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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a wired, open-ear headphone that keeps you aware of your surroundings while you work, game or take calls, choose Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm; if you need a wireless over-ear headset with a mechanical volume knob and around 20 hours of play time, choose LICAEVEY Retro 6.0.
• Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm — biggest strength: true open-ear fit with a silicone hanger that sits outside the ear canal, plus an inline remote and mic on the cord. Biggest trade-off: it is wired only, so you are tethered to a 3.5mm jack device.
• LICAEVEY Retro 6.0 — biggest strength: a retro metal-headband design with a mechanical rotating volume knob, 6-degree ear cup adjustment and roughly 20 hours of play time. Biggest trade-off: bulkier and heavier than a hanger-style headphone, and the fit depends on headband adjustment rather than a fixed in-ear tip.
• Who the Hawk Scope is for: people who want situational awareness, a wired connection for a laptop, PC or phone, and a hygienic fit that does not press into the ear canal.
• Who the LICAEVEY is for: people who want a wireless, hands-free headset with nostalgic styling and a tactile volume control for sport, walks and outdoor activity.
• Quick pick: choose Hawk Scope for wired work, calls and kids; choose LICAEVEY for wireless listening and a vintage look.
The Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm is built around one clear idea: don't put anything inside your ear canal. Instead of an earplug, it uses a silicone hanger that rests outside the ear, which is exactly the "non in ear" approach many shoppers are searching for. The brand's own framing is that in-ear tips need to be pushed into the canal, which can create pressure and a plugged-up feeling over long sessions, and that this open design keeps you aware of what's happening around you. That matters if you're walking, cycling near traffic, or working somewhere you still need to hear a doorbell or a colleague.
For connectivity, this is a straightforward wired headphone with a 3.5mm plug, described as compatible with 3.5mm jack devices — laptops, PCs, phones and similar. There's no wireless technology listed, so plan on a cable. That cable carries an inline remote and a built-in microphone, letting you take hands-free calls, adjust volume, and play or pause music with a pinch of the cord. If you spend your day bouncing between video meetings and music, that inline control is genuinely practical.
The audio specs are modest but sensible for the category: a 60–18,000 Hz frequency response, 95 dB SPL sensitivity and 16 Ohms impedance. Low impedance like that is friendly to phones and laptops, which is the point. Fit is handled with soft silicone hangers in large, medium and small, and the sheet notes it works for both children and adults. The cable is described as a customized HIFI pure copper cable, and the whole thing weighs about 30 g, so it's light. In my opinion, this is the pick for parents buying for a child, for desk workers on calls, and for anyone who dislikes the pressure of an in-ear tip. Skip it if you want wireless freedom or a fully sealed, isolating sound.
The LICAEVEY Retro 6.0 goes the other direction: it's a wireless over-ear headset dressed in vintage styling. The headline control is a mechanical rotating volume knob that produces a crisp clicking sound as you turn it — a nostalgic, tactile alternative to tapping a touch surface. It pairs that with a curved metal headband and soft ear cushions, with the brand claiming secure comfort without clamping pressure and all-day wear without fatigue. There's also 6-degree ear cup adjustment, which lets the cups align to your ear angle, plus an extendable headband for different head shapes.
Wireless is where this one lives. It uses a 2.402–2.480 GHz connection with roughly 10 m / 32.8 ft of range, and it can connect to two devices simultaneously — useful if you want your laptop and phone both on standby. The built-in 200 mAh lithium-ion battery is quoted at about 20 hours of play time, recharged over USB with the included cable. Sound specs read 80 Hz–20 kHz, signal-to-noise ratio of at least 80 dB, distortion of 5.0% or less, and 10 mW speaker output. The brand also markets "immersive sound with ambient awareness," meaning you can still hear your surroundings during outdoor sport — an open-ish listening experience in a different form factor.
Weight is quoted at roughly 182 g, so this is a real over-ear headset rather than a featherweight clip-on, and the package includes a pair of sponge ear cushions plus a manual. It arrives in a #311 colorway. One thing to flag honestly: the product data lists the ear placement as "In Ear" in one field, which conflicts with the over-ear headband design described everywhere else in the sheet. Read the physical design and the brand's own description rather than that single field. In my opinion, this is for someone who wants a wireless, wearable-statement headset for sport, walks and outdoor time, and who enjoys the mechanical knob. Skip it if you specifically want the smallest, lightest possible open-ear hanger, or if you need a wired connection to a device with a 3.5mm jack.
• Wired work, calls and PC/laptop use → Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm. The 3.5mm plug, inline mic and remote make it a plug-and-go headset for meetings, gaming and music on a computer.
• Wireless freedom and no cable → LICAEVEY Retro 6.0. Built-in battery, 10 m range and dual-device connection mean you can move around untethered.
• Best for situational awareness in the truest open-ear sense → Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm. The silicone hanger sits outside the ear canal, which is the core of the open-ear idea.
• Longest quoted play time → LICAEVEY Retro 6.0. Around 20 hours per charge, which covers multiple days of casual listening.
• Lightest option → Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm. About 30 g versus roughly 182 g.
• Kids and family sharing → Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm. Three silicone hanger sizes and a design the brand says suits both children and adults.
• Outdoor sport with a vintage look → LICAEVEY Retro 6.0. Metal headband, 6-degree cup adjustment and a mechanical volume knob built for on-the-move use.
• Best tactile control → LICAEVEY Retro 6.0. The clicking rotating knob is a genuinely different interaction than cord buttons or touch.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm for the way most people actually use headphones — at a desk, on calls, or while walking with an ear still open to the world. In my opinion, its open-ear hanger, inline mic and 16-ohm wired simplicity make it the more dependable everyday tool, and the three silicone sizes make it easy to share with a child. That said, if wireless freedom, a 20-hour battery and a retro metal headband appeal to you more than a cable, the LICAEVEY Retro 6.0 is the better fit. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you decide, since that's the one number that can swing the call.
how do non ear headphones work
A non in-ear headphone, like the Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm, rests outside the ear canal using a silicone hanger instead of an inserted tip. Sound is delivered toward the ear while your canal stays open, so you can still hear your surroundings.
what are non in ear headphones called
They're usually called open-ear headphones, and sometimes bone conduction or clip-on headphones depending on the design. The Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm is a classic open-ear hanger, while the LICAEVEY Retro 6.0 is an over-ear wireless headset with ambient awareness.
what are the best open ear headphones
There's no single answer — it depends on your priorities. If you want wired, lightweight and truly open, the Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm fits; if you want wireless with roughly 20 hours of play time and a mechanical volume knob, the LICAEVEY Retro 6.0 is the stronger match.
are the LICAEVEY Retro 6.0 headphones in ear or over ear
The design described is over-ear: a curved metal headband, soft ear cushions and 6-degree ear cup adjustment. Note that one data field lists the placement as "In Ear," which contradicts the over-ear headband build described elsewhere.
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See also: ROCCAT Elo X vs Hawk Scope Open-Ear 3.5mm, SHOKZ AFTER Aeropex Open-Ear vs Jabra Perform 10, LEXiBOOK vs ANCwear Kids Open Ear