Sound and Style: Noise-Canceling Headphones in Argyle
A few months ago we had the pleasure of traveling with the Able Planet Linx Audio Clear Harmony Active Noise Canceling Headphones. It’s not a name that you’re likely familiar with, but we were fairly impressed by the previous model, as they were quite comfy with a deep and rich sound though only if they were powered.
More recently, we’ve been checking out their latest, the Able Planet XNC230W Extreme Foldable Noise Canceling Headphones and sure enough, resemblances were strong between the two.
The latest from Able Planet’s line of headphones is aimed at the music lover or person on the go, who needs to drown out the sounds around them. Perfect for use on the bus and or for short flights, they were on par with the previous model in terms of comfort, with a padded headband and earcups. The argyle print comes in a few colors and was decent looking, though it reminds us a bit unfortunately of a slightly-cheap Burberry print.
The noise cancellation technology did a remarkable job of droning sounds as far that went but in terms of changing noise and conversations go, we could still aptly hear those. Just remember that the noise canceling technology won’t fade out that screaming baby in 12D.
Sound quality on these is unusually good, deep and rich, but best if powered; if unpowered, with the battery removed, they weren’t nearly as good. This isn’t a surprise, we had found the same difference with the previous model. A single AAA battery lasted a good 30 hours which provided us with a few weeks worth of occasional listening.
We appreciated the straightforward usability of the XNC230W model, though this is definitely an entry-level model. There is no adjustability or user settings, just a simple switch to turn on/off. If you turn the noise cancellation off you can still use the headphones in passive mode. A perk of the audio cable is that it is detachable in case of a snafu.
The headphones fold up relatively small which is ideal if you have a limited amount of room in your bag or backpack or like to travel light. They are a bit bulky, to be sure, but for those in need of a bit more quiet in their lives. The sound quality isn’t quite that of some other sets that we’ve tried, but they are definitely worth a shot for the price.
We were able to purchase from Amazon for $99. Able Planet also makes a LM1000 Clear Voice Linx Microphone that is around $40 and turns your Able Planet headphones into a gaming headset or hands-free kit. Worth the investment if you’re a gamer, not to mention it is compatible with the iPhone as well as other smartphones.
