How We Research
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want open-ear awareness and a barely-there fit for all-day wear, choose NEARITY MemPod Fit 2; if you need serious active noise cancellation and long, uninterrupted listening sessions, choose Edifier W820NB.
• NEARITY MemPod Fit 2 — biggest strength: an open-ear design at just 9.9g with silicone ear hooks, so you keep hearing traffic, coworkers and the room around you while you listen.
• NEARITY MemPod Fit 2 — biggest trade-off: because nothing seals your ear canal, bass won't hit like an in-ear or over-ear model, and there's no true passive isolation.
• Edifier W820NB — biggest strength: hybrid active noise cancellation rated to -49 dB, plus a huge 88-hour battery figure and LDAC hi-res audio over Bluetooth 6.1.
• Edifier W820NB — biggest trade-off: it's a 247g over-ear headphone, so it's bulkier and more of a deliberate "put them on" device than something you forget you're wearing.
• Who each pick is for: the MemPod Fit 2 suits runners, walkers, office multitaskers and anyone who wants to stay aware; the W820NB suits commuters, travelers, focus workers and home listeners who want the world switched off.
The MemPod Fit 2 is built around one idea: keep your ears open. Instead of pushing a tip into your canal, it hooks over your ear with soft, skin-friendly silicone and sits at 9.9g — light enough that the spec sheet's whole pitch is "you barely feel it." For long days of wear, that matters more than people expect. There's no pressure build-up, no aching after hour three, and no need to yank them out every time someone walks up to your desk.
Around that design, NEARITY packs the practical stuff. Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint lets it hold two devices at once — your laptop and your phone, say — so a call can come in on one while media stays paused on the other, no re-pairing dance. The dual MEMS microphone array with ENC and HiFi4 DSP is aimed at the person on the other end of your call: it filters office chatter, restaurant noise and street traffic so your voice comes through cleanly. And the battery numbers are genuinely useful for this category — up to 10 hours per charge at 50% volume, plus a charging case that adds up to 35 more, for roughly 45 hours combined and a 2-hour full charge.
Buy it if you walk, run, cycle or commute in traffic and want to hear what's coming. Buy it if you live in meetings and want to switch between laptop and phone seamlessly. Buy it if in-ear tips hurt you or fall out. Skip it if you want deep, sealed-in bass — NEARITY itself notes the bass enhancement algorithm still won't match an in-ear like AirPods. Skip it if you're flying and want the engine drone gone; an open-ear design simply can't do that.
The W820NB Plus Gen 2 goes the opposite direction. This is a full over-ear headphone with 40mm titanium-coated dynamic drivers, hybrid active noise cancellation rated at -49 dB, and multiple ANC modes you can flip through with physical buttons — with the EDIFIER ConneX app adding sport, office and travel presets on top. If your goal is to subtract the world, this is the tool for the job. Planes, trains, open-plan offices and noisy cafés are exactly its territory.
The feature list reads like a wishlist for long-haul listening. LDAC hi-res audio over Bluetooth 6.1. Spatial sound with EQ presets. A volume guard that caps your maximum level so you don't drift into uncomfortable territory. AI-assisted call noise cancellation. And the battery figures are the headline: up to 88 hours of continuous use, or 49 hours with ANC running, plus fast charging that gives you 15 hours from a 15-minute top-up. It charges over USB-C in about 2 hours. Soft memory foam cushions and a foldable frame make it portable enough to live in a backpack.
Buy it if you commute on noisy transit, fly often, or need to concentrate in a loud space. Buy it if you want one charge to cover a week of listening. Buy it if you care about hi-res codecs and spatial audio. Skip it if you need to stay aware of your surroundings — ANC and closed cups are the point here. Skip it if you want something you can forget you're wearing for 12 hours straight; at 247g it's a real, substantial headphone.
• Best for situational awareness → NEARITY MemPod Fit 2. Open-ear design means traffic, announcements and colleagues stay audible.
• Best for noise cancellation → Edifier W820NB. -49 dB hybrid ANC with multiple modes and app-based presets.
• Best for all-day comfort → NEARITY MemPod Fit 2. 9.9g with silicone ear hooks versus 247g over-ear cups.
• Best for long listening sessions → Edifier W820NB. Up to 88 hours (49 with ANC) and 15 hours from a 15-minute charge.
• Best for multitasking across devices → NEARITY MemPod Fit 2. Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint keeps a phone and laptop connected at once.
• Best for sound quality and codecs → Edifier W820NB. 40mm titanium drivers, LDAC hi-res, spatial sound and EQ presets.
• Best for calls in busy places → NEARITY MemPod Fit 2 if your priority is your voice reaching the other person clearly via ENC and dual MEMS mics; Edifier W820NB if you'd rather block the noise around you first.
• Best for travel and commuting → Edifier W820NB. Foldable, cushioned and built to quiet a cabin or a carriage.
In my opinion, the Edifier W820NB is the one I'd buy for most people who are choosing between these two. The reason is simple: -49 dB of ANC, LDAC, spatial sound, multipoint and up to 88 hours of battery cover far more everyday situations — commuting, flying, focusing, long listening — and the over-ear format is simply better at delivering full-bodied audio. I'd only steer you to the NEARITY MemPod Fit 2 if awareness and featherweight comfort are non-negotiable for you. If you run outdoors, cycle, or spend your day walking between meetings and hate things in your ears, the Fit 2 is the smarter fit. If you want the world to go quiet, get the W820NB.
Is the NEARITY MemPod Fit 2 good for noisy places like planes or trains?
Not really. Its open-ear design deliberately lets outside sound in for safety and awareness, and its noise cancellation is aimed at call clarity via ENC microphones rather than silencing your environment. For flights and busy transit, the W820NB's -49 dB ANC is the better match.
Yes. The MemPod Fit 2 supports Bluetooth 5.3 with dual connectivity, letting you switch between two devices. The Edifier W820NB Plus Gen 2 also supports multipoint over Bluetooth 6.1.
The MemPod Fit 2 is the lighter option by a wide margin at 9.9g with soft silicone ear hooks, so it's easier to wear for hours. The W820NB uses memory foam ear cushions for comfort, but at 247g it's a heavier over-ear design. For price and current availability, check the button on this page.
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