We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a true gaming headset with virtual 7.1 surround sound and a boom mic for competitive play, choose MechLands Aula A700; if you need a dual-purpose over-ear pair that doubles as a portable speaker with 360° surround sound for movies, music and parties, choose JKNKCO HP09.
• MechLands Aula A700 — biggest strength: a purpose-built gaming package: 50mm dynamic drivers, 7.1 surround sound processing, a noise-canceling boom mic, triple connectivity (2.4GHz, Bluetooth, wired) and a 40-hour battery.
• MechLands Aula A700 — biggest trade-off: it's a plastic, gaming-first design with button controls and RGB lighting, so it looks and feels like a headset, not a lifestyle pair of headphones.
• JKNKCO HP09 — biggest strength: a 2-in-1 concept — over-ear Bluetooth headphones that also work as a portable speaker with 360° surround sound, plus 63 hours of playtime and a foldable frame.
• JKNKCO HP09 — biggest trade-off: no dedicated boom mic, no 2.4GHz low-latency dongle and no wired-only mode beyond the included 3.5mm cable, so it's less tailored to voice chat and competitive timing.
• Who each is for: pick the Aula A700 if you play shooters and need positional audio plus a mic; pick the HP09 if you want one device for music, movies and casual gaming on the go.
The Aula A700 is built around one idea: hearing where things are. Its 50mm dynamic drivers are paired with a C-Media chip, and the spec sheet explicitly ties that combination to accurate positioning — the kind of directional cueing that matters when you're trying to work out whether footsteps are coming from your left or behind you. MechLands also describes the tuning as bass-forward with clear mids and highs, which is the classic gaming recipe: explosions land with weight, dialogue and callouts stay intelligible.
The rest of the package is equally game-focused. You get virtual 7.1 surround sound, a noise-canceling microphone, and three ways to connect — 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm wired jack. That spread of connectivity is genuinely useful. The 2.4GHz path is the one I'd use for PC, PS4, PS5 or Switch, the 3.5mm cable covers anything with a headphone jack (including a controller), and Bluetooth handles phone calls and casual listening. A 40-hour battery rating means charging is a once-or-twice-a-week chore rather than a nightly one.
Buy it if you're a competitive or semi-competitive player who wants surround sound, a real boom mic and low-latency wireless in one headset. Skip it if you mainly want to listen to music outdoors — the plastic build, RGB lighting and over-ear gaming silhouette are designed for a desk, not a commute. It's also a single-item box: headset, cable, manual, backed by a one-year warranty.
The HP09 is a different animal entirely. JKNKCO's headline feature is that it's "2 in 1": over-ear Bluetooth headphones that can also function as a portable speaker. That's the reason to consider it over a conventional headset. The 360° surround sound presentation is delivered through 40mm dynamic drivers, and the whole thing folds down for travel. For a movie night in a hotel room, a picnic, or a small gathering, the speaker mode is a genuinely unusual trick that most headphones simply don't offer.
Battery life is the HP09's other calling card: 63 hours of playtime. That's a long stretch between charges, and it pairs with Bluetooth 6.0 and a 10-meter wireless range, so you can leave your phone on the table and walk around. A 3.5mm audio cable is included for wired listening when you want zero latency or you've run the battery flat, and the box also contains a USB-C charging cable and a manual.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for competitive gaming and positional audio → MechLands Aula A700. The 50mm drivers and C-Media chip are explicitly aimed at accurate positioning.
• Best for voice chat → MechLands Aula A700. It's the only one of the two with a noise-canceling microphone listed.
• Best for low-latency wireless → MechLands Aula A700. 2.4GHz is on the spec sheet; the HP09 is Bluetooth-only for wireless.
• Best for battery life → JKNKCO HP09. 63 hours versus 40 hours on the Aula A700.
• Best for travel and portability → JKNKCO HP09. It folds, and it's listed at 20 grams.
• Best for sharing audio with a room → JKNKCO HP09. The portable-speaker mode is unique to it.
• Best for console and PC flexibility → MechLands Aula A700. 2.4GHz, Bluetooth and 3.5mm cover PS4, PS5, PC and Switch.
• Best for a single everyday pair for music and movies → JKNKCO HP09. Longer battery, lighter build, and the 360° surround presentation.
In my opinion, the MechLands Aula A700 is the one I'd buy if surround sound is the whole point of the purchase. It's the only one of the two with a dedicated mic, a 2.4GHz low-latency link and drivers sized and tuned for positional gaming audio — which is exactly what "surround sound" means in practice for most buyers. I'd only switch to the JKNKCO HP09 if my listening is broader than gaming: music, films, travel, and that speaker mode. Then the 63-hour battery and foldable 2-in-1 design win. Two different jobs, two different answers.
how to get surround sound headphones
Buy a headset that lists surround sound as a feature. The MechLands Aula A700 ships with virtual 7.1 surround sound built in, so you enable it in the headset's software or control path rather than buying anything extra. The JKNKCO HP09 offers 360° surround sound as part of its design.
how to test surround sound headphones
Play content with clearly directional audio — a game with footsteps or a film with panning effects — and check whether sounds move left, right and behind you rather than sitting flat in the centre. On the Aula A700, test with the 2.4GHz connection so latency doesn't muddy the effect. On the HP09, test in both headphone and speaker modes.
how to make surround sound headphones work on console
Use the connection the console supports. The Aula A700 offers 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth and a 3.5mm jack, and is listed for PS4, PS5, PC and Switch, so you can pick the path your console handles. The HP09 is Bluetooth with a 3.5mm cable, which suits devices with a headphone jack or Bluetooth audio.
how to fix surround sound headphones
Start with the connection and the source. Confirm the headset is on the input you expect — 2.4GHz, Bluetooth or 3.5mm on the Aula A700 — and that the game or film is actually outputting a surround format. If the effect sounds collapsed, a wired 3.5mm connection on either headset is the simplest way to rule out a wireless hiccup.
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