We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-07 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a feather-light open-ear headset built for clear voice calls and all-day awareness, choose Middle Rabbit S6; if you need a foldable over-ear pair with a fuller, more enclosed sound for travel and long listening sessions, choose ApilWave Headphones. That's the short version for anyone comparing these two wired models in 2026, whether you're shopping for yourself or hunting for the best sports earbuds for toddlers.
• Middle Rabbit S6 — biggest strength: a true open-ear hook design at roughly 7 grams, plus an extended boom mic that's unusual in this category.
• Middle Rabbit S6 — biggest trade-off: sound is deliberately open, so bass is lighter than in-ear or over-ear options, and there's no active noise cancellation.
• ApilWave Headphones — biggest strength: 40 mm dynamic drivers, protein leather and memory foam earcups, and a foldable frame that packs into a pouch.
• ApilWave Headphones — biggest trade-off: it's a full over-ear headphone at around 195 grams, so it's bulkier and warmer over long wear than an open-ear hook.
• Pick the Middle Rabbit S6 if you're on calls all day, want to hear your surroundings, or need something that barely registers on your ear.
• Pick the ApilWave Headphones if you want more immersive sound, a folding travel-friendly build, and a USB-C connection.
The Middle Rabbit S6 is a wired open-ear earbud that sits on your ear rather than inside it. The hook shape and soft silicone construction let it rest on your contours instead of plugging your canal, and at about 7 grams it's designed to be forgotten. The AirFlow open-ear approach keeps you at 360° ambient awareness, so traffic, gym announcements and someone talking to you all come through without you pulling anything out.
The standout feature here is the boom microphone. An extended boom mic is genuinely rare on open-design earbuds, and it's the reason this model is aimed at calls, online meetings, call centers and gaming chat. There's an inline control unit on the cable for volume, playback and muting, so you're not reaching for your laptop mid-sentence. On the audio side, it uses a 16.2 mm dynamic driver with a bio-membrane, tuned for a more open, natural presentation than a sealed earbud. Impedance is 20 ohm and sensitivity 98 dB, with a 20 Hz–20 kHz range, which means it's easy to drive from a phone, PC or laptop.
ApilWave Headphones: Who It's For
The ApilWave Headphones are a wired over-ear model with a USB-C connection, and they're built around comfort and portability rather than awareness. The 40 mm dynamic drivers with 32 ohm impedance deliver a fuller, more enclosed presentation, and because that impedance is easy to drive you don't need any extra amplification to get decent volume from a phone, tablet or laptop. The oval earcups use protein leather with memory foam, the headband is adjustable, and the cups rotate 90 degrees so you can lay them flat or hang them around your neck.
Portability is the other theme. The frame folds, and ApilWave includes a dust bag and storage pouch in the box, plus a 1.2-meter tangle-free braided cable. The in-line control module handles the usual functions — one click to play or pause, double click to skip forward, triple click to go back — and there's a high-definition mic on the cable for hands-free calls and online classes. Weight lands around 195 grams, which is light for an over-ear but still a real object on your head compared with a 7-gram hook. Noise control is passive, meaning the earcups physically dampen some surrounding sound rather than actively cancelling it. There's no water resistance rating, so I'd keep them out of heavy rain and sweaty workouts.
Who should buy it: commuters, travelers and students who want an enclosed listen, people who prefer controls they can operate without looking, and anyone whose devices use USB-C. Who should skip it: if you need to stay aware of traffic or coworkers, the over-ear seal works against you, and the USB-C-only jack rules out older 3.5 mm gear without an adapter. It's also not aimed at young children.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for calls and meetings → Middle Rabbit S6. The extended boom mic is the deciding factor; the ApilWave mic sits on the cable.
• Best for immersive listening → ApilWave Headphones. 40 mm drivers and sealed earcups give you more body and isolation.
• Best for travel and packing → ApilWave Headphones. Foldable cups plus a storage pouch and dust bag.
• Best for workout and outdoor use → Middle Rabbit S6. The hook design and light weight suit movement better than a 195-gram over-ear.
• Best for USB-C devices → ApilWave Headphones. Native USB-C, no adapter required.
• Best for older laptops and PCs → Middle Rabbit S6. The 3.5 mm jack plugs into almost anything.
• Best for noise canceling wireless headphones for toddlers → neither, strictly speaking. Both are wired adult products; if you specifically want an ear-clip style for a small child, the S6's hook form is the nearer match, but check age guidance before buying.
In my opinion, the Middle Rabbit S6 is the one I'd buy if my day revolves around talking — calls, meetings, gaming chat — and I want to stay aware of what's happening around me. The boom mic and 7-gram open-ear fit solve a problem most earbuds in this space don't. If instead I wanted one pair for commuting, studying and long listening sessions, and my devices are USB-C, I'd go with the ApilWave Headphones for the 40 mm drivers, memory foam earcups and folding design. Both are wired, so neither is the answer if cable-free is a requirement, and neither is really a toddler product — the S6 hook is simply the closer shape if that's the form you're after. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since value is a personal call.
The Middle Rabbit S6 has the edge because of its extended boom microphone, which is designed to pick up your voice closely and clearly. The ApilWave's mic is mounted on the cable, which works fine for casual calls but sits farther from your mouth.
No. The Middle Rabbit S6 lists no noise control at all, since its open design deliberately lets sound in. The ApilWave Headphones use passive noise cancellation, meaning the earcups physically block some outside sound but there's no active electronics doing the work.
Yes, but the connection matters. The Middle Rabbit S6 uses a 3.5 mm jack, so it plugs straight into most laptops, desktops and controllers. The ApilWave Headphones use USB-C, which suits modern phones, tablets and USB-C laptops but may need an adapter for older gear.
They're designed for adults, so I'd treat both as grown-up products. If you're set on the ear-clip feel for a child, the S6's hook shape is the closer design, but I'd check the manufacturer's age guidance and fit carefully before buying for a toddler.
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