GADGET REVIEW - THE TOP 5 WIRELESS, NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES

GADGET REVIEW  - THE TOP 5 WIRELESS, NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES



A good pair of headphones has become a must-have accessory, yet only in recent months have wireless noisecancelling headphones finally hit the big league. Here, we review five pairs of premium headphones. This is how they fared:

Bang &Olufsen H8

The H8 (Rs 31,000 approx) is a reminder that B&O is really, in equal parts, an electronics company and a design house. Overall audio quality is outstanding, though the bass is slightly elevated. The ear cups are lambskin and memory foam, the headband leather, and the frame aluminium.The noise cancellation is clean and the touch controls are pressure-sensitive.The Takeaway The H8 is built more like a luxury good than a piece of electronics.

Beats Studio Wireless

Yes, the bass on the Studio Wireless (Rs 23,800 approx) is going to be heavier than you want for most music other than hip-hop, pop, and electronica, and some podcasts sound strange through the bottom-heavy EQ, but at just over half a pound, the headphones are extremely light. It's easy to forget they're on your head at all and they fold up for safe travelling, unlike the Bang &Olufsens.The Takeaway The bass is over t he top, but s ou nd qu a l it y a nd noise cancelling are otherwise good.

Definitive Technology Symphony 1

Known for home sound systems, Definitive is finally in the headphone game with the Symphony 1 (`31,0 0 0 approx). These headphones are big, but the sound is incredible. The active noise cancelling (ANC) has no hissing or pressurised feeling and the plush l e at h e r e a r cups naturally block out noise.They're solid and comfortable, and the sound stage is extremely open.The Takeaway Anyone who tells you that wireless sound quality isn't very good should put these on their head.Definitive's first effort is a great one.

Samsung Level Over

The Level Over (Rs 22,000 approx) is a confusing pair of headphones.

They're really comfortable and the sound is awe some when the ANC is on, but they're too big to be considered porta ble, and when the ANC is off there is a strange echo effect. When the touch controls work, they are convenient and robust, but they're also finicky: If you're using an iOS device, the volume control is independent from that of your phone an issue that's far more annoying than you might think.The Takeaway It's a shame that so much great technology is packed into a clumsy package. If wearing them didn't feel like putting on an astronaut's helmet, we'd be sold.

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless

This is the top-of-the-line model in the new Momentum Wireless (Rs 31,500 approx) collection. The ear cups are soft and even though they're relatively small, the soundstage produced is massive. Unlike the Beats and the B&O, there is no artificially elevated bass. The noise cancelling is soft and only occasionally produced the annoying buzzes and clicks that overeager ANC can create.The TakeawayThey're the priciest headphones here, but you're getting what you pay for. Sound quality is excellent, noise cancellation is clean, and they're both comfortable and portable.

ETP11MAR15