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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-03 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Pyle 4-Channel — biggest strength: Four ¼" TRS stereo outputs with independent rotary volume knobs, so up to four people can monitor the same source at their own levels, with ultra-low-noise amplification that holds up at high volume.
• Pyle 4-Channel — biggest trade-off: It is not a listening device at all. There is no Bluetooth, no battery and no headphones in the box — it is a corded distribution amplifier that needs a ¼" TRS source and its included 12V power supply.
• havit Active Noise Cancelling — biggest strength: A self-contained wireless over-ear headphone: Bluetooth 5.3, active noise cancelling, a 50-hour battery, 40 mm dynamic drivers and app-based EQ, plus a 3.5 mm wired option.
• havit Active Noise Cancelling — biggest trade-off: It is built for one listener. You cannot feed a band or a studio session with it, and its 32-ohm, 40 mm driver design is tuned for everyday listening rather than critical multi-headphone monitoring.
• Pick Pyle 4-Channel if you run a home studio, podcast setup or stage rig and need several people hearing the same mix.
• Pick havit Active Noise Cancelling if you are one person who wants quiet, untethered listening on a plane, on a train or at a desk.
The Pyle PHA40 is a headphone amplifier, not a headphone. Its entire job is to take one ¼" TRS source input — the sheet names a Pyle Pro mixer, but any mixer or interface with a ¼" TRS output can feed it — and split that signal across four ¼" stereo TRS output jacks. Each of those four outputs has its own rotary volume knob, which is the detail that matters most. Four people can track, rehearse or edit together, and nobody has to accept someone else's idea of "loud enough."
The spec sheet also points at how it's meant to be used: high-power stereo amplifiers with ultra-low-noise op-amps, stated to keep sonic quality intact even at maximum volume. That is exactly the scenario a distribution amp faces — four pairs of headphones drawing at once, levels pushed up, and the last thing you want is hiss or a collapsed stereo image. Balanced-style ¼" TRS connections are the studio-standard plug, so it slots into gear you probably already own. Physically it is tiny: roughly 4 by 1.2 by 2.2 inches and under a pound, in a plastic BLACK enclosure, with a power-on LED and a 12V/150mA supply in the box. Throw it in a gig bag and it disappears.
Who should buy it: anyone running a small studio, a rehearsal space, a podcast or a church sound booth where several people monitor one mix at once. Also handy for a musician who wants to practice against a click or backing track alongside bandmates. Who should skip it: if you want to listen to music on your phone, walk around, or block out airplane noise — this does none of those things. It has no wireless technology of any kind, no battery, and it will not power itself from a USB port. It is corded, mains-fed and stationary by design.
The havit NC01 is the opposite kind of product: one pair of over-ear headphones for one person, built to be worn rather than rack-mounted. The design brief reads like a commuter's checklist. Active noise cancelling to cut down engine drone and office chatter. A transparent mode when you need to hear a gate announcement or a colleague. Bluetooth 5.3 with a 10-metre range for cable-free use, plus a 3.5 mm jack and the included cable when you want wired listening — useful on a plane's seatback screen or when you would rather not spend battery.
The numbers that shape daily life are the battery and the drivers. Fifty hours of playback on a 2.5-hour charge means most people charge it roughly once a week, not once a day. The 40 mm dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range at 32 ohms and 103 dB sensitivity — a standard, easy-to-drive configuration that pairs fine with a phone. Stated latency is 60 ms, which is low enough for casual video and mobile gaming, though dedicated low-latency gaming headsets exist for competitive play. The earcups are oval and leather-covered over a plastic frame, which is the familiar over-ear recipe for long wear, and the whole thing folds for storage.
The HAVIT LIFE app is where this headphone gets more interesting than a plain Bluetooth set. Noise control and EQ are handled through app control rather than a fixed tuning, so you can adjust the sound signature instead of living with whatever the factory chose. Physical buttons are still there for the basics — useful when your phone is in a pocket. The theme tags on the sheet (travel, office, home, fitness, school, gaming) tell you havit is aiming broad rather than at one niche.
Who should buy it: travellers, remote workers, students and anyone who wants one headphone to cover commuting, calls, desk work and evening listening. The two-year warranty is a longer coverage window than the one year Pyle lists. Who should skip it: anyone who needs to monitor a mix with other people, needs four isolated outputs, or wants a reference-grade wired studio connection. One listener, one pair, full stop.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for solo listening anywhere → havit Active Noise Cancelling. Wireless, over-ear, folds up, no desk required.
• Best for noise reduction → havit Active Noise Cancelling. Active noise cancelling plus a transparent mode; the Pyle has no noise cancelling because it is not worn on your head.
• Best for long sessions away from a socket → havit Active Noise Cancelling. 50 hours of playback versus a corded 12V supply.
• Best for sound shaping → havit Active Noise Cancelling. Custom EQ through the app, versus fixed output level knobs on the Pyle.
• Best for a studio rack or gig bag → Pyle 4-Channel. Roughly 4.07" x 1.18" x 2.24" and 0.99 lbs, with a one-year warranty.
• Best for plug-and-play with an existing mixer → Pyle 4-Channel. A ¼" TRS input and output chain that matches standard studio gear.
• Best for calls, travel and everyday use → havit Active Noise Cancelling. Bluetooth 5.3, a 3.5 mm wired fallback, and a 2.5-hour charge time.
These two do not compete — they solve different problems, and the honest answer is that most people should buy the havit. In my opinion, if you are one person who wants quiet, wireless, long-lasting over-ear listening with app-tunable sound, the havit NC01 is the sensible pick: 50 hours of playback, Bluetooth 5.3, active noise cancelling and a wired fallback cover nearly everything a normal listener does in a week. I would only choose the Pyle PHA40 if your actual need is feeding four wired headphones from one mixer with separate volume control — a genuinely useful job, but a narrow one. Buy for the job you have, not the one you imagine.
FAQ
how to connect wireless headphones
Power the headphones on and put them into pairing mode, then open your phone or laptop's Bluetooth settings, select the havit NC01 from the device list and confirm. Keep the two within the 10-metre Bluetooth 5.3 range while pairing. After the first pairing, most devices reconnect automatically when both are switched on.
There is no single trick to it — wireless headphones simply replace the cable with a radio link between the headset and your device. On the havit, Bluetooth handles that link, and the physical buttons on the earcup control playback and volume. If you would rather not use Bluetooth, the included 3.5 mm cable turns it into a standard wired headphone.
how to use wireless headphones
Charge the headset first — the havit needs about 2.5 hours for a full charge and then runs up to 50 hours. Pair it once with your phone or computer, then use the app for EQ and noise-control settings and the buttons for everyday control. Switch on active noise cancelling in noisy places and transparent mode when you need to hear what's around you.
how to connect wireless headphones to a mixer
You generally don't. Bluetooth adds latency and is a poor fit for live monitoring, which is why the Pyle PHA40 uses a wired ¼" TRS input from your mixer and four wired ¼" TRS headphone outputs instead. If you want to hear a mix wirelessly, plug a Bluetooth transmitter into the mixer's output rather than expecting the headphones to do it.
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