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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
• Sony ZX110NC — biggest strength: Active Noise Cancellation that cuts ambient noise by up to 95%, backed by an enormous 80-hour battery rating and a 12–22,000 Hz frequency response.
• Sony ZX110NC — biggest trade-off: It's a wired 3.5mm design aimed at adults, so it isn't the grab-and-go wireless experience a kid expects.
• Skullcandy Grom — biggest strength: Kid-first engineering — 85dB volume limiting with an override, a 45-hour battery, Rapid Charge, and a Share Audio Port for two listeners.
• Skullcandy Grom — biggest trade-off: No noise cancellation, and the volume ceiling (even with override) means it won't satisfy someone chasing maximum output.
• Pick Sony ZX110NC if you're an adult who wants to mute a plane, a bus or a noisy office.
• Pick Skullcandy Grom if you're buying for a child and want safe volume, wireless freedom and durability.
The ZX110NC is a noise-cancelling headphone first and everything else second. Flip the switch and Sony's Active Noise Cancellation goes to work, reducing ambient noise by up to 95% — the kind of drop that turns a droning engine or a loud open-plan office into background hum. That's the headline feature, and it's the reason this model exists.
Under the hood it runs 30mm dynamic drivers with high-energy 300 kJ/m³ neodymium magnets, and the frequency range stretches from 12 Hz to 22,000 Hz. In plain terms: deep bass you can feel, clear mids, and treble that doesn't get harsh. The on-ear, rounded earcups swivel and fold, so the whole thing collapses down for a bag or a carry case — it ships with one. And because it's a wired 3.5mm headphone, it works without any battery at all when you don't need cancellation. The 80-hour battery figure is what you get when cancellation is switched on.
Skullcandy Grom: Who It's For
The Grom is the opposite kind of product, and it's honest about it. Skullcandy built this from the playground up for kids age 6 and over, and the defining spec is the 85dB volume limit. That's the ceiling most hearing-safety guidance points to for children's headphones. There's also a Volume Limit Override on the volume wheel for genuinely loud environments like an airplane cabin — a thoughtful touch, because a hard 85dB cap can be useless when the world around you is at 95dB.
The control layout is designed for small hands and impatient brains: a big Main Function Button, a separate power button, and an easy volume wheel. Nothing cryptic. Over-ear earcups and an adjustable headband strap are sized for kids rather than scaled-down adults, so the fit actually holds.
Battery is where the Grom surprises. Skullcandy rates it at up to 45 hours per charge, and Rapid Charge gives you 4 hours of playback from a 10-minute top-up — the difference between a meltdown and a peaceful car ride. Bluetooth 5.2 with a 10-meter range covers a house or a backyard. There's a Share Audio Port so two kids can plug in and watch the same movie, and an included 3.5mm AUX cable means it still works when the battery is dead. It's collapsible for travel and covered by a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Who should buy it? Parents and gift-buyers shopping for a child who wants wireless headphones but shouldn't be handed an uncapped pair. Who should skip it? Adults, and anyone who needs noise cancellation — the Grom has none.
• Best for noise cancellation → Sony ZX110NC. Up to 95% ambient noise reduction with a physical switch.
• Best for battery life → Sony ZX110NC. 80 hours versus 45 hours.
• Best for a child age 6+ → Skullcandy Grom. 85dB volume limiting is the whole point of the product.
• Best for wireless freedom → Skullcandy Grom. Bluetooth 5.2 with a 10-meter range; the Sony's wireless spec is listed but its design is built around the wired 3.5mm jack and controller.
• Best for sharing → Skullcandy Grom. The Share Audio Port lets two kids listen to one source.
• Best for quick top-ups → Skullcandy Grom. Rapid Charge delivers 4 hours from a 10-minute charge; the Sony's charge cycle is rated at 80 hours.
• Best for sound range → Sony ZX110NC. 12–22,000 Hz with 30mm neodymium drivers versus the Grom's 20–20,000 Hz.
• Best for travel durability with kids → Skullcandy Grom. Collapsible build, metal/plastic/rubber enclosure, and a 1-year warranty.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the Sony ZX110NC. Active noise cancellation at up to 95%, an 80-hour battery, and a 12–22,000 Hz range make it the better tool for commuting, flying and focusing in a loud room — and the wired design means it never dies on me mid-flight. I'd only hand someone the Skullcandy Grom if the listener is a kid. In that case the Grom wins outright: 85dB limiting, a 45-hour battery, Rapid Charge and a Share Audio Port are exactly the features a parent wants and an adult doesn't need. Two different jobs, two different answers.
how to headphones work
Headphones convert an electrical audio signal into sound waves using drivers — the Sony ZX110NC uses 30mm dynamic drivers, while the Skullcandy Grom also uses dynamic drivers. The signal reaches them either through a 3.5mm wired connection or over Bluetooth, which the Grom uses at version 5.2. The Sony adds a noise-cancelling circuit on top of that to reduce outside sound.
how to headphones on iphone
You connect by plugging in the 3.5mm jack or pairing over Bluetooth, depending on the model. The Sony ZX110NC is a wired 3.5mm headphone, so on a newer iPhone you'd need an adapter. The Skullcandy Grom is wireless over Bluetooth 5.2, so it pairs directly without a cable.
how to headphone mode off
"Headphone mode" usually refers to noise cancelling being switched on. On the Sony ZX110NC you flip the physical switch to turn cancellation off, and it keeps working as a standard headphone without using battery. The Skullcandy Grom has no noise cancellation, so there's nothing to switch off — only the volume limit override on the volume wheel.
how to headphones
Using either pair comes down to fit and connection. Adjust the headband so the earcups sit comfortably — the Grom has an adjustable strap sized for kids, and the Sony uses swivel, folding on-ear cups. Then plug in the 3.5mm cable or pair over Bluetooth, and use the on-board media controls to play, pause and change volume.
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