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Updated: 2026-10-07 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
That's the short version, and it comes down to two very different design philosophies. The Kensington is a single-purpose USB headset with a padded headband meant to fit heads of all ages, big ears included. The Wantek is a three-connection chameleon with an adjustable headband and a rotating mic boom. Both are wired on-ear headsets with a microphone. They just solve different problems.
• Kensington's biggest strength: 40mm dynamic drivers with deep bass and a wide 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range, plus a padded headband explicitly designed to fit heads of all ages.
• Kensington's biggest trade-off: USB only. No 3.5mm jack, no USB-C adapter, so it lives and dies by the port it's plugged into.
• Wantek's biggest strength: three connection options in one box — USB-A, USB-C and 3.5mm — with a 270° rotatable mic boom and a lightweight 211g build.
• Wantek's biggest trade-off: its stated frequency range is narrow at 85 Hz–255 Hz, which tells you it's tuned for voice, not music.
• Who Kensington is for: students, call center staff, and anyone with a bigger head who wants comfortable all-day listening with real stereo sound.
• Who Wantek is for: people juggling a laptop, a phone, and a tablet who want one headset that works across all of them.
The Kensington USB Hi-Fi Headphones with Microphone (K97601WW) is, in my reading of the spec sheet, first and foremost a comfort and sound-quality play. The padded headband is described as fitting heads of all ages, and the foam on-ear pads are there for hours of use. If you've got a wider head or bigger ears and most on-ear headsets start pinching after twenty minutes, that padding design is the whole reason to look here. This is the headset I'd point at if "headphones for big ears" is your actual search.
Where it gives ground is flexibility. The connection is a 6-foot USB cord, full stop. No 3.5mm, no USB-C adapter in the box. The noise control is passive, and the controls are remote/media controls rather than a full in-line volume pod. So if you're hopping between a phone, a tablet, and a laptop, or you want something for gaming headphones for big ears duty on a console with a 3.5mm jack, this isn't the one. It's a desk headset, and it's excellent at being that.
Wantek USB-A/USB C/3.5mm: Who It's For
The Wantek 3-in-1 (model 681SCWANTEK) is the opposite bet: maximum compatibility, minimum fuss. The box includes a 3.5mm/USB/USB-C adapter setup, and the spec sheet lists compatibility with Windows 2000 through 10, plus XP and Vista, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android — phones and tablets included. No drivers needed. Plug in and go. For anyone who has ever dug through a drawer looking for the right dongle before a meeting, that alone is the pitch.
Comfort is handled differently. At 211g it's light, the headband is adjustable for different head sizes, and the ear pads are soft and breathable by description. The mic boom rotates 270° and works on either the left or right side, which is a genuinely thoughtful touch for people who switch ears. The build mixes plastic, aluminum, and foam/leather, and it carries a 2-year warranty.
The honest trade-off is audio ambition. The stated frequency range is 85 Hz–255 Hz, which is a narrow voice band, not a music band. Wantek leans on a built-in noise-reduction sound card and DSP to keep calls crystal clear, and the noise control is listed as active — but this is a voice-communication tool. If you want to listen to albums, or you're chasing with mic head phones for big ears that also sound rich, the Kensington is the better fit. The Wantek also doesn't state a driver size, so there's less to point at on the sound-quality front.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for big ears and long sessions → Kensington USB Hi-Fi Headphones. The padded headband is designed to fit heads of all ages and the foam pads are built for hours of wear.
• Best for device flexibility → Wantek USB-A/USB C/3.5mm. USB-A, USB-C and 3.5mm in one package, with no drivers required.
• Best for pure voice calls → Wantek. A narrow 85 Hz–255 Hz voice band, DSP, and a noise-reduction sound card are tuned exactly for speech.
• Best for left- or right-ear wearers → Wantek. The 270° rotating mic boom flips sides easily. Kensington doesn't list a rotatable boom.
• Best for hearing-safety limits → Kensington. Output is capped at 94dB, which matters in classrooms and shared setups.
• Best for lighter weight → Wantek. 211g versus Kensington's 5.28 ounces with no stated weight for the Wantek's cable.
• Best for warranty length → Wantek. 2 years versus Kensington's 1 year.
In my opinion, if your headline problem is big ears and you mostly sit at one machine, buy the Kensington USB Hi-Fi Headphones. The padded headband, 40mm drivers, and full-range 20 Hz–20,000 Hz tuning make it the more comfortable, more enjoyable headset for long stretches — and for headphones for big ears, that comfort design is the deciding factor. I'd only switch to the Wantek if you genuinely need one headset to cover USB-A, USB-C, and 3.5mm across multiple devices and you care about call clarity more than music. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both sit in the budget-headset bracket and the gap changes.
what is the best noise cancelling over ear headphones
There's no single answer, because "best" depends on your use. If you want a headset tuned for music and comfort with a passive noise-cancelling mic, the Kensington fits that brief with 40mm drivers and a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range. If you want active noise control for voice calls across three connection types, the Wantek is the one to look at.
what are the best noise cancelling over ear headphones
The same logic applies. The Kensington's noise control is listed as passive, and its mic uses passive resistance to filter ambient noise. The Wantek lists active noise cancellation and a built-in noise-reduction sound card. For pure voice work, the Wantek's active approach is the more aggressive option; for listening, the Kensington's wider frequency range wins.
what are the best noise cancelling in ear headphones
Neither of these is an in-ear model — both are on-ear headsets, so if you specifically want in-ear noise cancelling you'll need to look elsewhere. Within on-ear, the Kensington's foam pads and padded headband suit bigger heads, while the Wantek's 211g build and breathable pads suit people who want something light.
how to replace ear pads on bose noise cancelling headphones
That's a Bose-specific process and neither headset here is a Bose, so I won't guess at it. What I can tell you from the spec sheets: the Kensington uses foam ear pads and the Wantek uses foam/leather pads, and neither datasheet describes a user-replaceable pad design. If pad replacement matters to you, factor that in.
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