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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-08 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear — biggest strength: RGB backlit cat ears and ear-cup logos, a foldable on-ear design, 50 mm dynamic drivers with Hi-Fi surround sound, and dual Bluetooth + 3.5 mm wired connectivity.
• SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear — biggest trade-off: The RGB lighting and the built-in microphone only work in Bluetooth mode, and it has no active noise cancellation — just sound isolation.
• Avantree Relay Airplane — biggest strength: It transmits audio from any 3.5 mm source (like an airline entertainment screen or a gym machine) to up to two pairs of Bluetooth headphones at once, with aptX Adaptive support and up to 25 hours of battery.
• Avantree Relay Airplane — biggest trade-off: It's a transmitter only — no microphone, no phone calls, no receiving audio. It is not a headphone.
• Who each pick is for: SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear is for someone who wants an affordable, playful headset for music, gaming, and online classes. Avantree Relay Airplane is for a traveler or gym-goer who already owns good Bluetooth headphones and needs to connect them to a wired audio jack.
This is a headphone, first and foremost. The SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear (model B90) is built around a 50 mm dynamic driver with a 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency range and a stereo surround-sound presentation. In my opinion, that driver size is the headline: it's larger than what you typically find on budget on-ear sets, which generally translates to fuller low-end and a wider soundstage for music and games. The memory foam ear pads and adjustable headband keep the weight distributed, and the whole thing folds flat for storage in a backpack.
The fun part is the design. Both the cat ears and the logo panels on the ear cups glow with RGB backlighting, and you can switch the lights off with a button on the ear cup. Two things to know up front: the RGB only works in Bluetooth mode (it's dark when you plug in the 3.5 mm cable), and the built-in noise-reducing microphone also only works in Bluetooth mode. Wired mode is audio-only.
Connectivity is genuinely flexible. Bluetooth 5 with a 10-meter range handles phones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. When the battery is low or you want a zero-latency connection for a gaming console, you plug in the included 3.5 mm audio cable and keep going. You get the headphone, a 3.5 mm cable, a USB charge cable, and a manual in the box, plus a 1-year warranty.
Who should skip it: anyone who needs real active noise cancellation for a noisy flight, and anyone who wants the microphone to work while wired. Also skip it if you need a low-latency gaming headset with simultaneous multi-device pairing — Bluetooth 5 here is single-connection at a time.
Avantree Relay Airplane: Who It's For
The Avantree Relay Airplane isn't a headphone at all — it's a Bluetooth transmitter, and understanding that is the key to knowing whether you want it. Its whole job is to take audio from a 3.5 mm output and send it wirelessly to Bluetooth headphones. That means an airplane seat's entertainment screen, an older TV, or a gym machine's audio jack suddenly works with whatever Bluetooth headphones or earbuds you already own.
The standout feature is Dual Link: you can connect two pairs of Bluetooth headphones to one source, so you and a travel partner can watch the same in-flight movie together without splitting a cheap pair of airline earbuds. The audio side uses Qualcomm technology with aptX Adaptive and aptX HD support, which delivers stable, detailed sound with compatible headphones. Pairing is a simple three-step process — plug the Relay into the 3.5 mm jack, put your headphones in pairing mode, and connect — and a dual-prong airplane adapter is included for older seat connectors.
Battery life is where it earns its keep on long-haul routes: up to 25 hours of playtime per charge (the spec sheet also lists a 20-hour figure for some use cases), a 2-hour charge time, onboard volume controls, and a clear battery indicator so you're not guessing mid-flight. It charges over a Lithium-Polymer battery and supports Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Low Latency.
Now the honest limitations, because they matter. The Relay is transmitter only. It has no microphone and is not intended for phone calls, TVs used as receivers, hearing aids, musical instruments, or receiving audio. If you plug it in expecting to talk to anyone, you'll be disappointed. It's also pointless if you already own wired headphones you're happy to plug straight into the seat jack — the Relay exists specifically to free Bluetooth headphone owners from wires.
Who should buy it: frequent flyers with a good pair of Bluetooth headphones or AirPods who want to use them on the plane and share audio with a companion; gym-goers whose cardio machines still have 3.5 mm jacks and who'd rather use their own earbuds than the machine's built-in ones. As a "best multipoint gaming headset for gym" workaround, it's actually a clever fit — your multipoint headset stays connected to your phone while the Relay feeds it machine audio.
Who should skip it: anyone without Bluetooth headphones, anyone who needs a mic or call functionality, and anyone who expects it to improve audio quality from a weak source — it transmits, it doesn't enhance.
• Best for playful design and RGB flair → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear. Nothing on the Relay is decorative; the SIMGAL is built to be seen.
• Best for using your own headphones on a flight → Avantree Relay Airplane. That's its entire reason to exist.
• Best for battery life → Avantree Relay Airplane. Up to 25 hours of playtime versus a headphone that needs periodic USB charging.
• Best for sharing audio with a travel companion → Avantree Relay Airplane. Dual Link connects two pairs of headphones to one screen.
• Best for gaming and online classes → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear. The 50 mm drivers, built-in mic, and Bluetooth-or-wired flexibility suit a desk setup.
• Best for wired backup → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear. The 3.5 mm cable keeps it working when the battery is empty (just without lights or mic).
• Best for low-latency wireless audio with compatible headphones → Avantree Relay Airplane. aptX Low Latency and aptX Adaptive are on the spec sheet; the SIMGAL lists standard Bluetooth 5.
• Best for a single do-everything device → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear, if your "everything" is listening and gaming. If your "everything" is flying with your own headphones, the Relay wins.
If I had to pick one, it depends entirely on what you actually need — and here's my honest call. For a student, teen, or casual gamer who wants an affordable, fun headset with RGB cat ears, real 50 mm drivers, a built-in mic, and a wired fallback, I'd buy the SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear. For anyone who flies regularly and already owns good Bluetooth headphones, or who wants to keep using their own earbuds at the gym, I'd buy the Avantree Relay Airplane — it's the more genuinely useful travel and gym tool of the two. They're not competitors, they're complements, and I'd happily own both.
are bluetooth headphones allowed on flights
Yes. Bluetooth headphones are permitted on commercial flights for listening to your own device or, with a transmitter like the Avantree Relay, for the seat's entertainment system. The Relay exists precisely because many seat jacks are still 3.5 mm wired only.
do bluetooth headphones work on flights
Bluetooth headphones work on flights, but not directly with most seat entertainment screens, which use a 3.5 mm jack. You either plug in wired (the SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear supports this via its included 3.5 mm cable) or use a Bluetooth transmitter such as the Avantree Relay to bridge the jack to your headphones.
do delta flights have bluetooth for headphones
Some newer aircraft offer Bluetooth audio for personal headphones, but it varies by plane and cabin, so you can't count on it. If your seat only has a 3.5 mm jack, a transmitter like the Avantree Relay lets you use your own Bluetooth headphones anyway.
are bluetooth headphones ok on flights
Yes, they're fine to use in the air. Just note that the SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear's RGB lights and microphone only function in Bluetooth mode, so if you plug into a seat jack with the 3.5 mm cable, you get audio only — no lights, no mic.
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