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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-05 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Kensington's biggest strength: 40mm dynamic drivers paired with a noise-cancelling mic and a hard 94 dB output limit — a serious single-listener headset for calls, lessons and focused study.
• Kensington's biggest trade-off: It is one headset with a single 3.5mm wired connection and no bulk buying option, so it cannot outfit a class or a shared study room.
• Gaosen's biggest strength: 30 pairs in one set with adjustable headbands, flexible plastic brackets and bright mixed colors — a practical way to hand every student their own pair.
• Gaosen's biggest trade-off: No microphone, no noise control, and a much louder 115 dB sensitivity rating, so it is not the pick for voice work or for anyone worried about volume exposure.
• Choose Kensington if you are one person studying, teaching online, or taking calls and you want the mic.
• Choose Gaosen if you are buying for a classroom, library, kindergarten or study group and need 30 headsets that survive being handed around.
The Kensington Hi-Fi Headphones are built around a single listener. The 40mm dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz range at 32 ohm impedance, which is the kind of spec sheet you see on a headset meant to run straight off a phone, laptop or tablet jack without an amp. The padded headband is described as fitting heads of all ages, and the foam ear pads are on-ear rather than fully over-ear, so the cups sit against the ear instead of enclosing it. If you have ever wondered how to ear headphones like this correctly, the answer is simple: the foam pads rest flat against your ears, not around them, and the swivel cups let you angle them for a better fit.
What sets it apart for study is the microphone. Kensington uses passive resistance technology to filter ambient noise, which means the mic leans on physical design rather than electronics to reduce background sound. There is also a hard 94 dB maximum output limit — a deliberate ceiling that keeps volume in a safer range during long sessions. If you are logging hours of online lectures, language practice or voice calls, that combination of a filtered mic and a capped output is genuinely useful.
Gaosen Bulk Class Set: Who It's For
The Gaosen Bulk Class Set is a different animal entirely. It arrives as 30 pairs of on-ear headphones with 40mm dynamic drivers covering the same 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at 32 ohm impedance. That is a familiar, undemanding load — it will run off a Chromebook, an iPad, a laptop or an MP3 player without complaint. The 4-foot cord is a deliberate middle ground: long enough to reach across a desk, short enough not to become a trip hazard in a room full of kids.
The design choices all point at durability and sharing. The brackets are flexible plastic that can bend at a wide angle without snapping, the cord is thickened, and the headband adjusts to fit different head shapes. The ear cushions are soft foam, and the colors are mixed and bright, which the sheet frames as a way to hold children's attention. There is a one-year warranty and a stated 12-hour response window through Amazon messaging if something goes wrong.
Where it gives ground is audio control. There is no microphone, so it will not work for calls, remote lessons where the student needs to speak, or language labs that require voice input. Noise control is listed as none, and the sensitivity is 115 dB — noticeably more output headroom than the Kensington's capped 94 dB. For a classroom that means plenty of volume; for a parent worried about loud listening, it means the volume knob on the device is doing all the work. This is a set for listening and testing, not for recording or monitoring.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for microphone use → Kensington Hi-Fi Headphones. It has a noise-cancelling mic; the Gaosen set has none.
• Best for buying in bulk → Gaosen Bulk Class Set. 30 pairs in one order versus a single pair.
• Best for young kids → Gaosen Bulk Class Set. Adjustable headbands, flexible plastic brackets and a thickened cord are aimed squarely at children.
• Best for a single focused study desk → Kensington Hi-Fi Headphones. One pair, one listener, one 3.5mm plug.
• Best for a classroom, library or computer lab → Gaosen Bulk Class Set. The whole design brief is group use.
• Best for swivel single-ear monitoring → Kensington Hi-Fi Headphones. The ear cups swivel so someone beside you can listen in.
• Best for device compatibility in a mixed classroom → Gaosen Bulk Class Set. The 3.5mm plug is listed as working with Chromebooks, iPads, laptops, PCs and Android tablets.
For a single person studying — online lectures, note-taking, calls, quiet focus at a desk — I would buy the Kensington Hi-Fi Headphones. The microphone and the 94 dB ceiling are the two features that actually change how a study session goes, and neither exists on the Gaosen set. In my opinion, if you are one learner with one device, that is the pair to get.
But if you are a teacher, a tutor or a parent kitting out a group, the Kensington is the wrong shape of purchase entirely. I would buy the Gaosen Bulk Class Set, because 30 adjustable on-ear pairs with flexible brackets will outlast and out-supply any single headset. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever fits your situation — and remember that a bulk set and a single mic-equipped headset solve two genuinely different problems.
how to wear over the ear headphones
For the Kensington pair, the fit is on-ear rather than fully enclosing: the foam pads rest against your ears, and the padded headband adjusts to your head size. The swivel cups let you rotate one ear cup outward if you want to hear someone nearby. Set the headband so the pads sit flat and even, then adjust volume from your device.
how to clean on ear headphones
Foam ear cushions on both sets are the part that collects the most. Wipe the foam and the plastic or foam enclosure with a soft, slightly damp cloth, and avoid soaking them because neither sheet lists the pads as removable or washable. For the Gaosen bulk set, cleaning each pair between class sessions is the practical habit — 30 pairs get handled a lot.
Neither of these is strictly over-ear; both are listed as on-ear with foam pads. So the same routine applies — a gentle wipe of the foam and the headband, no harsh liquids, and let them air dry fully before the next use. Keep the 3.5mm plug clean too, since that is the single connection point on both models.
Do these headphones have a microphone?
Only the Kensington Hi-Fi Headphones do. Its mic uses passive resistance technology to filter ambient noise, which suits calls and online classes. The Gaosen Bulk Class Set has no microphone at all, so it is for listening and testing rather than speaking.
Yes — the sheet explicitly describes it as designed for students listening and testing, with 30 pairs per set, a 4-foot cord and a 3.5mm plug that works with Chromebooks, iPads, laptops and PCs. Just note the 115 dB sensitivity rating means you should manage volume at the device.
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