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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want an open-ear design that keeps you aware of traffic and your surroundings while you run, choose Niderson Open Ear Headphones; if you need maximum call clarity with six microphones and a semi-in-ear fit for all-day listening, choose EXZHIG Earbuds.
• Niderson's biggest strength: an open-ear earhook build with air conduction, so your ear canal stays completely unblocked while you still get a 15mm dynamic driver and ENC call noise cancellation.
• Niderson's biggest trade-off: the earhook form factor sits outside the ear rather than sealing it, so it leans on environmental awareness and comfort rather than passive isolation.
• EXZHIG's biggest strength: a six-microphone ENC array plus a 13mm dynamic driver, packaged in a 3.4g semi-in-ear earbud with a digital battery display on the case.
• EXZHIG's biggest trade-off: 5 hours per charge on the buds themselves, so the case becomes a near-daily habit rather than a weekly one.
• Who Niderson is for: runners, gym-goers and office users who want their ears open and their case pocket-thin.
• Who EXZHIG is for: commuters, call-heavy workers and movie/game listeners who want a sealed-ish fit and a mic array built for voice.
The Niderson L9 is built around one idea: keep the ear canal open. The earpiece uses an ergonomic earhook that rests lightly on the ear instead of plugging into it, and the air conduction approach means ambient sound reaches you while music and calls play alongside it. For anyone who has ever pulled an earbud out at a crosswalk to check for cars, that's the whole pitch in one sentence.
Under the hood it's more capable than the open-ear look suggests. There's a 15mm dynamic driver with acoustic tuning aimed at rich bass, clear mids and crisp highs, plus ENC noise cancellation on the mic to pull your voice out of street noise and road hum. Bluetooth 6.0 handles the connection, and the control scheme is the genuinely interesting part: a wide-area tap system with three tap zones that's designed to tell a deliberate fingertip tap apart from an accidental brush, like nudging your glasses. Each command gives you haptic or tone feedback so you know it registered.
Who should skip it? If you want your music to seal out the world — a noisy train, a loud open-plan office, a flight — the open-ear design works against you by intent. It's not trying to isolate. It's trying to coexist.
EXZHIG Earbuds: Who It's For
The EXZHIG J11 takes the opposite approach: get as much voice quality and sound pressure into a tiny package as possible. The headline is the mic setup — six microphones paired with ENC noise cancellation, with the added claim of wind noise reduction. If your day is built around calls, that's the spec you care about, because wind and background chatter are exactly what wreck a headset on a walk or a bike ride.
The fit is semi-in-ear rather than fully plugged, and each bud weighs just 3.4g. EXZHIG frames that as pressure relief for long sessions, which is a real consideration if you wear earbuds for hours at a time. Inside, a 13mm dynamic driver handles the audio with a HiFi stereo tuning aimed at deep bass and clear highs, and the listed audio specs — 32 ohm impedance, 110dB sensitivity, 20kHz frequency response — describe an easy-to-drive, efficient driver that phones won't struggle with.
Battery is 5 hours per charge, extending to 35 hours with the case, and the case carries an LED digital display showing remaining power so you're not guessing. Charging is USB-C, with fast-charge support for quick top-ups. IPX7 waterproofing matches Niderson, so sweat, rain and splashes are covered. Bluetooth 5.4 handles pairing with Android, iOS, PCs and TVs, auto-reconnects when you open the case, and works within a stated 10-meter range. Touch controls cover volume, track skipping, calls and voice assistants. EXZHIG also lists a two-year warranty with a 24-hour response commitment.
Who should skip it? If you specifically want to hear your surroundings — cycling in traffic, running on open roads — the semi-in-ear fit and the whole design intent push the other direction. And if you hate charging routines, 5 hours per charge means the case is coming with you every day.
• Best for battery life → Niderson Open Ear Headphones. 10 hours per charge and 45 hours total beats EXZHIG's 5 and 35, and the 45-hour figure covers roughly a full week of commutes.
• Best for call clarity on paper → EXZHIG Earbuds. Six microphones with ENC and wind-noise reduction is a more elaborate voice setup than a single ENC mic.
• Best for awareness and safety outdoors → Niderson Open Ear Headphones. The open-ear, air-conduction design deliberately lets environmental sound in.
• Best for long-session comfort → EXZHIG Earbuds. At 3.4g per bud with a semi-in-ear shape, the pressure point is minimized for marathon listening.
• Best for a pocketable case → Niderson Open Ear Headphones. A 24.7mm-thin case is the easier carry, even if EXZHIG's case is small in its own right.
• Best for power visibility → EXZHIG Earbuds. The LED digital battery display on the case tells you the charge level at a glance.
• Best for bass-forward movie and game audio → EXZHIG Earbuds. A 13mm dynamic driver tuned for deep bass and immersive stereo suits cinematic listening.
• Best for gym and sweaty workouts → either. Both are IPX7 and both target fitness use; the tiebreaker is whether you want your ears open or closed.
In my opinion, the call comes down to what you do most. If your priority is being aware of your surroundings, wearing buds for hours without ear fatigue, and going a full week between case charges, I'd buy the Niderson Open Ear Headphones — the open-ear earhook, the 45-hour total and that 24.7mm case make it the more thoughtful everyday companion for running, gym and office use. If your day is calls, commuting and movie nights, I'd buy the EXZHIG Earbuds instead: six mics with ENC, a 3.4g semi-in-ear fit and a 13mm driver are aimed squarely at voice quality and immersive sound. Neither is universally better. Pick the one that matches how you actually wear earbuds.
FAQ
how to use wireless headphones mic on pc
how to use mic on wireless headphones
Just connect the headphones and make sure the call or recording app is pointed at the headset as its input source. On the Niderson L9, the built-in ENC mic captures your voice while cutting background noise; on the EXZHIG J11, the six-mic ENC array does the same job with added wind-noise reduction. Touch controls on both handle answer and hang-up.
can you use bluetooth headphones as a mic
Yes — any Bluetooth headset with a built-in microphone can act as a mic for calls, voice chat and voice assistants once paired. The Niderson L9 and EXZHIG J11 both list built-in ENC microphones and touch-based call controls, so each works as a headset, not just as headphones. Quality depends on the mic array and noise handling, which is where EXZHIG's six-mic setup stands out.
do all bluetooth headphones have a microphone
No. Plenty of Bluetooth headphones are playback-only, especially over-ear models built purely for music. The way to check is whether the listing specifies a built-in mic and call controls — both products here do, with the Niderson L9 using a single ENC mic and the EXZHIG J11 using six mics with ENC. If calls matter to you, confirm the mic spec before buying.
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