(Credit:
Audio-Technica)
Last year, we reviewed the Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC7 noise-canceling headphones, and editor Jasmine France thought they were a good value, offering decent, but not great, sound for the money. Well, when we heard that Audio-Technica was releasing a new, improved version of these headphones with a "b" tacked on to the model name, we were eager to get our hands on a pair.
What exactly has the company improved? According to the news release, these 'phones are supposed to sound better, offer a more comfortable fit (the earcups have been redesigned), and deliver some additional design tweaks, including an easier-to-access battery bay and two detachable cables of varying lengths: 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) and 1 meter (3.3 feet). Also, according to Audio-Technica's release, the ATH-ANC7b headphones deliver "smoother, richer, and more natural tonal balance...with impactful bass, a detailed midrange, extended treble and accurate imaging in an immersive soundfield."
All that sounds good and a lot of people have their eyes on the $200 ATH-ANC7b headphones as good alternatives to the Bose QuietComfort 15s and QuietComfort 3s that cost significantly more ($300 and $350, respectively). So we decided to see if the Audio-Technicas measure up to that hype.
Read the full review of the Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC7 headphones to see if they do.
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The QuietComfort 15s look almost identical to the QC2s that they are replacing.
(Credit: Bose)In designing its fourth-generation consumer noise-canceling headphones, the QuietComfort 15s, Bose has done something interesting. Instead of coming up with a whole new look for its headphones as it did with the QuietComfort 3s, Bose has left the basic design of its popular QuietComfort 2s intact and simply redesigned them on the inside, adding even more effective noise-canceling circuitry and improving their sound quality.
The QuietComfort 15s look identical to the QuietComfort 2s, with the same over-the-ear design, including earcups that swivel and fold flat to fit in a stylish case. (To be clear: the QC15s replace the QC2s, which will no longer be sold.) Bose has redesigned the case so it's easier to plop the headphones in it and close it up. The resulting package is slightly bigger than a CD wallet, which makes it easier to tote, though it's still not terribly compact.
Read the full review of the Bose QuietComfort 15s headphones to find out how they sound.
On Sale Now: $299.95
View the latest prices for Bose QuietComfort 15
On Sale Now: $349.00 - $349.95
View the latest prices for Bose QuietComfort 3
Phiaton edged its way into the headphone market last year with its MS 400 Moderna Series headphones, an eye-catching set that brought solid sound quality and comfortable construction to the table. Now, with the considerably more portable PS 300 Noise Canceling headphones, the company continues its tradition of sleek design and plush comfort. These on-ear 'phones pack in a slew of travel-friendly accessories and, at $299, cost $50 less than the competition from Bose. However, the set failed to provide great sound quality across a wide variety of music, making it most suitable for only a certain type of listener.
In an attempt to avoid the nonstop flu-related news, we focus our attention on gadgets that pack prettiness along with functionality.
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CNET would need an army of headphone reviewers to be able to get to every set available on the market today, but despite this saturation, we never tire of newcomers trying their best to break into the public awareness. Phitek Systems isn't a newcomer in the strictest sense--the company is responsible for the technology behind other companies' designs (Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC7, for example)--but the OEM is now trying its hand at its own brand with the Blackbox line of noise cancellation headphones.
It's clear that Phitek knows what it's doing. The compact C18 earphones certainly don't fail to impress, and we're not disappointed with the company's full-size model, either. The M10 Noise Cancellation Headphones ($179) are a comfy set with solid audio quality and a fair smattering of extras. That said, they still come off as a slightly pared-down version of the ATH-ANC7 when it comes to looks and features, so pay attention to retail price when comparison shopping.
(Credit:
Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
It's not difficult to get your hands on a good pair of full-size noise-canceling headphones, but if you prefer earbud-style 'phones, finding this technology built in is a bit more of a challenge.
Such sets do exist, though. One example is Phitek Systems' Blackbox C18 Noise Cancellation Earphones, a $129 pair that combines passive sound isolation with active noise canceling. The headphones offer very good sound quality and superior noise-hushing capability, but the lanyard-style design may not appeal to all users.
LG hopes to implement dual microphone noise canceling in many of its phones by year's end.
(Credit: LG)Along with the LG Watch Phone, LG has also announced that many of its phones will feature dual-microphone noise cancellation by the end of the year. Called DSE.T, the technology promises to eliminate background noise and enhance voice quality. Motorola has a similar technology called CrystalTalk, but aside from ...
Read the full post at CNET's CES 2009 blog.
Click for more pics.
(Credit: CBS Interactive/Corinne Schulze)Noise-canceling headphones can cost a pretty penny, which is why we always perk up when a company brings a budget-friendly option into the fray. Such is the case with the Sony MDR-NC7 Noise Canceling headphones, a $40 pair with stylish looks and handy features. These 'phones are neither the most comfortable nor the best at antinoise creation, but sound quality is passable and the design is compact. Frequent fliers with an aversion to earbuds and limited funds may want to consider them. Read the Sony MDR-NC7 review.
Able Planet, known for developing headphones for those with mild to severe hearing loss, recently unveiled a new high-fidelity multimedia headset for PC gamers--the PS500MM.
Able Planet's chairman and CEO, Kevin Semcken, said:
The NC500TF is pictured here; there are no available images for the PS500MM.
(Credit: digitalfotoclub)
"We designed this innovative new headset specifically with PC gamers in mind. Gamers tend to spend significant periods of time playing online games and such extended play of rich multimedia sounds puts a cumulative strain on the ears this can cause hearing loss and fatigue. Our technology minimizes this risk so that users no longer have to turn up the volume just to be able to drown out background noise."
With noise cancellation technology built directly into the microphone, the headphones measures at 5.62 inches by 5.43 inches by 1.96 inch and weighs 2.64 ounces. The headset has oversized extended-wear leather ear cups and offers one-touch features for controlling volume and microphone functionality.
The PS500MM gaming headphones ships with a USB wireless adapter and comes with two 3.5mm jacks, and will be available in mid-December for $99.
This morning saw the release of several new Sony audio products aimed at frequent fliers and other on-the-go users. The company announced a pair of ultracompact, travel-friendly speakers and three sets of headphones: one with noise-canceling, one with Bluetooth, and one with inline volume controls. You can find out all the details about the SRS-M50, MDR-NC7, DR-BT160AS, and MDR-EX36V in our photo gallery.
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Sony)
