Shure Aonic 50
£380
Audio specialist Shure has designed some of the best wired in-ear and over-ear headphones we’ve heard over the years, but with the Aonic 50, it is embarking on an ambitious journey to break into two new markets at once. These headphones offer both Bluetooth wireless connectivity and have noise-cancelling built-in, the first time that either tech has featured in a pair of Shure over-ear headphones.
At £379 a pair, these Shures sit above the current class-leaders from Sony, Sennheiser and Bowers & Wilkins, all of which have set sky-high standards for this type of headphone.
Piece of cake
The first thing that strikes you is the Shures’ large carry case, which looks like a cake tin. The Shures fold flat rather than inwards, which means they need extra room to spread out. Rivals such as the folding Sony WH-1000XM4 and Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless take up less space in a bag, but the Shures feel well put together. The plastic used on the earcups feels robust and doesn’t give the impression it will scratch easily.
The smooth metal arms that attach to each earcup feel especially solid. They twist just above the earcups, which allows them to fold flat, but there’s also just enough freedom so they can twist in the other direction and help angle the earpads on the side of your head.
Available in black or brown finishes, the Aonics are pretty comfortable. The grip pressure is nicely judged – the headphones don’t squeeze the size of your head too tightly, nor do they feel too loose. Weighing in at 334g, there are lighter noise-cancelling headphones on the market, but the Shures don’t feel too heavy over long listening sessions.
Charging is done via the USB-C socket at the bottom of the right earcup, though the supplied cable is long enough for you to plug the headphones directly into a USB Type-a socket on your laptop. This means they can be used as a wired pair of headphones using the DAC inside the Shures. A traditional cable and 3.5mm jack are also included in the box.
There is a standard assortment of controls around the edge of the right earcup for playback, volume and power/ pairing. There’s also a slider that allows you to switch between noise-cancelling, a neutral mode for when ANC isn’t required, and the ‘Environment Mode’
– a transparency mode that allows outside noise through when you need to be aware of your surroundings.
A small LED signals pairing and battery life, while a quick double-press of the power button will summon a voice to tell you how much battery life is left.
Supports wireless hi-res
The Aonic 50 support Bluetooth 5.0, while Shure has also included full aptx and aptx HD support – the latter means these headphones will support wireless hi-res audio up to 32-bit/48khz from a compatible source. Aptx Low Latency should ensure the headphones should avoid any issues with lip-sync.
Shure claims a battery life of around 20 hours with noise-cancelling and Bluetooth both enabled, which isn’t class-leading, but should be enough for most trips. There’s no voice-assistant support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri though.
The Shures’ noise-cancelling has two different levels: ‘normal’ and ‘max’, while you can also adjust the intensity of the Environment mode. This is all done through the Shureplus Play app, which can also be used as a media player that searches for music stored on your device. The app has five EQ presets and you can create your own, but they work only with music played through the app.
The Shures get off to a strong start, thanks to their clean and transparent presentation. They are nicely balanced with crisp highs and pinpoint, precise lows either side of a solid midrange. Switch the noise-cancelling on and the effect is quite subtle. Frequencies are cancelled out and there isn’t the vacuum effect you get from some other brands.
The Shures’ transparency and detail continue to shine through. Play Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy in 24-bit/44.1khz hi-res through Amazon Music HD and the Aonic 50 deliver a lesson in bass precision. The headphones trim off any excess fat, leaving you with tight bass thwacks and precise, snappy clicks.
But shift to the ‘Max’ noise-cancelling setting and things take a turn for the worse. The difference between this and the normal setting is stark. The noise cancelling increases in strength, but you can hear more hiss as it does its thing.
It also shifts the sonic balance of the headphones. The whole soundscape sounds thicker and more claustrophobic. There’s an extra layer of weight and solidity, but you sacrifice much of the clarity. It becomes apparent that the Shures don’t have that same spring in their step or joie de vivre that makes the delivery from the class-leaders infectious.
If you’re looking for a premium pair of noise-cancelling headphones with some of Shure’s audio pedigree, they are worth a listen. But despite a solid first attempt, some elements of design and sonic execution need tweaking before we can consider full marks.