We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-03 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a spare pair of in-ear USB-C earbuds that disappear in your pocket and cover a huge range of new phones and tablets, choose MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds; if you need volume-limited, over-ear headphones built for a child's head and a school Chromebook, choose awatrue AT2C. These two are both wired USB-C audio, but they solve completely different problems. One is a pocket-size spare for grown-ups, the other is a safe listening tool for kids.
• MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds biggest strength: a two-pack of in-ear USB-C earbuds with an inline microphone and a huge compatibility list covering iPhone 15/16/17, iPad, Samsung Galaxy S25, Pixel, Xiaomi and more.
• MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds biggest trade-off: no volume limiting, no foldable headband, just a plain wired earbud — and the 120-ohm impedance means they want a bit of power to sound their best.
• awatrue AT2C biggest strength: a real 85/94dB volume limiter plus a lightweight, flexible over-ear frame sized for kids ages 3–13 (and up to teens and adults).
• awatrue AT2C biggest trade-off: it's a kids' product first — over-ear, bulkier than an earbud, and the safety-first tuning isn't aimed at critical adult listening.
• Pick MAS CARNEY if you want a backup pair of wired earbuds you can carry anywhere and use on almost any modern USB-C device.
• Pick awatrue AT2C if the listener is a child using a tablet, iPad or Chromebook for school and you want a volume ceiling built in.
The MAS CARNEY TH9 is a straightforward idea done well: a wired, in-ear USB-C earbud that just plugs in and works, sold as a pack of two. There's no battery to charge, no pairing to fumble with, and no dongle to lose — the Type-C plug goes straight into the device. The spec sheet backs up the simple pitch: dynamic drivers, a 20–20,000 Hz frequency range, and rounded silicone tips in a black-and-white colorway. The plastic-and-silicone build keeps the weight down, and the whole thing is small enough to live in a jacket pocket or a bag pocket without you noticing it.
Where it earns its place is compatibility. The list of supported devices is genuinely long: iPhone 15, 16, 17 and the Air models, a wide spread of iPads from the mini to the Pro, MacBooks and even the recent Mac Pro, plus Samsung's S25 and S24 families, the Z Flip and Fold lines, plenty of Galaxy A-series phones, and Google Pixel, Xiaomi Redmi, Huawei Honor, OPPO and Vivo handsets. If your phone or tablet dropped the 3.5mm jack — which is most of them now — this is the no-fuss way back to wired audio. The inline microphone handles calls, and the voice control method means you can manage the basics without pulling the phone out.
Who should buy it: anyone who wants a cheap, reliable spare, someone who studies or works out and prefers a cable they can't lose, and households where two people each want their own pair. Who should skip it: parents shopping specifically for a child's first headphones, because there's no volume cap here, and listeners who need active noise cancellation, since the sheet lists noise control as none. If you're chasing maximum isolation or a headband fit, this isn't that product — it's the pocketable everyman earbud.
The awatrue AT2C is designed around one job: protecting young ears while keeping a kid connected to their schoolwork and their family. The headline feature is the 85/94dB volume limiter — 85dB for quieter settings like online lessons and homework, and a 94dB travel mode for noisier environments like a plane. That two-stage design is the whole point. It's an over-ear, on-ear style headphone with 40mm dynamic drivers and a 32-ohm impedance, which makes it easy to drive from a tablet or laptop without extra amplification.
The fit details matter here too. It weighs 5.29 ounces, uses a soft adjustable headband, and the ear cups expand to accommodate different head sizes — the brand says it fits children, teens and adults, which makes it a longer-term purchase than a strictly toddler-sized pair. The headband is described as flexible and durable, tested for thousands of stretches, and the materials are BPA-free. There's a built-in HD microphone for video chats, online classes and virtual playdates, and a push-button volume control on the cable. Connection is a plain USB-C plug aimed at iPads, kids' tablets, Chromebooks, smartphones and laptops.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a child's safety → awatrue AT2C. The 85/94dB limiter is the deciding feature, and nothing on the MAS CARNEY side addresses it.
• Best for travel and portability → MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds. In-ear, lightweight, pocketable, and you get a spare.
• Best for school Chromebooks and tablets → awatrue AT2C. It's explicitly built around iPads, kids' tablets and Chromebook laptops.
• Best for the widest device compatibility → MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds. The supported device list spans iPhone, iPad, Mac, Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO and Vivo.
• Best for phone calls on the go → MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds. An inline mic on a cable you can clip and forget.
• Best for home video chats with family → awatrue AT2C. The HD mic and over-ear fit suit sitting at a desk or on a couch.
• Best for gym and study sessions → MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds. The wired connection stays put and there's no battery to die mid-session.
• Best for a growing kid who'll use it for years → awatrue AT2C. The adjustable headband and expanding ear cups cover a wide age range.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the MAS CARNEY USB C Earbuds. In my opinion they're the more versatile pick: a two-pack of wired in-ear buds that work across an enormous range of USB-C phones, tablets and laptops, with a mic for calls and zero charging hassle. I'd recommend the awatrue AT2C in a heartbeat, though, if the listener is a child — the 85/94dB volume limiter is a feature the MAS CARNEY simply doesn't have, and for young ears that matters more than portability. So: adults and general use, go MAS CARNEY; kids and school use, go awatrue. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both are budget-friendly categories where the numbers move.
FAQ
how to connect usb c wired headphones
how to use usb c wired headphones on mac
Modern MacBooks and Mac desktops with USB-C ports accept these headphones directly. Plug them in and macOS should switch the audio output to the headphones; if it doesn't, open Sound settings and select the USB-C device as your output. The MAS CARNEY compatibility list includes recent MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models as well as Mac Pro.
how to connect usb wired headphones to macbook
The process is the same as any USB-C device: insert the plug into a USB-C port and let the MacBook detect it. There's no software to install for basic playback. If your MacBook only has older ports, you'd need a USB-C connection on the machine itself, since these headphones use a fixed USB-C plug.
how to connect usb wired headphones to xbox
Neither the MAS CARNEY earbuds nor the awatrue AT2C lists Xbox compatibility in their specs — both are positioned around phones, tablets, Chromebooks, laptops and iPads. Xbox controllers and consoles typically use different audio connections, so I wouldn't count on either of these working there. Check your controller's port type before buying for gaming.
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