JBuddies Volume Safe Over-Ear Headphones are music to parents’ ears

When children listen to audio content, it’s often through a set of headphones. And though it can be easily overlooked, hearing loss is a serious risk that every parent must consider when buying technology for their kids. According to a 2011 study cited by The New York Times, modern portable devices can produce sound levels of up to 107 decibels — well above the 85-decibel limit recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

JLab’s JBuddies Volume Safe Over-Ear Headphones are designed to protect children from unsafe noise levels. Built for kids ages 6 and up, they come equipped with built-in volume limiters and cushioned ear pads — a combination that delivers comfort for kids and peace of mind for parents.

Here are 4 key product features of the JBuddies Studio Headphones:

1. Volume limits: JBuddies are built to prevent children from raising the volume above the recommended 85-decibel limit.

Limiters are housed inside the cable that connects to your child's audio device. These small electrical components reduce the strength of the electrical current flowing between the headphones and the audio source, limiting the volume output.

In some kids' headphones, crafty children can remove the volume regulation feature by swapping out the original cable for another one. But with the JBuddies, the cable is permanent, meaning kids can't remove it.

"The permanently attached cable means there’s no chance of plugging it in incorrectly and accidentally defeating the volume-limiting function (and motivated kids won’t be able to thwart the limiting by substituting another cable),” The Wirecutter writes.

The website cautions that unsupervised children can still expose themselves to unsafe volumes if they plug the headphones into a device with powerful amplifiers. If the electrical current starts out strong enough, built-in resistors will still lower the volume, but not enough to keep it beneath 85 decibels. "Most kids headphones are designed to handle the output level of a mobile device," The Wirecutter notes. "However, home theater system receivers, PCs, and gaming systems with more power can often go much louder than an iPhone."

USA Today’s Reviewed.com finds the JBuddies' volume regulation feature “super-effective” in its tests. “If you're looking for a great pair of headphones that an older child can grow with, these are a good pick,” the website notes.

2. Foam padding: Headphones cushion the listener with soft foam ear cups. This feature is one of several reasons The Wirecutter recommends JBuddies Studio as the best corded headphones for older children.

“In our tests, its soft padding and more ‘grown-up’ colors were a hit with the 11-year-olds,” the site notes.

3. Nylon cable: The headphones connect to the user’s device via a braided nylon cable that Reviewed.com notes is “tangle-free.” This cable contains the product’s volume regulators, as well as a volume control button and an in-line microphone that Android and iPhone owners can use while making phone calls. The Wirecutter also praises this simple, secure solution, with its “single-button remote and mic.”

4. Folding design: JBuddies Studio Headphones can be folded in half, which helps save space.

“The cushioned ear cups and an adjustable headband are standard comfort features among similar products,” writes Net Nanny. “Unlike most similar headphones, though, the JBuddies fold in half for easy, compact storage.”

And the pinch-free hinge design means parents don’t have to worry about little fingers or ears needing an unexpected kiss.