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If you want real noise reduction with an adjustable headband that grows with your child, choose Dr.meter Noise Cancelling Headphones; if you need a fun Super Mario pair for music, videos and schoolwork with a simple 3.5mm plug, choose eKids Mario Kids Headphones. They are not really rivals — one is hearing protection, the other is an entertainment headset.
• Dr.meter's biggest strength: genuine passive noise reduction rated at SNR 27.4dB / NRR 20dB, plus an adjustable headband that fits toddlers through adults.
• Dr.meter's biggest trade-off: it reduces noise but does not mute it, and there is no audio playback — no jack, no music, just protection.
• eKids' biggest strength: a wired 3.5mm connection with built-in parental volume control, so kids can actually listen to music, videos and lessons.
• eKids' biggest trade-off: no noise reduction at all — the noise control field is listed as none — and it relies on a cable.
• Pick Dr.meter if the goal is protecting small ears at fireworks, races, concerts or in loud classrooms.
• Pick eKids if the goal is a kid-friendly headphone for a tablet, phone, computer or school laptop.
The Dr.meter pair is designed around one job: lowering the volume of the world around a child's ears. The core spec is an SNR of 27.4dB with an NRR of 20dB, achieved through ABS shells and triple-layer sound-dampening foam. That is meaningful attenuation — enough to take the edge off a monster truck rally or a fireworks show — but the brand is explicit that it reduces rather than mutes. Voices still come through, which is exactly what you want when a child needs to hear a parent nearby.
The headband is the other headline feature, and it is the reason this model spans such a wide age range. It adjusts smoothly from toddlers and younger children up to teenagers and even adults, so one pair can move between siblings or last a child several years. The memory foam cores and PU leather padding are there to keep the seal comfortable over longer stretches, and the whole thing folds down to roughly palm size for a backpack or suitcase. It is also double-certified to ANSI S3.19-1974 and CE EN 352-1, which matters if you want documented hearing-protection standards rather than a toy-grade claim.
eKids Mario Kids Headphones: Who It's For
The eKids Super Mario headset is a straightforward, kid-oriented listening device. It connects to basically anything with a 3.5mm jack — smartphones, tablets, computers — so it works for music, movies, TV, YouTube, audiobooks and remote learning. The drivers are dynamic, with a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, which is the standard full-range span you would expect for everyday listening.
The feature parents tend to care about most is the built-in volume control. It is a slider-style parental control built into the headset, so you can set kid-friendly levels rather than trusting whatever the source device outputs. The headband is adjustable and the ear cushions are soft, which is the practical answer to long school days, road trips and flights. The over-ear, circular earcups use a plastic enclosure in the Super Mario theme, so the appeal is partly the look — this is a headset a young gamer will actually want to wear.
Who should buy it: kids who need headphones for school, remote classes, tablets or travel, and any Super Mario fan who will appreciate the graphics. The brand lists a one-year manufacturer warranty, which is worth knowing for a product aimed at children. Who should skip it: anyone buying for noise protection. There is no noise reduction or isolation spec here — the noise control field is literally "None" — so it will not help at a concert, an air show or a loud sporting event. It is also wired only, with no wireless mode, so a child who wanders with a tablet will be tethered to it.
• Best for hearing protection → Dr.meter Noise Cancelling Headphones. SNR 27.4dB / NRR 20dB of passive attenuation versus none on the eKids.
• Best for listening to music and video → eKids Mario Kids Headphones. A 3.5mm wired connection and full 20 Hz–20,000 Hz drivers.
• Best for adjustable headband range → Dr.meter. It is explicitly built to fit toddlers through teenagers and adults; the eKids headband adjusts but is aimed at kids.
• Best for parental volume limits → eKids. The built-in volume control slider is a listening feature Dr.meter simply does not have.
• Best for loud events → Dr.meter. Fireworks, monster jams, concerts, air shows and mowing are the use cases it is designed around.
• Best for school and remote learning → eKids. It plugs into laptops and tablets for classes, audiobooks and video.
• Best for travel packing → Dr.meter. It folds down to about palm size; the eKids is a fixed over-ear shape with a cable.
• Best for sensory-sensitive or autistic kids → Dr.meter. Noise reduction plus a certified design is the more suitable match.
In my opinion, these two only look like competitors because both are "kids headphones." The Dr.meter is a hearing-protection tool that happens to be shaped like a headphone; the eKids is a headphone in the ordinary sense. If you are buying for loud environments, sensory comfort or a child who needs the world turned down, I would buy the Dr.meter Noise Cancelling Headphones — the SNR 27.4dB rating and the genuinely wide adjustable headband are the two things that decide it for me. If your child mainly wants to watch videos, listen to music and join online classes, I would buy the eKids Mario Kids Headphones instead, because the Dr.meter cannot play a single note.
how to fix headband on headphones
It depends on what is actually wrong. If the headband feels too tight rather than broken, Dr.meter's own guidance is to stretch the earmuffs over the packaging box or a size 3 soccer ball for around four hours to loosen them. If the band is cracked or a slider no longer holds, that is a hardware failure, and the eKids model is covered by a one-year manufacturer warranty.
are these noise cancelling headphones good for kids
The Dr.meter pair reduces noise by an SNR of 27.4dB and an NRR of 20dB, which is designed for children's hearing protection at loud events and in noisy settings. It is important to understand it reduces rather than mutes sound, so conversation still gets through. The eKids model, by contrast, has no noise control at all and is made for listening, not protection.
do the eKids Mario headphones have a microphone
Nothing in the product information lists a microphone or a built-in mic, so you should not count on it for calls. What it does list is a 3.5mm wired connection, a remote-style volume control and dynamic drivers spanning 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Treat it as a listening headset for music, video and lessons.
can adults wear the Dr.meter ear muffs
Yes — the adjustable headband is described as fitting toddlers and children through to teenagers and even adults. That is the main practical advantage of the design: one pair can be shared across a family or grow with a child over several years. If price matters to you, check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
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