Audio-Technica ATH-S120CBK Audio Technica

The Audio-Technica ATH-S120CBK is a $32 wired USB-C headphone that's all about simplicity. The in-line controls and foldable design are genuinely useful, but the sound quality is a letdown, sitting near the bottom of our rankings. It's a decent wired headset for calls on a USB-C device, but for music or commuting, you should really save up for a budget wireless pair like the Soundcore Life Q20.

Let's be real about the sound. Sitting in the 25th percentile, it's not going to impress anyone who's spent time with better gear. You'll get a clear enough midrange for podcasts and vocals, but don't expect much detail or a wide soundstage. The bass is present but not particularly punchy or controlled, and the highs can sound a bit rolled off. It's a functional, inoffensive sound signature that's perfectly fine for YouTube videos and casual Spotify streaming, but it's easily outclassed by even budget wireless options.

The microphone is a slight step up from the sound, landing right around average. In our testing, it handles voice calls competently, with your voice coming through clearly enough for a Zoom meeting or a phone call in a quiet room. It won't isolate your voice from background noise like a boom mic, but for the price, it gets the job done. The in-line controls are a real highlight here, letting you manage volume, playback, and calls without touching your device, which is more than we can say for some pricier wired sets.

The JBL Tune 670NC is the most direct competitor to keep in mind. It's a wireless on-ear headphone that often dips to around $50, and it brings active noise cancellation and Bluetooth to the table. You're trading the simplicity of a wire for a massive upgrade in features and sound quality. The JBL is just a more modern, more capable headphone for not a lot more money.

Then there's the Soundcore Life Q20, which is an over-ear wireless headphone with ANC that's a staple of the budget market. It's significantly more comfortable for long sessions and the sound, while bass-heavy, is more engaging. The TOZO HT3 is another wireless ANC contender that undercuts the JBL on price. All of these competitors require charging and pairing, but the jump in performance is so significant that the ATH-S120CBK only makes sense if you absolutely cannot deal with batteries or Bluetooth.

At $32, the value proposition is straightforward. You're getting a name-brand pair of USB-C headphones for the price of a couple of dongles. The real competition here isn't other over-ear headphones, it's the cheap earbuds and no-name brands flooding Amazon. Compared to those, the Audio-Technica offers a more comfortable fit, a better mic, and physical controls that actually work.

But the value argument falls apart if you can stretch your budget even a little. For around $50, you can get the Soundcore Life Q20 with wireless connectivity and active noise cancellation that completely transforms the listening experience. The ATH-S120CBK is a good buy only if your budget is absolutely capped at $30 and you specifically need a wired USB-C headphone. If you can wait and save up another $20, do it.

Audio-Technica is a name that usually gets audiophiles nodding in approval, but the ATH-S120CBK isn't aiming for that crowd. This is a $32 pair of on-ear wired headphones with a USB-C plug, clearly built for someone who just needs a straightforward, no-fuss way to listen to music or take calls on a modern phone or tablet. Think of it as the replacement for the cheap earbuds that came in the box, just in a more comfortable, foldable package.

What's interesting here is the USB-C connection. It's a direct response to the disappearing headphone jack, and it means you're getting a digital signal path without needing a dongle. The built-in controls for playback and calls are a nice touch at this price, and the fact that they fold flat makes them easy to toss in a bag. But our database shows this is a budget play through and through, with a total score of 24.6 out of 100, so we need to keep our expectations grounded.

This is a headphone for the practical listener. Someone who needs a wired backup pair, a simple headset for video calls at work, or a cheap option for a kid's school tablet. It's not for critical listening or commuting, where our data shows it really struggles with an 18.3 out of 100. If you need a dead-simple, affordable USB-C headphone and don't want to deal with batteries, this is on your radar. Just know what you're signing up for.

Anyone who listens to music as a primary activity should skip these. The sound quality is simply not up to par, and you'll be missing out on the detail and energy that make music enjoyable. If you're a commuter, the lack of any noise isolation will force you to crank the volume to unsafe levels just to hear your podcast over the bus engine. Our data shows the commute score is a dismal 18.3 out of 100, so this is a non-starter for travel.

Gamers should also look elsewhere. The soundstage is too narrow for accurate positional audio, and the mic, while fine for calls, isn't great for in-game chat. For a similar price, you can find budget gaming headsets with better mics and more immersive sound. If you need a wired headphone for music or gaming, consider saving up for the Sony ULT WEAR or a dedicated wired set from a brand like Koss, which will give you much better audio for not a huge jump in price.

If you need a cheap, wired headset for video calls and you have a USB-C laptop or tablet, the ATH-S120CBK is a perfectly functional choice. The in-line controls are a real productivity booster, and the comfort is good enough for a few meetings. It's a simple tool that does its job without any fuss, and the foldable design is a nice bonus for hybrid workers.

For music or any kind of mobile use, we'd steer you elsewhere. The sound quality is just too much of a compromise, and the lack of noise isolation makes them a bad fit for buses, trains, or busy offices. This is a headphone with a narrow mission, and it hits the mark for that specific use case. For everyone else, the budget wireless market has moved on and offers a much better experience for a small premium.