We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a kid-safe, volume-limited pair built specifically for children age 6 and up, choose Skullcandy Grom; if you need active noise cancellation, Hi-Res audio and longer battery life for an adult listener, choose Wentronic Y01.
• Skullcandy Grom — biggest strength: It is engineered for kids, with volume capped at a child-safe 85 dB, a 45-hour battery, and a Share Audio Port so two children can listen to the same movie or playlist from one source.
• Skullcandy Grom — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation, so it relies on passive isolation and its volume-limit override for loud environments like planes.
• Wentronic Y01 — biggest strength: Active Noise Cancellation, a wider 20 Hz–40 kHz frequency range for Hi-Res audio, and a 48-hour battery for long listening sessions.
• Wentronic Y01 — biggest trade-off: It is aimed at adult listeners, with no built-in volume limiting, so it isn't the safer pick for a young child.
• Who each pick is for: Choose the Grom for a child who needs a durable, safe, shareable headphone; choose the Y01 for an adult who wants noise cancellation and richer audio detail.
The Grom is built from the ground up for children age 6 and older. The headline feature is volume limiting to 85 dB, which is the whole point of a kids' headphone: it keeps the maximum loudness in a range that's kinder to young ears. There's also a Volume Limit Override on the volume wheel, which lets a parent unlock louder playback when the surroundings are genuinely noisy — a flight cabin, a busy car, a crowded waiting room. That override is a smart touch because it acknowledges reality: sometimes 85 dB just isn't audible over engine noise, and the alternative is a child cranking a non-limited headphone far higher.
Battery life is a genuine strength at up to 45 hours per charge, and Rapid Charge gives roughly four hours of listening from a 10-minute top-up. That matters for the way kids actually use headphones — grabbed on the way out the door, forgotten on the charger. The design reinforces the same idea: an adjustable headband strap, kid-specific over-ear cups, a collapsible frame for travel, and a metal/plastic/rubber build that reads as more forgiving than a delicate adult model. At 160 g it's light enough for smaller heads.
Who should skip it? Anyone shopping for themselves. There's no active noise cancellation, the frequency response tops out at 20 kHz, and the sound is tuned for safety and clarity rather than audiophile depth. If you're an adult who wants immersive, detailed audio or noise cancellation on a commute, this isn't the tool. It's a kids' headphone, and it's excellent at being one.
Wentronic Y01: Who It's For
The Y01 is the adult-oriented counterpart in this comparison, and its feature list reads like a checklist of what a commuter or remote worker wants. Active Noise Cancellation is the marquee item — it actively reduces surrounding sound rather than just blocking it with padding, which is the difference between a quieter train ride and a genuinely quiet one. Alongside that, the 40 mm dynamic drivers and a 20 Hz–40 kHz frequency range push well past the 20 kHz ceiling of the Grom, which is the spec side of the Hi-Res audio claim on the box.
Battery life lands at a rated 48 hours, which is about three hours longer than the Grom's 45 and, more importantly, is a figure that suits multi-day use without anxiety. There's a 3.5 mm jack and an included audio cord too, so you can go wired when you want to — useful on planes with seatback entertainment or when the battery runs low. Bluetooth 5.3 is a step newer than the Grom's 5.2, with the same 10-meter rated range, and dual-device pairing is called out, meaning you can stay connected to a laptop and a phone at once and switch between them.
Comfort gets real attention here: oval over-ear cups with leather enclosure material, a foldable frame, and a Space Grey finish that's clearly styled for adults. Controls are push-button rather than touch, which some people prefer because it's predictable — no accidental track skips from a brush of the hand. The package includes the headphones, a 3.5 mm audio cord, a charging cable, and a manual. Weight is listed at 0.37 kg, so it's heavier than the Grom and sits firmly in normal adult over-ear territory.
Who should skip it? Parents shopping for a young child. There's no volume limiting here, no share port, and the tuning and design assume an adult user. It's also the wrong pick if you specifically want the simplest possible controls for a kid, or if you want a headphone that survives being stuffed into a backpack by a nine-year-old. And if your priority is purely maximum loudness protection for small ears, the Grom is the only one of the two designed for that job.
• Best for a child age 6+ → Skullcandy Grom. Volume limited to 85 dB with an override for noisy environments.
• Best for noise cancellation → Wentronic Y01. Active Noise Cancellation versus none on the Grom.
• Best for battery life → Wentronic Y01. 48 hours rated versus 45 hours on the Grom.
• Best for fast top-ups → Skullcandy Grom. Rapid Charge gives about four hours from a 10-minute charge; the Y01 sheet lists no equivalent.
• Best for audio detail → Wentronic Y01. 20 Hz–40 kHz range and 40 mm drivers versus a 20 kHz ceiling.
• Best for two kids sharing one screen → Skullcandy Grom. The Share Audio Port is unique to it in this matchup.
• Best for multi-device adult workflows → Wentronic Y01. Dual-device pairing suits laptop-plus-phone use.
• Best for travel with a child → Skullcandy Grom. Collapsible kid-safe frame plus the included AUX cable.
• Best for an adult commuter → Wentronic Y01. ANC, button controls, foldable comfort earcups.
• Best for wired backup → a tie. Both include a 3.5 mm cable and jack.
These two aren't really competing for the same buyer, so my recommendation splits cleanly. If the headphones are for a child, I'd buy the Skullcandy Grom without much deliberation — the 85 dB volume limit, the Share Audio Port, Rapid Charge and the collapsible kid-proof build are all pointed at exactly that job, and no adult headphone substitutes for them. If the headphones are for you, an adult who commutes, works or travels and wants quiet plus richer sound, I'd buy the Wentronic Y01: ANC, a 20 Hz–40 kHz range, 48 hours and dual-device pairing are the features that actually change a daily routine. In my opinion the only real mistake here is buying the wrong one for the wrong person.
FAQ
how to headphones work
how to headphones on iphone
Both are wireless over-ear headphones with Bluetooth and a 3.5 mm jack. On an iPhone you pair over Bluetooth in the settings, and both list iOS compatibility in their supported devices. If you prefer a wired connection, the Grom includes a removable AUX cable and the Y01 includes a 3.5 mm audio cord — though newer iPhones may need an adapter for the jack.
how to headphone mode off
"Headphone mode" usually refers to a device routing audio to headphones when you want it on the speaker, or a headphone-safety volume limit. On these two, disconnecting Bluetooth or unplugging the 3.5 mm cable returns audio to your device's speakers. Note that the Grom's 85 dB volume limit is a built-in safety feature for kids, and it stays on unless you deliberately use the Volume Limit Override on the volume wheel.
how to headphones
If you're asking how to actually use a pair: charge them, power on, enable Bluetooth on your phone or computer, and select the headphones from the device list — both have a 10-meter wireless range. The Grom keeps it simple with a main function button, power button and volume wheel, while the Y01 uses push-button controls. Both also work passively over the included 3.5 mm cable.
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