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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• myFirst CareBuds Max Kids – biggest strength: Kid-first design with 85/94dB volume limiting, 52 hours of playtime, and dual audio sharing so two listeners can pair to one device without a splitter.
• myFirst CareBuds Max Kids – biggest trade-off: It leans on volume limiting and smart transparency rather than true active noise cancellation, and the tuning is aimed at safety, not audiophile punch.
• SOAR NBA Active Noise – biggest strength: Active Noise Cancellation paired with 40mm dynamic drivers and Bluetooth 5.3, wrapped in officially licensed team graphics.
• SOAR NBA Active Noise – biggest trade-off: 8 hours of playtime per charge and a 5-hour charge time make it a daily-driver set rather than a long-haul travel companion.
• Who each pick is for: myFirst for parents buying for kids (roughly toddler age upward) and siblings who share screens; SOAR for adults who want ANC, bigger drivers and a team look for commuting, work and calls.
The myFirst CareBuds Max Kids is a wireless on-ear Bluetooth headphone that puts child safety ahead of raw output. The headline feature is the 85/94dB volume limit: Safe Mode caps output at 85dB for everyday listening, while Travel Mode lifts it to 94dB for genuinely loud environments like a plane cabin or a busy street. That two-tier approach matters because a single fixed cap is either too quiet on a flight or too loud in a bedroom. There's also Smart Transparency, which auto-activates so kids can hear ambient sound when they're outdoors — a sensible touch for anyone who worries about a child crossing a street with headphones on.
The second thing that stands out is how the myFirst handles sharing. Two users can connect to one device at once, so siblings can watch the same tablet or listen to the same story without a headphone splitter dangling between them. Combine that with 52 hours of playtime on a full charge and a fast-charge figure of 10 minutes for 8 hours of use, and you get a pair that can survive a long-haul flight and a forgotten charging cable.
Then there's the comfort angle, which is where myFirst does something genuinely unusual: interchangeable ear pads. One set is a cooling, breathable pad for summer, the other a soft plush cushion for winter. For kids who wear headphones for hours at school or on road trips, sweaty ears in July and cold ears in January are real complaints, and swapping pads is a simple fix. At 5.1 ounces and measuring 17.95 x 2.76 x 6.93 inches, it's light enough for younger wearers, and the included Lithium Polymer battery means it works straight out of the box.
Who should buy it: parents and gift-buyers shopping for children, especially families with more than one kid, and anyone who wants a wired-or-wireless headphone with a microphone for school and travel. Who should skip it: adults who want active noise cancellation for a noisy open-plan office, and listeners who prioritise bass depth and detailed highs over hearing protection. If you want ANC and a grown-up sound signature, this isn't the set for you.
The SOAR NBA Active Noise is a wireless over-the-ear Bluetooth headphone aimed at adult fans, and it leans hard into two things: noise cancelling and team identity. Active Noise Cancellation works alongside 40mm dynamic drivers to reduce background noise while delivering what SOAR describes as crisp highs, rich mids and deep bass. In practice, that combination is the classic commuter and office formula — you put them on, the drone of a train or a plane engine drops away, and you get a fuller, more energetic sound than a safety-tuned kids' headphone can offer.
Connectivity is where it looks modern: Bluetooth 5.3 with a stated range of up to 30 feet, which is enough to leave your phone on a desk, walk to the kitchen and keep streaming. Controls are handled by push buttons on the earcup for volume, track skipping and calls, and there's a built-in microphone for hands-free conversations. The design is on-ear with soft cushioned earcups and a plastic enclosure in team colours, and the set ships with a Mini USB cord. It's a licensed product, so the graphics are official rather than generic.
The trade-offs are worth being honest about. Battery life is listed at 8 hours per charge with a 5-hour charge time. That's a full workday or a decent commute week, but it's nowhere near the multi-day endurance of the myFirst, and the slow recharge means you'll want to plug in overnight rather than top up in a hurry. At 1.6 pounds it's also much heavier than the kids' set, which is fine for adult heads but not something you'd hand to a small child. And while the product name page lists "NCAA" in the model metadata, the branding and team graphics point to NBA fandom — treat the team styling as the headline, not the spec sheet.
Who should buy it: adult fans who want ANC, bigger drivers and a team look for commuting, working and calls. Who should skip it: parents shopping for young kids, anyone who needs marathon battery life, and travellers who want a lightweight set for long flights.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for hearing protection → myFirst CareBuds Max Kids — the 85/94dB limit and Smart Transparency are built for young ears.
• Best for battery life → myFirst CareBuds Max Kids — 52 hours versus 8 hours is not close, and 10 minutes of charging gets you 8 hours.
• Best for noise cancelling → SOAR NBA Active Noise — Active Noise Cancellation plus 40mm drivers is the adult, immersive-listening pick.
• Best for sharing with a sibling or friend → myFirst CareBuds Max Kids — two listeners pair to one device, no splitter required.
• Best for comfort across seasons → myFirst CareBuds Max Kids — cooling and plush interchangeable ear pads cover summer and winter.
• Best for team pride and style → SOAR NBA Active Noise — officially licensed graphics in team colours.
• Best for long trips and travel bags → myFirst CareBuds Max Kids — lighter at 5.1 ounces with fast charging and wired-or-wireless flexibility.
For a child, I'd buy the myFirst CareBuds Max Kids. The volume limiting, the 52-hour battery, the dual audio sharing and the swappable ear pads are all decisions made for the person actually wearing them, and in my opinion that's exactly what a kids' headphone should do. If you're an adult shopping for yourself and you want ANC, 40mm drivers and a team look for commuting and calls, I'd buy the SOAR NBA Active Noise instead — it's the more grown-up listening experience. The two aren't really competitors so much as answers to different questions. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing specs can't tell you.
how do wireless bluetooth headphones work
A wireless Bluetooth headphone contains a small radio and a battery. It pairs with your phone, tablet or laptop over Bluetooth, receives the audio stream digitally, and drives its speakers from that signal — no cable needed. Both sets here work this way, and the myFirst can also run wired when you want to save battery.
how to connect sony wh ch520 on ear wireless bluetooth headphones
The process is the same for almost every on-ear Bluetooth headphone, including the two here. Put the headphones into pairing mode, open Bluetooth settings on your device, select the headphones from the list, and confirm. Once paired, most sets reconnect automatically the next time you power them on.
how to put wireless headphones in pairing mode
Usually you hold the power button for a few seconds until a light flashes or you hear a tone, which signals the headphone is discoverable. Exact button timing varies by model, so the myFirst and the SOAR set each have their own sequence — check the included manual the first time.
how connect bluetooth headphones to phone
Turn the headphones on and put them in pairing mode, then go to your phone's Bluetooth menu and tap the headphone name when it appears. The SOAR NBA Active Noise lists Bluetooth 5.3 with a range up to 30 feet, so you can move around a room afterwards without dropping the connection.
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