We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a foldable on-ear headphone built for assistive listening and mono speech clarity, choose Williams AV Sound HED 021; if you need foldable on-ear earmuffs that block loud noise for mowing, shooting, or power tools, choose PROHEAR 038.
• Williams AV Sound HED 021 — biggest strength: a folding, adult-size, 32 Ω mono headphone tuned for mild, low-gain hearing loss, with a replaceable-pad ecosystem (HED 023 / HED 023-100) and sanitary cover packs.
• Williams AV Sound HED 021 — biggest trade-off: it is a listening headphone, not a noise blocker. There is no NRR rating here, so loud environments aren't its job.
• PROHEAR 038 — biggest strength: an NRR 28dB passive hearing protector with a durable ABS shell and a compact foldable build, so it's made for genuinely loud places.
• PROHEAR 038 — biggest trade-off: it isolates sound rather than reproducing it. If you want to hear speech or music clearly through it, that's not what it's for.
• Who each pick is for: the Williams AV for one-to-one listening in quieter settings; the PROHEAR for workshops, mowing, construction and shooting.
The Williams AV Sound HED 021 is a folding headphone, adult size, rated at 32 Ω and wired for mono. That mono detail matters more than it looks. Mono sums both channels into one signal, which is exactly what you want for spoken-word listening — a single clear voice rather than a stereo spread that can push dialogue to one side.
The spec that tells you who this is built for is the hearing-loss rating: mild and low gain. That is a deliberately modest amount of amplification, aimed at listeners who need a little lift, not a dramatic boost. If your situation is closer to moderate or severe loss, this is the wrong tool and you'd want something with more gain. Folding is the other headline feature — the headphone collapses down for storage, which suits clinics, classrooms, waiting rooms and anywhere a set gets handed out, collected and put away again.
Buy it if you run a listening program, a clinic, a classroom or a counter where people borrow headphones, and you need adult-size, folding, mono, mild-gain units with easily replaced pads. Skip it if your problem is loud noise. It won't quiet a lawnmower, and it isn't trying to.
PROHEAR 038: Who It's For
The PROHEAR 038 is safety earmuffs first and everything else second. Its defining figure is NRR 28dB — a Noise Reduction Rating of 28 decibels, achieved through a composite housing paired with high-density foam. That's the number that decides whether this product belongs in your life. Mowing, shooting, construction sites, power tools, factory floors, workshops: anywhere the sound is loud enough to damage hearing over time, this is the category of product you reach for.
The build is described as a durable ABS shell with an ultra-soft, extremely lightweight material, and the whole unit is listed at 7.3oz (0.28 kg). That matters for earmuffs, because a heavy pair gets uncomfortable fast and then gets left in a drawer. These fold up compactly enough to drop into a bag for travel or a work site, which is the point of a foldable design here — not shelf storage, but carrying it to where the noise is.
Comfort adjustments are laid out plainly: padded headband, soft ear cushions, adjustable sliders. There's also an honest note that if the fit feels too tight, propping the ear cups over a case for roughly 48 hours can relieve the pressure — the kind of practical tip that tells you the manufacturer expects a break-in period rather than a perfect first fit. Fit range is listed as kids to adult, size Large. Note the color is purple, which is a specific choice rather than a neutral one. The ear cups are also described as easy to clean, which suits dusty job sites.
Buy it if you need passive protection from genuinely loud environments and you want something light, foldable and durable. Skip it if you want to enjoy music or follow conversation — this isolates sound, it doesn't deliver it. PROHEAR also notes that it donates a portion of its earmuffs to charity each year, and that it partners with Good360 — a company-level detail, not a performance spec.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for one-to-one speech listening → Williams AV Sound HED 021. Mono output and a mild, low-gain hearing-loss rating are designed for exactly that.
• Best for shared or institutional use → Williams AV Sound HED 021. Replacement earpads (HED 023, HED 023-100) plus a 100-pack of sanitary covers make turnover practical.
• Best for job sites and outdoor work → PROHEAR 038. ABS shell, wipe-clean cups and a fit range spanning kids to adult.
• Best for portability → a tie, with different goals. The Williams AV folds for storage; the PROHEAR folds into a bag at 7.3oz to travel to the noise.
• Best for comfort-focused buyers → PROHEAR 038. Padded headband, soft cushions and adjustable sliders are spelled out, along with a break-in tip.
• Best for stereo music listening → neither, honestly. One is mono and the other isolates sound. If music is the goal, look elsewhere.
• Best for hygiene-conscious programs → Williams AV Sound HED 021. Nothing on the PROHEAR sheet addresses pad replacement.
In my opinion, these two only look like competitors because they both fold. They solve opposite problems. If noise is the threat — mowers, tools, gunfire, machinery — I'd buy the PROHEAR 038, because NRR 28dB is the only figure here that actually answers that question, and the 7.3oz foldable build means you'll carry it. If speech clarity and shared listening are the goal, I'd buy the Williams AV Sound HED 021, because mono output, a mild-gain hearing-loss rating and a replaceable-pad system are exactly what that job needs. Pick the problem first, then the product. And check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one variable I can't speak to here.
FAQ
are on ear headphones good
what are the best open ear headphones
Neither product here is an open-ear design, so I can't point you to one from these two sheets. The Williams AV Sound HED 021 is a closed folding headphone for mild, low-gain hearing loss, and the PROHEAR 038 is a passive hearing protector with sound isolation. If open-ear is genuinely what you want, that's a different category and worth searching separately.
which are the best over the ear headphones
"Best" depends on the job, and these two sit in different lanes. For noise reduction, the PROHEAR 038's NRR 28dB rating is the relevant figure, with a padded headband and adjustable sliders for fit across kids to adult. For assistive listening, the Williams AV Sound HED 021 offers mono output, 32 Ω impedance and a mild-gain rating suited to quieter speech.
what are the best over the ear headphones to buy
Start with what you're protecting against. Loud environments — mowing, shooting, construction, power tools — point to the PROHEAR 038 and its NRR 28dB rating. Hearing speech more clearly in a clinic, classroom or front desk setting points to the Williams AV Sound HED 021 with its mono signal and replaceable pads. Neither is a music-first headphone, so buy accordingly.
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