We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a wired, over-ear air tube headset with in-line volume and call controls and a design built around keeping the driver out of your ear, choose ibrain Air Tube Headphones; if you need a wireless, open-ear air conduction pair for a kid with an 85dB volume cap and a bendable neckband, choose Mehomeli Kids Headphones. For side sleepers, neither one is a pillow-friendly in-ear bud — but they solve very different problems, and this comparison is about matching the design to your actual use case, not about which brand is "better."
• ibrain's biggest strength: a true air tube design with no loudspeaker in the earplug, plus metal-shielded wiring, an adjustable headband, soft on-ear pads, and in-line volume and mic controls over a 3.5mm wired connection.
• ibrain's biggest trade-off: it's wired and needs a 3.5mm jack (an adapter may be required on some phones), and it's an over-ear headset rather than a discreet in-ear option.
• Mehomeli's biggest strength: a Bluetooth 5.2 open-ear air conduction build for kids with an 85dB volume limit, a 16.2mm dynamic driver, a MEMS mic, IPX5 water resistance, up to 20 hours of playtime, and a 30-gram memory titanium neckband that bends 360° without deforming.
• Mehomeli's biggest trade-off: it's wireless only — no 3.5mm jack at all — so it depends on a charged battery and a Bluetooth source, and its open-ear fit deliberately lets surrounding sound in.
• Who each pick is for: pick ibrain if you want a wired, health-focused air tube headset for long listening sessions at a desk, on a commute, or in bed; pick Mehomeli if you're buying for a child who needs a safe volume ceiling for school, travel, and outdoor play.
The ibrain Air Tube Headphones are built around one idea: get the sound to your ear without putting a speaker inside it. Instead of a driver sitting in the ear canal, the audio travels through an air tube, and there's no loudspeaker in the earplug itself. The brand also uses metal-shielded wiring made from multiple strands of copper, which it says improves durability against daily wear and tear. Whether or not you buy into every health claim in the marketing copy, the physical design difference is real and easy to understand: the driver sits away from your ear, and the tube does the work.
Who should buy it: anyone who wants a wired headset that keeps the driver out of the ear canal, values physical volume and call controls on the cable, and listens for long stretches at a desk, on transit, or lying down. It's also a reasonable pick if you're shopping for both an adult and a kid, since the adjustable band covers both. Who should skip it: anyone who has moved fully to USB-C or Bluetooth-only devices and doesn't want to deal with an adapter, and anyone who specifically wants a tiny in-ear bud. If you're hunting for the best in ear headphones for side sleepers, this isn't that product — it's an over-ear air tube headset, and the pads will press against a pillow.
Mehomeli Kids Headphones: Who It's For
The Mehomeli Kids Headphones take the opposite approach: no wires, no jack, and a fit that leaves the ear canal completely open. This is air conduction, meaning audio is delivered directionally toward the ear without plugging it, so a child can still hear what's happening around them. That's the whole point of the design — it's a safety feature first and an audio feature second. On top of that, volume is limited to 85dB, which the brand frames as the recommended level to help prevent hearing damage.
The hardware is clearly aimed at kids on the move. The neckband is made from high-strength memory titanium with food-grade pads, weighs only 30 grams, and is rated to bend 360° without deforming — the kind of thing that matters when the headphones live in a backpack. The brand says the structure is compatible with glasses and helmets, and that the fit stays stable during intense activity. Inside, a 16.2mm full-range dynamic driver handles a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range, and a Bluetooth 5.2 chip pairs with phones, tablets, and computers across iOS, Android, and Windows, with a stated range of up to 33 feet. A MEMS microphone handles calls, and a 165 mAh battery is rated for up to 20 hours of continuous use.
Durability claims lean toward real-world kid abuse: IPX5 water resistance against sweat, dust, and moisture, and a colorway that's easy to spot in a school bag. Who should buy it: parents who want a wireless pair with a hard volume ceiling and an open-ear fit for school, travel, and outdoor play, and kids who wear glasses or helmets. Who should skip it: anyone who wants a wired connection — there's no 3.5mm jack here — and anyone who wants isolation from background noise, because open-ear design intentionally lets it in. It's also not a sleep-focused product; if you're specifically after a memory foam ear cushions headphone for side sleepers, this neckband style isn't built for lying on your side.
• Best for a wired, no-battery setup → ibrain Air Tube Headphones. One cable, no charging, works with anything that has a 3.5mm jack.
• Best for kids and volume safety → Mehomeli Kids Headphones. The 85dB cap and open-ear fit are the reasons this product exists.
• Best for long desk or commute sessions → ibrain Air Tube Headphones. Adjustable band, soft on-ear pads, and in-line volume and mic control make it a set-and-forget headset.
• Best for school, sports, and outdoor use → Mehomeli Kids Headphones. 30 grams, IPX5 resistance, 360° bendable neckband, and up to 20 hours per charge.
• Best if you want to hear your surroundings → Mehomeli Kids Headphones. Air conduction leaves the ear canal open by design; ibrain's over-ear pads sit on the ear instead.
• Best for mixed-age households → ibrain Air Tube Headphones. The adjustable headband is explicitly sized for both adults and kids.
• Best if you're on USB-C or Bluetooth-only devices → Mehomeli Kids Headphones. No adapter question at all — it pairs over Bluetooth 5.2.
• Best for a hifi stereo clip on earbuds for side sleepers style of listening → neither, strictly speaking. Both are non in ear headphones, but ibrain is over-ear and Mehomeli is a neckband, so a true pillow-friendly bud would be a different category.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the ibrain Air Tube Headphones. The wired 3.5mm connection, adjustable headband, foldable frame, soft on-ear pads, and in-line volume and call controls make it the more versatile everyday headset for an adult, and the air tube design is the whole reason to choose it over a standard pair. I'd only hesitate if my phone had dropped the headphone jack, since an adapter may be needed. If I were buying for a child, my pick flips: the Mehomeli Kids Headphones win on the 85dB volume limit, the lightweight 30-gram bendable neckband, IPX5 protection, and up to 20 hours of playtime. For side sleepers specifically, I'd treat both as a compromise rather than a solution.
FAQ
how do non ear headphones work
what are non in ear headphones called
They're usually described as air tube, air conduction, or open-ear headphones. ibrain's model is an over-ear air tube headset with a 3.5mm wired connection; Mehomeli's is a Bluetooth 5.2 open-ear air conduction neckband with an 85dB volume limit.
what are the best open ear headphones
"In my opinion" the right answer depends on the user, not the spec sheet. For an adult who wants a wired, no-battery headset, I'd point to the ibrain Air Tube Headphones; for a child who needs a volume cap and a durable, lightweight neckband, I'd point to the Mehomeli Kids Headphones.
how to wear in ear headphones
In-ear models seal inside the canal, but both of these products avoid that entirely. The ibrain sits on the ear with an adjustable headband, and the Mehomeli rests on a memory titanium neckband around the neck with the drivers aimed at the ear rather than inserted.
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