How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• RCA Wave-56 biggest strength: 40 hours of battery on a single charge, a 20 Hz–40 kHz frequency range, and over-ear comfort with active noise cancellation plus a transparency mode.
• RCA Wave-56 biggest trade-off: It's a full-size over-ear headphone — 1.5 pounds, no charging case, no translation features, and controls handled remotely rather than by touch.
• BNARQP MS110 biggest strength: A pocket-sized in-ear design with a charging case that totals 40 hours, IPX5 water resistance, and app-based AI voice translation.
• BNARQP MS110 biggest trade-off: Only about 4 hours per charge before it goes back in the case, and the translation experience depends on connecting to the companion app and a network.
• Pick RCA Wave-56 if you want one pair of comfortable over-ears for commuting, flights, study sessions, and long workdays.
• Pick BNARQP MS110 if you want discreet earbuds for travel, meetings, and language learning, with a transparency mode you can toggle by holding the right bud.
The Wave-56 is the classic over-ear travel headphone, done with a few modern touches. The headline number is 40 hours of playback — that's a full work week of commutes, or a long-haul trip there and back, without hunting for a cable. The 20 Hz to 40 kHz frequency range is wide, and RCA pairs it with enhanced bass and a promise of crisp highs and balanced mids, so it's tuned for people who want music to feel full rather than flat.
What makes it interesting for this comparison is the noise-control setup. It's active noise cancellation, so it's genuinely trying to reduce background sound — engine drone, office hum, train rumble — and then there's a transparency mode on top of that for when you need to hear traffic, a gate announcement, or someone talking to you. For a frequent traveler, that one-two punch is the whole point: silence when you want it, awareness when you don't.
Who should buy it: students, remote workers, and commuters who wear headphones for hours at a stretch and want a big, comfortable, long-lasting pair. Who should skip it: anyone who wants earbuds that disappear into a pocket, wants touch controls, or needs translation features. At 1.5 pounds with fabric-and-synthetic over-ear cups, the Wave-56 is meant to be worn, not carried unnoticed.
BNARQP MS110: Who It's For
The MS110 is a much more specialized product. It's a set of in-ear buds in orange, built from ABS and metal, and its defining feature isn't sound quality — it's the app-based AI translation, which supports voice translation across multiple languages and conversation modes. If you're traveling somewhere you don't speak the language, sitting in cross-border meetings, or actively learning a language, that's the reason this product exists.
The listening side is deliberately modest. A 14.2mm dynamic driver delivers balanced stereo with clear vocals — tuned for podcasts, calls, and online meetings rather than thumping bass. There are three modes: Noise Reduction for softening light everyday background sound like office chatter, Transparency Mode for hearing your surroundings, and Normal Mode for music and calls. Switching is simple: press and hold the right earbud for two seconds. That's a real, usable transparency mode in a bud, which matters if you're walking through a city or ordering coffee.
Battery is where you have to be honest about the trade-off. The buds themselves run about 4 hours per charge; the charging case extends the total to 40 hours. So the "40H" figure is a case figure, not a per-wear figure. Charging takes about 1.5 hours. The case is compact — roughly 6.67 cm by 5 cm by 2.88 cm — and IPX5 water resistance means sweat and light rain splashes aren't a problem.
Who should buy it: travelers, language learners, and anyone in meetings who wants a translation tool and a set of buds in one. Who should skip it: anyone who wants maximum per-charge listening time, or who dislikes depending on a phone app for a core feature.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for total battery with a case → BNARQP MS110. Both reach 40 hours total, but the MS110 gets there via its compact charging case.
• Best for blocking out noise → RCA Wave-56. Active noise cancellation plus over-ear cups that physically cover your ears.
• Best for hearing your surroundings in a hurry → BNARQP MS110. A two-second press-and-hold on the right bud cycles into Transparency Mode.
• Best for travel and language barriers → BNARQP MS110. App-based AI voice translation is the feature nothing else here offers.
• Best for long wear sessions → RCA Wave-56. Adjustable headband and cushioned over-ear cups are built for hours, not minutes.
• Best for sweat and light rain → BNARQP MS110. IPX5 water resistance is a spec the Wave-56 doesn't list.
• Best for a pocket-sized setup → BNARQP MS110. In-ear buds plus a small case beat a 1.5-pound folding headphone for portability.
• Best for a wide frequency range → RCA Wave-56. 20 Hz to 40 kHz covers a very broad span for music listening.
If I were buying one of these for myself, I'd take the RCA Wave-56. In my opinion, 40 hours of actual playback, over-ear comfort, genuine active noise cancellation, and a transparency mode I can switch to without touching my phone make it the more versatile everyday headphone — the kind you put on in the morning and forget about. The BNARQP MS110 is the smarter pick only if translation is the reason you're shopping. For that specific job, nothing in the Wave-56 comes close, but you're trading per-charge battery and wearing style for it.
FAQ
which airpods have transparency mode
Transparency mode isn't exclusive to any one brand — it's a feature of many noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds, including both products here. The RCA Wave-56 offers a transparency mode alongside its active noise cancellation, and the BNARQP MS110 includes a Transparency Mode you reach by holding the right earbud for two seconds.
The exact gesture depends on the product, not a universal standard. On the BNARQP MS110, you press and hold the right earbud for about two seconds to cycle through its listening modes until you land on Transparency Mode. The RCA Wave-56 uses a remote control method for its noise-control switching rather than touch gestures on the cups.
do all airpods have transparency mode
No — transparency mode is a specific noise-control feature, not something every wireless headphone or earbud includes. Both products in this comparison do offer it, but they implement it differently: the MS110 gives you a dedicated three-mode system, while the Wave-56 pairs transparency with full active noise cancellation for the opposite effect.
how to turn on transparency mode airpods
Treat it as a mode-switching action rather than a single button. With the BNARQP MS110, that means press-and-hold on the right earbud; with the RCA Wave-56, noise control is handled through its remote control method. On either, the goal is the same — let outside sound in without taking the headphones off.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: BNARQP MS110 vs AILKIN Samsung: Wireless Headphones with, FosPower Kids Headphones vs BULYPAZY 2-Pack: Wireless Travel, JLab vs WC PadZ Crusher Evo: Wireless Headphones with ANC