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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs — biggest strength: certified passive noise reduction (ANSI NRR 16 dB, SNR 26 dB) in ultra-soft silicone with four ear-tip sizes (XS/S/M/L) for a custom seal.
• HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs — biggest trade-off: they only reduce noise passively; there is no audio, no mic, no music, and the real-world seal depends on you picking the right tip size.
• jechan Headphones Balance — biggest strength: wired USB-C/3.5mm earbuds with a metal housing, four-driver bass design, inline controls and ENC call noise reduction rated up to 58dB over USB-C.
• jechan Headphones Balance — biggest trade-off: they are wired only, so you are tethered to your device, and they are an audio product — not hearing protection.
• Buy HeyEars if your priority is quiet: sleep, study, travel, concerts, swimming or focus work.
• Buy jechan if your priority is sound: music, movies, calls, meetings and everyday listening.
The HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs are built around one idea: comfort that lasts long enough to forget you are wearing them. The silicone is described as ultra soft and skin friendly, and the ergonomic shape is designed to stay secure even when you sleep on your side. That side-sleeping detail matters more than it sounds. Most people who give up on earplugs do so because of pressure and irritation after an hour or two, not because the plugs failed to block sound. With four tip sizes in the box — XS, S, M and L — you get a chance to actually find a seal that fits your ear rather than forcing one generic size.
On the noise side, the numbers are stated clearly: ANSI tested with an NRR of 16 dB and an SNR of 26 dB. Those are passive reduction figures, which means the plugs lower the level of sound reaching your ear without any electronics, batteries or charging. For sleeping next to a snoring partner, studying in a noisy house, focusing in an open office, or taking the edge off a concert or a flight, that kind of passive reduction is exactly the point. The same design also carries over to swimming and travel, where keeping water or engine drone out of your ears is the goal.
The practical extras are where this set earns its keep over disposables. The plugs are reusable, made with planet-friendly silicone, shipped in a plastic-free box, and stored in a recyclable aluminium carry case that clips to a bag, keyring or pocket. There is also a durable keychain case for on-the-go use. The whole kit measures about 3.3 x 3.1 x 0.7 inches and weighs 1.3 ounces, so it disappears into a pocket. Skip the HeyEars if you want to listen to anything — these are not headphones. Also skip them if you need maximum industrial-grade attenuation; a 16 dB NRR is everyday protection, not heavy machinery territory.
The jechan Headphones Balance is the opposite kind of product: an audio device first. It is a wired in-ear headphone with a metal enclosure in dark gray, a 10mm dynamic driver, 32 ohm impedance, a frequency response up to 20 kHz and 102 dB sensitivity. The design brief here is sound quality and durability. The precision-engineered metal housing is meant to survive scratches, bumps and commute abuse, and — just as importantly — metal resists the unwanted resonance that cheaper plastic shells can introduce, which helps keep basslines, dialogue and detail clean.
The audio story is a four-driver bass-forward setup. The description talks about a dual-driver architecture pairing a balanced tweeter with a dynamic woofer, an adapter with an integrated DAC for high-definition transmission, and a bass boost. In plain terms: this is tuned for punchy low end with a balanced midrange and crisp treble, which suits rock, hip-hop, R&B, disco, electronic and movie soundtracks. It claims to handle classical and jazz too, though a bass-boosted tuning usually flatters genres that lean on rhythm and low frequencies more than acoustic detail.
The call side is genuinely interesting. Over USB-C, the ENC (environmental noise cancellation) system is rated to reduce noise by up to 58dB during calls — that is microphone-side noise reduction aimed at making your voice clear to the person on the other end, not active noise cancellation in your ears. Combined with the inline control panel — track skipping, play/pause and answering calls with a tap — and a 47.2-inch cable, this reads as a practical work-and-commute headset as much as a music pair. There is a 5 ms audio latency figure, which is low enough that lip-sync issues in video are unlikely to bother most people.
Skip the jechan if you want wireless freedom. Connectivity is USB-C and wired; the 3.5mm reference in the title points to the adapter setup, but there is no Bluetooth here. Skip it too if your actual goal is blocking out a snoring partner at 2 a.m. — earbuds play sound, they do not protect your hearing.
• Best for sleep and side-sleeping → HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs. Ultra-soft silicone, ergonomic shape, four tip sizes.
• Best for blocking noise without electronics → HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs. Passive reduction only: ANSI NRR 16 dB, SNR 26 dB.
• Best for music and movie sound → jechan Headphones Balance. Four-driver bass tuning, 10mm dynamic driver, bass boost via the DAC adapter.
• Best for clear voice calls and meetings → jechan Headphones Balance. ENC noise reduction rated up to 58dB over USB-C, plus inline mic controls.
• Best for travel and portability → HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs. Aluminium clip case plus keychain case, 1.3 ounces total, no charging needed.
• Best for durability on a commute → jechan Headphones Balance. Metal housing built to shrug off scratches and bumps.
• Best for swimming → HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs. Waterproof silicone is designed for water exposure; the jechan earbuds are not.
• Best for reusability and low waste → HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs. Reusable silicone, plastic-free packaging, recyclable case.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to one question: do you want to hear less, or hear more? If you want to hear less — sleep, study, flights, loud rooms — I would buy the HeyEars Soft Ear Plugs, because certified passive reduction, four tip sizes and all-night softness are exactly what that job needs, and the reusable aluminium case makes them easy to keep on you. If you want to hear more — music, movies, calls — I would buy the jechan Headphones Balance, because the metal build, bass-forward tuning and ENC call clarity make it a capable wired daily driver. Neither replaces the other. Buy the one that matches the problem you actually have.
No. They are passive earplugs with an ANSI NRR of 16 dB and SNR of 26 dB, which means they physically reduce sound reaching your ear. They contain no electronics, so there is no music, mic or active noise cancellation.
Can jechan Headphones Balance block noise for sleeping?
Not in the way earplugs do. The ENC rating of up to 58dB applies to call noise reduction on your voice over USB-C, not to cancelling sound around you. For sleep, the HeyEars plugs are the better fit.
No. Connectivity is wired, with USB-C and a 3.5mm adapter setup. There is no Bluetooth, so you stay connected to your device via the 47.2-inch cable.
The set includes four sizes — XS, S, M and L. The goal is a full, comfortable seal without pressure, which is what delivers the stated passive noise reduction. Try each size and keep the one that stays put overnight.
That depends on the job, not the label. If you need quiet, the reusable silicone plugs replace disposable after disposable and come with a clip-on aluminium case. If you need audio and calls, the metal-built jechan pair covers music and voice in one wired package. Check the current price on Amazon for each before deciding.
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