When it comes to noise-cancelling headphones, there really is a short list if you want good audio quality and great noise cancellation. For my money, the Bose QuietComforrt 3 fits my needs. Other companies seem to think so too, as the Able Planet NC3550SCST Noise Cancelling Headphones seem to copy as much from the QC15 as possible without outright copyright and patent violation.
There are several reasons to want a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Some people really care about their music, and a good headset is the only way to appreciate it. Others just want to drone out the noise while travelling. A good pair should do both.
I found an entire stack of these Able Planet (by Linx Audio) headphones at Fry’s Electronics for a hard-to-believe price of $40, and was intrigued. I understand that they could not possibly be as good as a $300 set, and decided to put them through the test so the faithful OCmodshop readers (who happen to frequent Fry’s) would know if they’re worth two Yuppie Food Stamps.
The Able Planet headset is obviously trying to copy the Bose QC15 headset, which costs nearly $300. The unit comes with a hard-shell carrying case, Velcro accessory pack, detachable audio cable, and the headphones themselves.
The headphones have a silver-like plastic on both ear cups. Each cup also has an over-the-ear design (if you have small ears) using foam and faux leather. The foam is rather stiff and the “pleather” doesn’t feel as soft as the “name brand”.
The kit also comes with a ¼” audio adapter, airline jack adapter, and a single off-brand AA alkaline battery.
The audio cable has an inline volume control, microphone and media controls for cell phones and MP3 players. Currently the only devices this inline remote works with is newer-generation Apple products. No “straight-through” cable is provided, which is a shame because in my experience inline volume controls tend to dirty the signal or just break.
The audio cable plugs into the left can, just like the QC3, and the right audio is transferred over the headband. The right can has the on/off switch, and a red LED indicates power. The right can also has a AAA battery compartment.
Audio can still be heard with the noise-cancellation circuitry turned off, but at a much lower level and sounds muddier. Once the power switch it turned on, the music sounds much brighter and amplified.
The Able Planet noise-cancelling headphones try to implement a lot of the features of the Bose QC3, but just doesn’t pull it off as well. Additionally, the cord that comes with it is just too long and the inline remote just gets in the way. The inline remote does not work with Android devices, which makes the cord even more annoying.
There is no specification about the noise cancellation, which means they don’t want you to compare with other products. The noise cancellation appears to be about the same as Beats Audio, which is around 17 decibels. When you consider that a quiet room is about 30dB then you can easily conclude that this will not shut out all of the rumble of an airplane or bus while travelling. It works a little bit, and there is a slight hiss when the Noise-Cancellation circuitry is active.
Conclusion
The Able Planet headphones don’t deliver the same level of audio quality or noise-cancelation as the $300 set it tries to emulate, but it is certainly better than premium earbuds costing twice as much. When compared with other over-the-ear headphones, the sound of the Able Planet NC350SCT is okay, but can deliver more sound than many premium earbuds.
The headset’s over-the-ear design is way more comfortable after several hours, and the audio quality isn’t horrible, even if its bass can distort rather easily.
The Able Planet website has the NC350SCST-OB headset listed at $150, but it is nowhere near the level I would expect out of a headset at that price range. These were picked up at Fry’s electronics for $40 as a refurbished item, and these headphones are a clear value.
These headphones seem like they could fit the bill if you need an extra pair just to drown out the noise on a flight or bus, or just need a cheap backup pair. The size of the earcups may fit over-the-ear for many women and smaller men, but the average American man may find them a bit cramped.
There have been reports of the headbands breaking and inline volume knob breaking within a few months. My Bose QC3s have been working great and comfortably for over 2 years, although I did recently have to repair the earcups on them.