Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsOutstanding Noise-Canceling; Solid Music Reproduction
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2015
I work in a hipster loft-style open office with about 80 other people. For those afflicted with FOMO (fear of missing out), it's a dream come true -- you get to hear everything everyone says and does. For an introvert like me who does intricate work that requires extended periods of concentration, it's a nightmare. These phones saved the day. They are comfortable to wear for long periods (at least on my kind of large, square head) and the noise-cancelling function is stellar; a flick of the switch and -- whoosh -- ambient sound just drops down into near silence. I still can hear some voices, but they are muffled and distant. If someone approaches and speaks to me directly, I can hear them and take off the phones to continue the conversation. The dull roar of the office HVAC system (which I didn't really notice until I was able to "cancel" it with these headphones) completely disappears. I have yet to try them on a plane, but riding a subway is amazingly quiet. Just me and my music at a comfortable volume. Even with the music turned off, the surrounding sounds are masked. I'm finding I have more energy even at the end of the day when I use these phones and don't have to fight the ambient sound monsters to concentrate.
On the music reproduction side, I'd rate these as good headphones. They don't compare to audio-only headphones in this price range, but are more than adequate for MP3 or streaming listening. When I listen to CDs (mostly classical and jazz), I the stereo imaging and spaciousness is lacking somewhat. There is tight, compressed feel to the sound. But nothing particularly annoying; these phones just lack the musical detail I'm used to in my high-quality audio-only phones. You can listen to audio if the battery goes dead, but that is only a last resort; the sound is distant and muffled. I wouldn't recommend it.
There is a large L and R in the speaker mesh of each earpiece so there is no mistaking which side is which. Nice touch!
The case is useful and not a throwaway. It is semi-rigid and would offer reasonable protection against moderate drops and jostles. It has a diagram on its liner to show you how to fold the phones for a perfect fit. There is a storage compartment for a spare battery and an airplane audio adapter jack. It takes up more space than just cramming the phones into a backpack pocket or whatever, but it is light and not so huge its awkward to carry in a pack or laptop bag.
In summary: the noise-cancelling capabilities of these phones are outstanding. That's what you're paying for and it's worth it. The sound reproduction is quite good, but not the primary draw. The entire package shows thoughtful design elements and they are a joy to use.
