21 Jan
Blog

Denon Noise Cancelling Earbuds review: Serious sound value

Denon Noise Canceling Earphones AH-C830NCW.

Denon noise canceling earplugs

RRP $159.00

"Denon nails the basics with great sound and great noise cancellation."

benefits

  • Comfortable fit

  • Outstanding sound quality

  • Very good noise cancellation

  • Very good transparency

  • Good call quality

  • IPX4 water resistance

disadvantage

  • No wireless charging

  • No EQ or control adjustment

  • No bluetooth multipoint

  • Require frequent fit adjustments

Though legendary Japanese audio brand Denon was late to the true wireless earbud party, they've made the plunge with two new budget models – the $159 model AH-C830NCW with active noise cancellation (ANC) and the $99 AH-C630W. We look at the noise-cancelling model to see how Denon's first attempt at true wireless compares to similarly priced earbuds from the leaders in the space.

Known design

Denon noise canceling earbuds (left) and Apple AirPods Pro.Denon Noise Canceling Earbud (left) and Apple AirPods Pro. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

It's pretty clear from the start that Denon is making a game for the people who like Apple's AirPods Pro. Placed side by side, the noise-cancelling earbuds and the AirPods Pro look very similar, especially considering the Denons come in white (you can also choose black).

There are some subtle differences: Denon's stems are slightly thicker and feature a sleek chrome-plated tip. And instead of Apple's pinch controls on the stems, Denon uses the more common touch-based style Apple uses on its first- and second-gen AirPods.

Google Fast Pair makes Android connection simple: flip open the cover and tap the connect button on your phone's screen.

In the box, Denon includes three sizes of silicone ear tips to help you get a good seal and a short USB-C charging cable.

The relatively large charging case has a flat base, allowing it to stand on its own, and features a sleek, angled lid that's easy to open and close. Unfortunately, getting the earbuds out of the case can be difficult. The outer shell's super-smooth plastic makes it difficult to get a good grip, so you'll need to master the technique of using your thumb as a lever to slide each earbud out of its socket high enough for you to hold it with your index finger. Unlike the AirPods Pro, the case doesn't support wireless charging.

links

Google Fast Pair screen capture.

Android control center screen capture.

According to Denon, the Noise Canceling Earbuds are Bluetooth Class 1 devices, which usually means they should have a better range than non-Class 1 devices. But I found the range to be about average — 30 to 40 feet indoors and 50 to 60 feet outdoors . Within these distances, the connection was very stable and latency was never an issue when watching videos.

Android users get Google Fast Pair, which makes the initial connection as easy as flipping open the back cover and tapping the connect button on your phone's screen.

Slippery fit

Man with Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds AH-C830NCW.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

When inserted, the Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds are really comfortable. They're just small enough to avoid the feeling of something wedged deep in your ears, but they also offer decent surface contact with your outer ear to keep the buds from moving.

The noise-cancelling earbuds show their greatest strength when it comes to sound quality: they sound fantastic.

But the fit isn't secure enough for reliable use in high-impact activities like running, although with an IPX4 rating they can certainly handle sweat and rain. They also tend to loosen up when you're talking – something that could prevent them from being ideal companions on long Zoom calls. During a recent video call I had to reset them several times.

App-free simplicity?

The Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds AH-C830NCW come with a charging case, earbuds and an adapter.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

In another Apple-like move, Denon keeps things simple with the noise canceling earbuds – all functions are controlled by the buds themselves and there's no Denon companion app for iOS or Android. On the one hand, there is not much to learn. A single tap on the right earbud starts and stops your music, a double tap skips forward, and a triple tap skips back. When a call comes in, a double tap on the right earbud will answer the call and a second double tap will end it. Meanwhile, single taps on the left earbud toggles ANC mode from on to ambient, then off.

But on the downside, the lack of an app means no firmware updates, no EQ or control adjustments, and no advanced features like Fit Tests or Find My Earbuds.

Sensitive control

Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds AH-C830NCW come with a charging case.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The touch controls work really well, but it's very easy to accidentally trigger them when inserting the earbuds or adjusting them in-ear. You'll get a quick feedback tone letting you know a tap has been detected, taking the guesswork out of it, and response times are lightning fast. The noise-cancelling earbuds are also equipped with wear-and-tear sensors that can quickly and reliably pause and play your audio when you remove or reinsert them.

To learn more about all controls, you need to download the user manual from the Denon website. For some reason, the included quick start guide doesn't mention being able to reject calls or mute the mic during a call, both of which are possible.

Constant noises like fans or other machine-based hums are reduced to a whisper.

The only thing missing is a volume control, and there's no way to toggle between ANC and ambient modes without going through off mode.

However, you get access to your phone's assistant and can use each earbud independently for calls and music. When you do this, the playback controls that would normally be on the right earbud are transferred to the left earbud if you're just using that side.

Great sound

Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds AH-C830NCW come with a charging case.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Ultimately, most of us want our earbuds to offer great sound quality above all else. And this is where the noise canceling earbuds show their greatest strength. Denon says it applied its Sound Master tuning to these earbuds. I can't tell you exactly what that means, but I'll tell you one thing: you sound fantastic. Absolutely clear across the frequency range and with a wonderfully wide and precise soundstage, they offer the same level of performance you'll find in true wireless earbuds that cost a lot more, like the excellent $230 Technics EAH-AZ60.

While it's true that there's no way to tweak the EQ settings either with the buds or via an app, I wouldn't change a thing. Low-end bass is punchy but warmly resonant, giving tracks like Hans Zimmer's Time all the depth they deserve, and there's enough midrange detail to have you sinking and discovering (or rediscovering) jazz standards by Miles Davis or The Dave Brubeck Quartet ) can ) items that smaller earbuds would hide.

Whisper quiet

As the name suggests, the Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds feature a hybrid ANC system and it's very impressive. Variable noises like traffic and background conversation are almost completely eliminated, and boomy, consistent noises like fans or other machine-based hum are reduced to a whisper.

I compared Denon's ANC to the very best: Apple AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds and Sony WF-1000XM4 and it was almost impossible to tell the difference. The Denons produce a very slight hiss when not listening to music and there isn't much external noise to cancel out, but otherwise they do a great job of keeping things nice and quiet.

Transparency mode is almost as good – it lets in a lot of ambient noise but doesn't quite erase the feeling of wearing earbuds like the AirPods Pro can. My only complaint, as I mentioned, is the inability to toggle directly between ANC and transparency.

call quality

Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds AH-C830NCW come with a charging case.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Overall, calling the Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds is very good. External noise is largely suppressed, and your voice will sound rich, not thin and tinny like some earbuds can. There was the occasional wobble, as can happen with any earbud, but I don't think your callers will be bothered by that.

You can also turn on transparency mode during a call, which lets you hear more of everything, including your own voice, and really reduces caller fatigue. If only the earbuds didn't have a habit of coming loose during conversation, they would be ideal.

battery life

Denon claims up to 4.8 hours per charge and 19 hours total if you include the charging case and have ANC enabled. If ANC is switched off, this lasts for up to six or 24 hours. That's about the same as the AirPods Pro, meaning not bad – enough for a full day – but nothing impressive by today's standards. I haven't been able to fully test these claims since the wear sensors can't be bypassed, but based on the remaining battery life shown in my Google Pixel 5's control center, it looks pretty accurate. You'll get an audible low-battery warning from the earbuds, but there's no quick-charge option to top up a low battery.

Our opinion

Although not as fully featured as some Denon true wireless earbuds Noise Canceling Earphones (AH-C830NCW) Absolutely kill it when it comes to sound quality, noise cancellation and value for money.

Is there a better alternative?

Near this price, your best alternatives are:

  • $130 Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro: Better battery life, wireless charging, and customizations, but sound quality and ANC aren't as good.
  • $170 Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro: Better battery life, wireless charging, customizations, and Hi-Res audio on Android devices, but ANC isn't as good.
  • $180 Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless: A more secure fit, tons of app-based adjustments, volume control, and sound and ANC quality to match Denons.

how long will they last

It's always hard to tell with true wireless earbuds, as battery life can drain over time, but the case and earbuds look well made, and the earbuds' IPX4 rating means they're not affected by mild water. Denon backs the noise canceling earbuds with a one-year limited warranty.

Should you buy them?

Yes. As long as you're not bothered by the lack of an app for EQ and control customization, and you're not planning on using them for workouts or sports, the Denon Noise Canceling Earbuds (AH-C830NCW) are excellent value for money given their sound and ANC.

Editor's Recommendations



03 Mar
Blog

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review | Built for business

Headphones with Bose Noise Canceling 700

"The new Noise Canceling Headphones 700 from Bose offer an unbelievable demand for business class pleasure."

  • Excellent noise cancellation

  • Very convenient

  • Remarkable speech intelligibility for calls and voice assistants

  • Connect to multiple devices at the same time.

  • USB-C offers convenient quick charging

  • Boost to Lower Treble is tough

  • Requires the Bose Music app to control many functions

This review was last updated on February 19th, 2019 by Nick Woodard, employee of Digital Trends.

Since Sony defeated Bose in its own game with its WH-1000XM3, I've been looking forward to an update of the Bose QC 35 II. Now it has arrived.

With the Noise Canceling Headphones 700 (hereinafter referred to as "Bose 700”) Announced, Bose played better speech intelligibility for phone calls and interactions with voice assistants like Alexa from Amazon and Google Assistant. The company made no mention of changes in sound quality, but it turned out to be updated as well, and even a quick look reveals a new physical design. However, it's not immediately apparent that Bose's new Bose Music app offers additional touch controls and features.

As it turns out, there is something new about the Bose 700. But are they a smart buy for $ 400, especially when the award-winning QC 35 II is still available for at least $ 50 less? We dug deep to find out who wanted the Bose 700 and who could stick to the tried and tested QC 35 II or other items like the popular Sony 1000XM3.

Out of the box

You can immediately see that Bose has made some design changes. The Bose 700 case is much flatter than most of the competition, which makes it easier to slide the case into airline seat bags for in-flight storage.

The slim form factor is thanks to a somewhat wider housing, in which the headphones can be simply flipped in and out by simply turning the ear cups – no complex folding technique required. There is a hidden compartment in the protective cover, which is closed with a magnetic flap. Lift the flap and you will find a headphone cable and a short USB-C charging cable. Bose has digthe increasingly unnecessary airline adapter for this iteration.

The Bose 700 takes a different design approach, which is characterized in particular by the way the ear cups are attached to the headband. Instead of continuing the yoke-like bracket that allowed earlier models to swivel and tilt generously, the 700 are attached directly to the inner band of the headband on the outside of the ear cup. There is less adjustment potential, but I've found that this doesn't pose a problem for my head size or shape – the Bose 700 feels great to me.

The comfort factor seems to be a kind of debate among the reviewers. I've seen others claim that the Bose 700 isn't as light or comfortable as the Bose QC 35 II, but by numbers they're actually 2 ounces lighter (8.9 to 10.9 ounces). You put onYou also don't need a scale to feel lighter. Take a pair with each hand and you can feel the difference.

You don't need a scale to feel lighter.

The weight difference is less pronounced when worn, but comfort has always been heavily dependent on the weight distribution. If the right balance of clamping force meets a sufficiently wide and well-padded headband, a slightly heavier headphone can actually feel more comfortable than a slightly lighter option. As I mentioned before, the 700 are indeed lighter and in my opinion offer the perfect weight distribution. The headband is a bit muddy – if not covered with luxurious fabric – and the ear cups have a slightly larger circumference, which means that the clamping force is well placed around the ears and not on them.

Of course this is only a description of my Experience. Different head sizes and shapes as well as different ear sizes play a role in the feeling of the headphones. So my suggestion is that you try the headphones yourself and see if they feel like an improvement in comfort or a step backwards.

Features and other extras

Along with changes to the physical design, Bose integrated new controls for the 700. The controls for play / pause, title advance / rewind and volume are managed via a touchpad on the right ear cup. Only three physical buttons are found. With a button on the left you can adjust the intensity of the noise suppression at levels 0, 5 and 10. You can also turn off noise cancellation while pausing the music. Two buttons on the right offer controls for pairing power / Bluetooth and calling the voice assistant of your choice, including Alexa, Google Assistant and even Cortana on Windows computers.

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 reviewJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

Then there's the new Bose Music app. I usually don't care about companion apps because they rarely add value to the experience. In this case, however, I recommend anyone who buys the Bose 700 to download the app that is available for iOS and Android, The Bose Music app allows users to pair the headphones with their phone (which is possible without the app), rename their headphones as they wish (the names suggested by Bose are hilarious. Thunder Flash, anyone?) And detailed control over them Exercise effectiveness of 0-10 noise reduction and paired device management.

The app also lets you manage all of your music services from one place, and save preferred playlists as convenient presets for one-touch access. If you own other connected Bose products, you can use this app to manage music playback through sound bars and wireless speakers individually or in groups.

There is no better headset for answering calls.

Like the Bose QC 35 II and Bose Frames Alto, The Bose 700 work with Bose AR, an interesting audio-based version of augmented reality. If you're using certain AR-enabled apps and an iOS device with location data enabled, users can enjoy experiences like advanced instructions in the Walc app. Instead of asking you to turn right in 0.2 miles, you may be asked to turn right on the walgreens. Or if you're looking for an amusing adventure on your way to work or home, try Komrad AR, a game that turns you into a secret agent standing in the way of an evil computer striving for global dominance. It sounds a bit tricky, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to trying Bose AR.

Finally, a word about battery performance. With fast charge, the Bose 700 can play for 2 to 2.5 hours on a 15-minute charge. The total playing time with noise cancellation activated is approximately 20 hours. Without activated noise cancellation, this number increases to 40.

Noise Reduction Performance

As you'd expect, the Bose 700 are excellent noise cancelers. However, what you may not expect is that the noise canceling effectiveness may differ slightly from that of the QC 35 II. What I noticed is that the 700 seems to suppress more static high-frequency noise than previous models. I can see this works well for air travel as it picks up more hiss you hear from an aircraft's ventilation system.

However, I also noticed that more center frequencies went through than I am used to with Bose noise canceling headphones. I haven't had a chance to test the 700 on a flight yet – I had to use a noise machine and real sounds for this review – but I'm getting on a plane soon and will update this review accordingly. Right now I'm ready to say that the 700 will improve the already impressive noise cancellation technology for air travel, but for everyday use in the office or when commuting on a bus or train, I would prefer the QC 35 II.

S.quality

I honestly didn't expect the changes Bose had made here. The 700 have a very significant boost in the upper middle and lower treble range, which makes them sound very detailed with more relaxed tracks, but if you get a few cymbals or brass players going, they become a little aggressive – some even say hard. I want to point out that the 700 feels more spacious and sophisticated when it comes to audio placement – watching movies with these headphones is a blast – but the audiophile in me can't ignore that the 700 isn't nearly as good for everyday use sounds good as Sony WH-1000XM3 or Bose QC 35 II.

After all, I suspect that the Bose 700 will sound great on a flight. The forward-looking presentation in the high-end area helps to avoid noises that the cans cannot suppress and gives clarity to the dialogue in films, instruments and vocals in music. The more I listen to these headphones, the more I am convinced that they have been optimized for air traffic.

Voice / call quality

Simply put, there is no better headphone to take calls or interact with digital voice assistants. Bose microphone technology makes a remarkable contribution to suppressing background noise to provide clean, clear, and very good-sounding voice quality to those on the other end of the call. In fact, there's a good chance the Bose 700 will sound better than your phone's built-in microphone.

For anyone who answers a lot of calls on their phone, this single feature should be convincing enough to require a purchase.

warranty information

Bose offers a standard 1-year warranty on the Noise Canceling Headphones 700. However, this can vary depending on the product and region. Visit this page to learn more about Bose's warranty on a product and regional basis.

Our opinion

Is there a better alternative?

For audiophiles who need the best possible sound in noisy environments, I prefer the Sony WH-1000XM3. Overall, they offer superior audio quality. The 700 is the way to go for the most effective noise cancellation while flying and for anyone who appreciates headphones for phone calls and works with voice assistants beyond all other considerations.

The Bose QC 35 II are still a good choice and are now sometimes available for less than $ 300. That's a lot, although the Bose 700 upgrades are worth paying extra if you make it.

How long it will take?

Time will tell, but the Bose 700 seems to be built just as well as all of the company's earlier headphones. So far, they have held up well under my stress tests, which leads me to believe that these headphones last as long as the battery.

Should you buy it

Yes. If you're an entrepreneur who takes a lot of calls with headphones turned on and / or travels a lot by plane, be sure to buy the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 – they're worth the $ 50 upgrade.

Editor's recommendations