How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want team-branded wireless headphones with active noise cancellation and a quick-charge battery, choose SOAR NBA Active Noise; if you need kid-safe wired headphones with a hard volume cap and a foldable frame, choose JLab.
These two look like they belong in the same shopping cart, but they solve completely different problems. One is a Bluetooth over-ear headphone built around noise cancelling, team graphics and rechargeable convenience. The other is a wired, volume-limited kids' headphone designed so a six-year-old can't accidentally crank the volume too loud. Comparing them head-to-head only makes sense once you know which job you're actually shopping for. Here's how I'd sort it out.
• SOAR NBA Active Noise — biggest strength: Bluetooth 5.3 with active noise cancelling, 40mm dynamic drivers and up to 8 hours per charge with a 2-hour fast charge.
• SOAR NBA Active Noise — biggest trade-off: Battery is finite and it's wireless only, so a dead battery means no listening at all.
• JLab — biggest strength: A built-in volume limiter capped at 85dB, over-ear Cloud Foam cushions and a folding, adjustable design for kids roughly 6 and up.
• JLab — biggest trade-off: Wired only — no Bluetooth, no active noise cancelling, just passive sound isolation.
• Pick SOAR NBA Active Noise if you're an adult or teen who wants wireless ANC headphones with team graphics and everyday battery life.
• Pick JLab if you're buying for a child and safe listening volume matters more than wireless freedom.
The SOAR NBA Active Noise is a wireless over-ear headphone with official team graphics, and that's the whole point of it. If you follow a team and want your gear to say so, this is the model that does it without looking like a novelty. Under the styling it's a straightforward modern headphone: Bluetooth 5.3 pairing with roughly 30 feet of range, a 3.5mm jack as a fallback, and on-ear push-button controls for volume, tracks and calls. The 40mm dynamic drivers handle the audio, and active noise cancelling reduces the background drone around you.
Who should skip it? Anyone shopping for a young child. There's no volume limiter here, and it's an adult-oriented product. If your priority is protecting a kid's hearing rather than cancelling noise for yourself, this isn't the tool for that job.
JLab: Who It's For
The JLab JBuddies Studio is a wired on-ear headphone for kids, and nearly every design decision flows from that. The headline feature is the built-in volume limiter that caps output at 85dB, which is the number that matters when you're handing headphones to a six-year-old for homework, virtual class or a long car ride. There's no battery, no Bluetooth pairing and no charging routine to manage — it's a 3.5mm wired connection, and JLab bundles a USB-C adapter so it works with phones and tablets that have dropped the headphone jack.
Comfort is the second pillar. The over-ear Cloud Foam cushions are wrapped in eco leather, and the build is deliberately feather-light. The metal headband slides smoothly so it grows with a kid, and the whole thing folds down for storage in a backpack. There's a built-in mic for calls, voice chat and remote lessons. JLab backs it with a lifetime warranty, which is a meaningful signal about how they expect it to survive school life.
Who should skip it? Basically any adult who wants wireless audio, noise cancelling or serious bass. The 85dB ceiling is a safety feature, not a listening preference — it will feel quiet to anyone used to normal headphones. And with passive sound isolation only, it won't do much about engine noise or a loud office. This is a kids' product, full stop.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for active noise cancelling → SOAR NBA Active Noise. It has real ANC; the JLab relies on passive isolation only.
• Best for wireless freedom → SOAR NBA Active Noise. Bluetooth 5.3 with about 30 feet of range versus a fixed 3.5mm cable.
• Best for battery life → SOAR NBA Active Noise. Up to 8 hours per charge with a 2-hour fast charge — though remember JLab never needs charging at all.
• Best for calls and virtual learning → JLab for kids, SOAR for adults. Both have a mic; JLab's is aimed at classroom and chat use, SOAR's at hands-free calls.
• Best for team pride and style → SOAR NBA Active Noise. Official team graphics are the reason this model exists.
• Best for surviving a school bag → JLab. Folding design, metal sliding headband and a lifetime warranty are built for rough handling.
• Best for growing kids → JLab. The adjustable headband is explicitly sized for ages 6 and up.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the SOAR NBA Active Noise. Bluetooth 5.3, active noise cancelling, 40mm drivers and an 8-hour battery with fast charging cover everything I actually do with headphones — commuting, working, calls and streaming — and the team graphics are a bonus I'd genuinely enjoy. I'd only switch to the JLab if the person wearing them is a child, in which case the 85dB limiter and lifetime warranty make it the more responsible purchase, full stop. Two good products, two completely different shoppers.
For an adult listener, yes, in my opinion. The SOAR uses 40mm dynamic drivers and active noise cancelling, which is a fundamentally more capable audio setup than a kids' headphone deliberately capped at 85dB. The JLab isn't trying to compete on output — it's trying to protect young ears.
No. It uses passive sound isolation from the over-ear cushions, not active noise cancellation. If blocking out engine noise or office chatter is your goal, the SOAR NBA Active Noise is the one with ANC built in.
Yes — it has a 3.5mm headphone jack alongside Bluetooth 5.3, so you can go wired when you want to save battery. The JLab, by contrast, is wired only, with a USB-C adapter included for devices that don't have a headphone jack.
That depends entirely on who's wearing them. For a child, the JLab's volume limiter and lifetime warranty are hard to argue with. For an adult who wants wireless ANC and team graphics, the SOAR is the more complete package. Check the current price on Amazon for both and compare against what you actually need.
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