We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want active noise cancelling with a wireless, game-day-ready over-ear design and the longest battery life of the two, choose SOAR Collegiate Active; if you need a wired USB-C headset with a boom-free inline mic for calls, class and plug-and-play listening on a laptop or phone, choose Cowyawn USB C Headphones.
• SOAR Collegiate Active — biggest strength: true active noise cancellation plus Bluetooth 5.3 and up to 40 hours of playtime, with a wired option as backup.
• SOAR Collegiate Active — biggest trade-off: it's a wireless-first design at 1.2 pounds, so it's the heavier, bulkier pick of the two, and its controls and mic situation are built around listening rather than calling.
• Cowyawn USB C Headphones — biggest strength: a wired USB-C connection that needs no charging or pairing, 40mm dynamic drivers, and an HD microphone with wind-noise suppression for voice.
• Cowyawn USB C Headphones — biggest trade-off: it's a wired-only headset, so there's no battery to lean on when you want to move around untethered, and its noise control is passive isolation rather than ANC.
• Pick SOAR Collegiate Active if you want to cut out crowd noise and commute racket wirelessly and hate charging cables.
• Pick Cowyawn USB C Headphones if your priority is a dependable wired headset for calls, classes, gaming and USB-C devices.
The SOAR Collegiate Active is built around one idea: silence the world so you can hear the thing you actually care about. Its active noise cancelling is designed to knock down crowd roar, traffic and bar noise, which is exactly the kind of low, constant rumble ANC handles well. If you've ever tried to follow a broadcast in a loud room, you know why that matters.
Around that core sit some genuinely useful specs. Bluetooth 5.3 keeps the wireless link stable and power-efficient, and quick charging takes the battery from empty to ready in about 1–2 hours. Once charged, it's rated for up to 40 hours of playtime — enough for a string of long game days, a week of commutes, or a road trip without hunting for a cable. When the battery does run dry, there's a wired listening option as a fallback.
The audio hardware is a pair of 32mm dynamic drivers, tuned for bold, full-bodied sound — the kind that suits sports commentary, podcasts and mainstream music rather than critical listening. The over-ear design with super-soft ear pads is aimed at all-day wear, and the lightweight build is meant to keep pressure off during marathon sessions.
So who should buy it? In my opinion, this is for the fan, the commuter and the casual listener who wants wireless freedom, real ANC and long runtime in one package, and who likes the team-themed look. Who should skip it? Anyone who needs a microphone-first headset for meetings, or who wants a featherweight, pocketable pair — at 1.2 pounds and over-ear, this is a stay-put headphone, not a grab-and-go accessory. It's also worth checking the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one variable that shifts.
The Cowyawn USB C Headphones go the opposite direction: no battery, no pairing, no drama. You plug the USB-C connector into your device and you're listening. That simplicity is the whole point. It works with USB-C audio devices broadly — recent iPhone models, computers, laptops, MacBooks, newer iPads, Pixel phones and other USB-C jacks — so it's a genuinely useful one-cable solution if your gear has moved past the old 3.5mm port.
For voice, there's an HD microphone with wind-noise suppression, plus inline volume control. That combination is what makes it a workhorse for calls, online classes, gaming chat and remote meetings. The 40mm DLC dynamic drivers are the larger of the two here, and they're tuned for balanced bass and treble with a clear midrange — a profile that suits voices and music alike.
Noise control is different in kind, not just degree. The Cowyawn uses 360-degree over-ear noise isolation that the spec sheet describes as blocking out over 90% of ambient sound. That's passive isolation — the cups and padding doing the work — so it cuts steady background hum and chatter without any electronics or battery drain. It's the sort of thing singers, musicians, drummers and travellers reach for.
Who should buy it? Anyone who lives on USB-C, takes a lot of calls, and wants a no-charging, always-ready headset. Students, remote workers and gamers fit neatly here. Who should skip it? If you want to walk around untethered, or you need true active noise cancelling against engine drone and crowd noise, the wired Cowyawn isn't the tool. And if you want the lighter carry, note it's listed at 0.2 kg with a foldable design, so it travels better than the SOAR — but you're tethered to your device the whole time.
• Best for active noise cancelling → SOAR Collegiate Active. It has genuine ANC; the Cowyawn relies on passive isolation.
• Best for battery life → SOAR Collegiate Active. Up to 40 hours of playtime with a 1–2 hour quick charge, versus no battery at all on the wired Cowyawn.
• Best for calls and voice → Cowyawn USB C Headphones. An HD mic with wind-noise suppression and inline volume control is the point of this headset.
• Best for wireless freedom → SOAR Collegiate Active. Bluetooth 5.3 means no cable to your laptop or phone.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → Cowyawn USB C Headphones. No pairing, no charging, no waiting — plug into any USB-C audio device and go.
• Best for bigger drivers → Cowyawn USB C Headphones. 40mm dynamic drivers versus the SOAR's 32mm.
• Best for all-day comfort at home or the stadium → SOAR Collegiate Active. Soft over-ear pads and a pressure-free fit are designed for marathon sessions.
• Best for travel and portability → Cowyawn USB C Headphones. Foldable, on-ear, and roughly a fifth of the weight.
In my opinion, the SOAR Collegiate Active is the more capable headphone for most people — active noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.3, up to 40 hours of battery and a wired backup cover more situations than any single wired headset can. I'd choose it if you want to block out the world and move around while you listen. But if your day is calls, classes and USB-C devices, and you'd rather never think about charging again, the Cowyawn USB C Headphones is the smarter buy. Two different jobs, two different answers. Buy the one that matches how you actually listen — and check the current price on Amazon before you decide.
how to on noise cancelling headphones
Turn on the headphones and activate the ANC control — on the SOAR Collegiate Active, noise control is listed as Active Noise Cancellation, so you switch it on to reduce steady background noise like traffic or crowd hum. The Cowyawn has no ANC; its noise control is passive sound isolation from the ear cups, so there's nothing to switch on.
what is the best over ear noise cancelling headphones
There's no single "best" — it depends on whether you want active or passive. For true active noise cancelling with wireless freedom and up to 40 hours of playtime, I'd point to the SOAR Collegiate Active. For isolating, wired, no-charging use with a mic, the Cowyawn USB C Headphones is the better fit.
which over ear noise cancelling headphones
If you want to cancel noise without a cable, the SOAR Collegiate Active is the one with ANC and Bluetooth 5.3. If you want to block out over 90% of ambient sound passively while staying plugged into a USB-C device, pick the Cowyawn. Match the noise-control type to your environment first.
what are the most comfortable over ear noise cancelling headphones
Comfort is personal, but the specs give clues: the SOAR Collegiate Active uses super-soft ear pads and a lightweight over-ear design for long sessions, while the Cowyawn is a lighter, foldable on-ear model at 0.2 kg. For all-day wear, the SOAR's over-ear cushioning is the more comfort-focused build.
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