AKG N700NC
FOR Solid design; rich sound; good detail and weight AGAINST Lacks subtlety; noise cancelling is bettered
We don’t start many headphone reviews with a critique of a carry case, but we’re quite taken with the fabric-covered effort that comes with the AKG N700NC over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.
First impressions of the headphones are positive, too. Build quality is solid, most surfaces are smooth silver plastic and there’s a contrasting rubberised finish on the circular covers which bear the AKG logo. The hinged design means portability isn’t a problem. They can either be laid flat for storage or folded up and dropped in a bag. Or you can use the matching case, of course.
The leatherette-clad memory pad cushions comfortably envelop your ears and there’s an additional layer of cushioning under the headband which allows them to nestle on your head without digging in.
Syncing feeling
The AKG N700NCS use Bluetooth 4.2, but the lack of aptx HD compatibility means a potential limitation to audio quality, and also that the headphones are more prone to lip-sync issues.
The button arrangement is pretty straightforward, with controls on the left and power and noise-cancelling options on the right, and all the buttons respond with a solid, confident click. Slide and hold the power button for three seconds to start the pairing process. You are then prompted to download the AKG Headphone app, which allows you to control the Smart Ambient feature, which is split into two elements. Ambient Aware drops both the sound level and the noise-cancelling down so more outside audio is allowed into the earcups. It works reasonably well, but is less effective the louder the volume. The second part, Talk Thru, drops the volume completely so you can have a conversation or listen to station announcements. It’s slick in operation – our only niggle is that it doesn’t pause your music once it’s faded out.
The app also gives you access to the headphone EQ if you want to play around with their balance. And it gives
you the option of enabling the Auto-off feature, which comes in handy when you want to preserve battery life, a claimed 36 hours with wired connection.
But compared with rivals, such as the Sony WH-1000XM3S or Bose QC35 IIS, the AKGS don’t display the same prowess when it comes to noise-cancelling. We don't get the same feeling of isolation and clarity that you get from its rivals.
“It’s a solid performance, but the AKGS never quite match the best headphones in this category”
Solid and controlled sound
The AKG’S are easy to listen to, with a solid and controlled sound. Playing Bloc Party’s Different Drugs highlights the AKG’S preference for clearly defined edges as both the high hat and the kick drum sound punchy. There’s decent pace to the track too, with the flowing and more staccato elements blended nicely together. The lead vocal is given focus and solidity within the soundstage.
We play Tokyo Myers' Bloodstream, and there’s a good sense of solidity to the piano notes, but the AKGS struggle to communicate the dynamic shifts and subtleties in the notes. Rivals, including the Sony WH-1000XM3S and B&W PXS, extract more more detail and handle the delicate keystrokes with greater care.
As the track gets into its stride, the AKGS don’t follow the rhythm as effortlessly as the class leaders. When it explodes into life, there’s a good sense of weight and power, but rivals capture and convey the drama with more finesse.
It’s a solid performance, but it never quite matches the best headphones in this category, including the B&W PXS, which deliver a higher standard of sound quality and boast superior noisecancelling abilities too.
The N700NCS certainly have plus points – their solid, confident sound is appealing in itself – but there aren’t enough of them to elevate their rating above four stars.