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If you want a wired, over-ear headset with a boom microphone for clear voice chat at a desk, choose エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted; if you need safe, wireless, non in ear headphones for a child to wear on the move, choose Mehomeli Kids Headphones.
• エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted — biggest strength: a foldable, over-the-head design with a dedicated boom microphone and a long 1.8 m wired cable, which suits fixed desk setups and voice input.
• エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted — biggest trade-off: it's wired only, built for 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack devices, and ELECOM lists the age range as Adult rather than child.
• Mehomeli Kids Headphones — biggest strength: a 30 g open-ear, air-conduction design with an 85 dB volume limit, Bluetooth 5.2, IPX5 water resistance and up to 20 hours of playtime.
• Mehomeli Kids Headphones — biggest trade-off: no wired jack at all, so it depends entirely on Bluetooth and a charged battery, and its volume ceiling is deliberately set low for kids.
• Pick エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted if you want a stationary headset with a mic for calls and desktop work.
• Pick Mehomeli Kids Headphones if you want non in ear headphones a child can wear comfortably while staying aware of their surroundings.
This is an old-school, purpose-built headset. The ELECOM HS-HP20BK is a foldable overhead model that sits over both ears, and its defining feature is the boom microphone attached to the headband. That makes it a voice-input device first and a music device second. It connects through a 3.5 mm stereo mini plug, and ELECOM lists compatibility with PCs and AT-compatible machines that have both a microphone input terminal and a headphone output terminal. In other words, it's designed for the two-jack world of desktop computers rather than the single port on most modern phones.
The 1.8 m cable is worth thinking about, because it tells you how this thing is meant to be used. That's a generous length — long enough to reach from a tower under a desk to a seated user without a USB extension. The foldable build, with stored dimensions of roughly 95 mm wide, 71 mm deep and 120 mm tall including the microphone, means it can be collapsed and tucked into a bag or drawer between sessions. ELECOM itself is a Japanese peripheral maker based in Osaka, best known for computer accessories, so this fits the mold of a practical office peripheral rather than a lifestyle product.
Who should buy it: anyone who wants a simple, wired headset with a microphone for a desktop PC, whether that's calls, online meetings, voice chat or dictation. It's also a reasonable pick for shared or older computers where Bluetooth pairing isn't an option.
Mehomeli Kids Headphones: Who It's For
The Mehomeli MEKH001 is the opposite philosophy. It's an open-ear, air-conduction design, which means it delivers audio toward the ear without sealing or covering it. That's the core of the "non in ear" idea: nothing goes inside the ear canal, and nothing muffles the ear either. Mehomeli's pitch is directional audio that still lets a child hear what's happening around them — traffic, a teacher, a parent calling from another room. For kids, that awareness matters more than isolation.
The safety case is spelled out in the specs. There's an 85 dB volume limitation, which is the level Mehomeli describes as the recommended ceiling to protect hearing. The headphones weigh just 30 grams and use a memory titanium neckband with food-grade pads that can bend 360 degrees without deforming. They're rated IPX5 for sweat, dust and moisture, and the frame is described as compatible with glasses and helmets. For a kid who wears glasses or a bike helmet, that's a real practical advantage over a traditional headband.
On the audio side, there's a 16.2 mm full-range dynamic driver with a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, Bluetooth 5.2 with a stated range up to 33 feet, and a built-in MEMS microphone for calls. Battery life is quoted at up to 20 hours from a 165 mAh cell. Compatibility is broad — iOS, Android and Windows devices — but note there is no headphone jack at all. This is wireless-only.
Who should buy it: parents who want headphones for a child that stay comfortable, stay put during activity, and don't block out the world. It suits school, studying at home, travel and outdoor play.
Who should skip it: anyone who wants wired reliability with no charging, anyone who wants strong noise isolation, and anyone who needs a full-size over-ear fit for an adult. The 85 dB cap is a feature for kids and a limitation for everyone else.
• Best for voice chat and calls at a desk → エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted, thanks to its boom microphone and wired connection.
• Best for non in ear, open-ear listening → Mehomeli Kids Headphones, which use air-conduction and leave the ear canal open.
• Best for kids → Mehomeli Kids Headphones, with its 85 dB volume limit, 30 g weight and child-oriented design.
• Best for battery life and wireless freedom → Mehomeli Kids Headphones, with Bluetooth 5.2 and up to 20 hours of playtime.
• Best for a device with no Bluetooth → エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted, which runs off a 3.5 mm stereo mini plug.
• Best for sweat and weather resistance → Mehomeli Kids Headphones, rated IPX5.
• Best for glasses and helmet wearers → Mehomeli Kids Headphones, since its neckband design is built to work around both.
• Best for a fixed PC setup with a long reach → エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted, with its 1.8 m cable and foldable storage.
If I were buying for myself for desktop calls, I'd take the エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted headset. A boom mic, a long cable and a plug that works with any PC with the right jacks is exactly what a desk setup needs, and there's nothing to charge. But for a child — or for anyone who specifically wants non in ear headphones — I'd choose the Mehomeli Kids Headphones. The open-ear design, the 85 dB limit and the 30 g bendable frame are built for exactly that job, and the 20-hour battery covers a school day. In my opinion, these two aren't really competitors; they solve different problems.
how do non ear headphones work
Non in ear headphones — often called open-ear or air-conduction headphones — sit outside the ear canal and project sound toward the ear rather than sealing it. The Mehomeli Kids Headphones use this approach with air-conduction technology, which Mehomeli says delivers directional audio while still letting the wearer hear surrounding sound.
what are non in ear headphones called
They're usually called open-ear headphones, air-conduction headphones, or bone-conduction headphones, depending on the mechanism. The Mehomeli Kids Headphones are open-ear and use air conduction, with a memory titanium neckband and round earpieces that rest outside the ear rather than inside it.
what are the best open ear headphones
That depends entirely on who's wearing them and for what. For a child, I'd point to the Mehomeli Kids Headphones because of the 85 dB volume limit, the 30 g weight and the IPX5 rating. For an adult who wants a wired headset with a microphone for a PC, the エレコム(ELECOM) large-diameter speaker mounted model fits that use case instead.
how to wear in ear headphones
This pair doesn't go in your ear, so the question flips: you wear open-ear models by resting the earpieces outside the ear canal and letting the neckband sit behind your head. The Mehomeli Kids Headphones are designed to stay stable during activity and to work with glasses and helmets.
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