We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-06 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a child-safe, volume-limited wired headphone built for school, calls and long wear, choose New Bee Kids Headphones; if you need a lightweight, retro-styled open-ear pair for casual listening on the move, choose JJLFresheners Orange Retro. For hiking — where a secure, padded on-ear fit and a volume ceiling both matter — I'd lean New Bee. Here's how I'd actually decide between them.
• New Bee's biggest strength: a switchable 85dB/94dB volume limiter plus a built-in HD microphone — a combination the Orange Retro simply doesn't offer.
• New Bee's biggest trade-off: it's an on-ear wired headphone aimed at kids, so the styling and the cable-first design won't appeal to every adult listener.
• JJLFresheners' biggest strength: genuinely light (0.05 kg) and portable, with an open-ear, vintage-inspired look and an adjustable headband.
• JJLFresheners' biggest trade-off: no microphone, no volume control and no noise isolation at all — it's a straightforward wired stereo headphone.
• Who New Bee is for: parents buying for a 4–16 year old, or anyone who wants a mic and a hearing-safety limit for study, calls or gaming.
• Who JJLFresheners is for: an adult who wants a stylish, featherweight wired headphone for casual listening and everyday carry.
New Bee builds the KH20 around one idea: safe listening for young ears. The headline feature is the volume control that switches between 85dB and 94dB. In my opinion that's the most useful thing on this spec sheet, because it caps output at the source of the problem rather than relying on a child to self-regulate. The 94dB ceiling is also there for noisier environments — New Bee specifically mentions competing with traffic noise while travelling — so you get a safe default and a louder option when the world gets loud.
The second pillar is the built-in HD microphone. New Bee positions the KH20 for 4–16 year olds during remote learning and gaming, and a mic is what turns a headphone from a listening device into a two-way tool for video classes, voice chat and calls. Around that, the design details are all about durability and fit: a stainless steel slider in the headband, swivel-mounted leatherette ear cushions, padded ear muffs, and a foldable build. It's an on-ear, rounded earpiece with a 32-ohm impedance, a dynamic driver and a 20Hz–20,000Hz range — standard, sensible numbers for a wired headphone driven by a phone, tablet or laptop.
Who should buy it: a parent who wants one wired headphone that handles schoolwork, calls and games without volume creeping into unsafe territory. Who should skip it: an adult shopping purely for music aesthetics, or anyone who wants wireless freedom — the KH20 is a wired 3.5mm headphone, and New Bee notes that iPhones from the 7 onward and certain iPad Pro models need a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter, so check your port before buying. A Bluetooth connection is listed in the spec sheet, but the product itself is built around the cable.
For hiking, the KH20's case is decent: the padded on-ear cushions and adjustable slider help it stay put, and the 94dB mode gives you a bit more output against wind and trail noise. The cable is the weak point on a trail, and there's no memory foam pad here — the cushions are leatherette.
The Orange Retro is a different animal entirely. Its whole personality is the vintage-inspired design — a sleek orange finish, an adjustable headband and a compact, lightweight body. At 0.05 kg it's about as carry-friendly as a wired on-ear headphone gets, which is exactly the point: toss it in a bag and forget it's there. The headband adjusts to fit different head sizes, so it isn't locked to one wearer.
The audio approach is open-back and open-ear. JJLFresheners describes it as an immersive listening experience that still lets some ambient noise through for situational awareness. That's a real design choice with real consequences: you stay aware of traffic, conversations and your surroundings, but you also get no isolation whatsoever — the spec sheet lists noise control as "None." If you want to block out a noisy commute, this is the wrong tool. If you want to hear your music and the world at once, it's the right one. Inside, it's a wired stereo headphone with a dynamic driver, a 20Hz–20,000Hz range and a standard 3.5mm jack, compatible with smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Who should buy it: an adult who wants a light, good-looking wired headphone for casual listening at home, on a walk or on a commute where awareness matters. Who should skip it: anyone who needs a microphone for calls or class, anyone who wants volume limiting for a child, and anyone who needs noise isolation. It's also listed for an adult age range, so it isn't pitched as a kids' product.
For hiking, the open-ear design is a genuine plus — you can hear approaching cyclists, other hikers and traffic at a trailhead. The trade-off is that wind and ambient sound will compete with your audio, and there's no mic if you want to take a call mid-trail.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for child hearing safety → New Bee Kids Headphones. The 85dB/94dB limiter is the deciding feature and the Orange Retro has no equivalent.
• Best for portability and light weight → JJLFresheners Orange Retro. At 0.05 kg with a compact body, it's the easier one to carry all day.
• Best for situational awareness while hiking → JJLFresheners Orange Retro. Its open-back, open-ear design deliberately lets ambient sound in; New Bee's on-ear cups isolate more.
• Best for a secure, padded fit over long sessions → New Bee Kids Headphones. Leatherette cushions, swivel mounts, a stainless steel slider and a foldable frame give it the more adjustable, durable build.
• Best for style → JJLFresheners Orange Retro. The retro orange look is the entire reason this headphone exists.
• Best for noise isolation → New Bee Kids Headphones. Neither is a noise-cancelling product, but New Bee lists sound isolation as its noise-control approach, while the Orange Retro lists none.
• Best for an adult buying for themselves → JJLFresheners Orange Retro. New Bee is explicitly a kids' headphone; the Orange Retro is aimed at adults.
If I were buying for a child — or for anyone who needs a mic and a hard volume ceiling for school, calls or gaming — I'd buy the New Bee Kids Headphones. The 85dB/94dB limiter and built-in microphone are two features the Orange Retro can't match, and the padded, foldable, stainless-steel-slider build reads as the more durable everyday tool. For hiking specifically, I'd still pick New Bee if the wearer is a kid or the priority is a secure on-ear fit with a safety limit, while accepting the cable as the weak link. If instead I wanted a featherweight, retro-styled wired headphone for casual adult listening with full awareness of my surroundings, I'd pick the JJLFresheners Orange Retro without hesitation. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever one fits your case.
FAQ
what are the best open ear headphones
are on ear headphones good
On-ear headphones sit against the ear rather than around it, which usually means a lighter, more compact fit — both products here are on-ear. New Bee adds padded leatherette cushions and a stainless steel slider for comfort and durability; the Orange Retro leans on being extremely light at 0.05 kg. Neither offers active noise cancellation.
are open ear headphones good
They're good for a specific job: staying aware of your surroundings. The Orange Retro's open-ear, open-back design is built exactly for that, so it suits walking, commuting and hiking where you want to hear traffic or other people. The trade-off is that you lose isolation, and outside noise will compete with your audio.
what are the best in-ear headphones
Neither product here is an in-ear headphone, so I can't speak to that category from these spec sheets. Both the New Bee KH20 and the JJLFresheners Orange Retro are wired on-ear models with a 3.5mm jack — if you specifically need in-ear, you'd be looking at a different product type altogether.
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