NOISE-CANCELLING
Here’s our pick of the outside-world-eliminating bunch to help you create an impenetrable sonic forcefield for just you and your One Direction playlists
BOSE NCH 700
You can’t really talk about noise-cancelling headphones without bringing up Bose.
It’d be like interviewing Usain Bolt and not mentioning running. Dr Amar Bose came up with the idea in 1978, when he was on a transatlantic flight and couldn’t hear the music in his headphones over the drone of the plane’s engines, and his company’s active noise-cancelling tech is still the gold standard.
These over-ears have eight onboard microphones and 11 levels of hiss-free ANC, so you can find the perfect balance between blocking out the world and making sure a double-decker bus doesn’t sneak up on you when you’re lost in the music. Two of those microphones are dedicated to listening to your voice, while the others look for noises to banish, so if you choose carefully you should be able to join your afternoon catch-up meeting from the pub and your boss will be none the wiser (just make sure you keep your camera turned off). It makes using
Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa more reliable too.
Bose is still top of the tree when it comes to noise-cancelling, then; but the 700s can’t quite match up to the likes of Sony and Bowers & Wilkins when it comes to sound quality. They’re still an excellent listen, with plenty of punch, solid bass and each instrument given ample room to breathe, but they don’t get you nodding along as effortlessly as the aforementioned alternatives.
They certainly look the part, mind. And while they don’t fold up like Bose’s older QC cans did, the earcups swivel when you want to stow them in the case. Chances are they’ll spend a lot of time on your head, though, with the leatherette pads and cushioned headband making them comfortable to wear for long periods, while the battery is good for about 20hrs. Not the best, but more than adequate.
Price £279 / go.stuff.tv/nch700
Key specs
● Bluetooth 5.0 ● SBC, AAC ● ANC
● 20hr battery life ● 250g
STUFF SAYS Other over-ears sound better but none cancel noise quite this well ★★★★★