support is purpose-built for seatback audio.
• Best for fit customization → Cisco. Five ear tips including Comply foam versus no listed tip options for Avantree.
• Best for battery transparency → Avantree. The case battery display lets you monitor charge and status directly.
• Best for build and materials → Cisco. Aluminum enclosure and case, tempered glass, Scandinavian minimalist design.
• Best for noise reduction you can quantify → Avantree. Up to 24dB with hybrid ANC is a stated figure; Cisco describes adaptive ANC without a number.
• Best for ecosystem-agnostic buyers → Avantree. No dependence on Cisco or Webex to get full value.
For hiking specifically, I'd buy the Avantree kit. Ambient Mode is the feature that actually changes how an earbud behaves on a trail — you keep the ANC for wind and road noise, then flip to awareness when you need to hear a bike bell, a dog or a creek crossing. The bundled airplane adapter is a bonus for anyone who flies to their trailheads, and the case battery display is a small thing I genuinely appreciate.
That said, if your hikes happen in rain, dust or shoulder-season mud, or if you take work calls on the same pair, the Cisco set is the safer long-term pick — IP57, Comply foam tips and enterprise-grade management are hard to argue with. My recommendation for the hiking-first shopper is Avantree; check the current price on Amazon before you commit. And if you're weighing open ear headphones for hiking against in-ear ANC, remember that ambient mode is the closest an in-ear design gets to that open, aware feel.
FAQ
what is hybrid anc earbuds
what is anc earbuds
ANC stands for Active Noise Cancellation — the earbuds use microphones and electronics to generate sound that cancels out incoming noise, rather than just blocking it with a physical seal. Both products here go further than basic ANC: Cisco adds adaptive and passive cancellation, while Avantree pairs hybrid ANC with an Ambient Mode for awareness.
what are hybrid anc earbuds
They're earbuds that combine feedforward and feedback microphone paths for noise cancellation, usually with a passive seal from the tips doing part of the work. On Cisco you also get passive noise cancellation listed separately, and five ear tips including Comply foam to improve that seal. On Avantree, hybrid ANC sits alongside a transparency mode you can switch on.
what are anc earbuds good for while hiking
They're good for cutting wind, traffic and aircraft noise so you can hear your music or a call clearly. But full ANC can mask what's around you, which is why a transparency or ambient mode matters on trails. Avantree's Ambient Mode is designed for exactly that; Cisco's sheet lists noise cancellation modes but not an ambient transparency setting, so plan accordingly.
• LWZCAM Earbud 5 vs Wantek Headset: Headphones with
• Cuzabe Work Headphones vs TANALAZ Open Ear Earbuds
• JBUNION Kids vs Boodlab Kids Headphones Headband
• Avantalk Infinity NC vs AILKIN Earbuds: Transparent Mode
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.