Maxell Noise-Cancellation Headphones

The Noisebuster technology works via the following process: tiny microphones within each earpiece "listen" for any pervasive environmental noise and send this information to a device called an in-line audio-enhancer pack. This device reads and analyzes the information and then generates a noise-cancellation wave that's out of phase with the noise itself. The audio-enhancer pack feeds this wave back into the headset--when the noise wave goes up, a corresponding cancellation wave goes down, causing the two signals to cancel each other out. This eliminates a good deal of unwanted sonic junk, from airplane engine noise to distant freeway traffic seeping into your living room.

We evaluated our HP-NC1s as a utility crew used jackhammers on the street outside our listening room. Because you can bypass the Noisebuster technology with a switch, it was easy for us to compare the noise-canceled signal to the standard sound. While Noisebuster didn't entirely eliminate the jackhammer's rat-a-tat-tat, it did significantly reduce the sound so that we could listen to quiet music, such as soft jazz and classical.

As for the sound of the headphones themselves, the midrange is clear, but the HP-NC1s are a little sluggish overall, with no deep bass or extended high frequencies. In fairness to the HP-NC1s, noise-canceling headsets often sound restricted in the frequency extremes, as it can be tricky for the noise-canceling devices to differentiate between noise and music. The fit of these headphones is also a little snug for our taste, but you can loosen them a bit by gently bending the headset.

We have heard comparably priced, non-noise-canceling headphones that sound better than Maxell's HP-NC1. However, better sound doesn't matter much if you're having a hard time hearing the music in a noisy environment. At this price, these headphones are a bargain.

Pros:

• Noisebuster technology works well
• In-flight dual-jack adapter included
• In-line volume control

Cons:

• Snug fit may be uncomfortable
• Average sound quality

The headphones are permanently attached to a small belt-clip unit about the size of a pack of baseball cards. The unit has an on-off switch (for the cancelling part) and a volume control. A 3' cord ending in a standard 1/8" stereo plug comes out the bottom of the pack.

The phones have great (but not excellent) response. They are designed as part of the N/C system and so have their best output at about 150Hz--which is great not only for rock and pop but classical as well. When you turn on the N/C, the sound is damped in the higher frequencies, which actually makes everything much clearer. Just don't use "Super Bass" on your CD player because the sound will get muddy. Without it, though, I was able to enjoy classicalon a recent plane flight without any distractions--which brings me to the N/C aspect of these headphones.

The noise cancelling is centered around 150Hz, which is the pitch of most plane engines but works quite well for cars and buses too. On my last plane flight, I turned the noise cancelling on as soon as we took off. It removed the engine noise so well that I started to get annoyed by the half-volume air-conditioning noise that it let through. By the time I turned them off, I really had forgotten how much they were blocking the engine noise and was surprised how loud it was.

The box says that it will run for about 22 hours on a pair of AAs, but I've had it running for over 30 hours without problems. It *will* run on rechargeables, but I strongly recommend NiMH if you choose to do so.

Overall recommendation: A high-quality set of phones, especially considering the price for N/C headphones. I recommend them for any frequent traveler.


Awesome product for the money.   February 22, 2006
D. Foster (Georgia, United States)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

About two months ago, I went on a long trip with a friend of mine, and he told me to try out his Maxell NC-II Noise Cancellation Headphones so I did, and I was really impressed. I heard high quality sound, and really excellent noise cancellation. After listening to them for about 20 minutes riding down the Interstate, in a Honda CRV that had a LOT of road noise, I really wanted a pair of these. So I asked how much they cost, expecting him to say around $150 or so. He told me "I got them for about 40 bucks." A week or so before, I had tried out a couple pairs of Bose Noise Canceling headphones, and the cheapest of the two, were about $200 and it wasn't very comfortable for that price. Nowhere near as comfortable as the $40-50 Maxell NC-II.

So today I bought the Maxell NC-II's and I'm jamming out to various rock songs as I'm typing this, and I have a very loud Microsoft Natural Keyboard, and can't even hear myself type. I've noticed also, that I just using these for a little bit, I can hear more of the background instruments, like they are clearer and stand out. Good for playing games like Far Cry, where you use audio to tell exactly where the enemy is. Plus the ambient jungle sound effects in it sound awesome!! These have to be about the best headphones you can get for the money.


Awesome product   July 15, 2005
Klarno (Santa Fe, NM, USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I'm very impressed with these headphones; they're isolating, and have just as good sound clearness and audible range as the Koss KSC50(?) sportclips I used to have (no longer in production), and the Aiwa HP-X223 headphones-- and it sounds great without having to set an equalizer setting in my iPod. I also can't hear any hiss from the noise cancellation feature.


Personal recommendation   May 16, 2001
W. Nelson (New Jersey)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I'm ordering my third set today. Eveyone in the house wants one. The noise cancelling feature slightly affects fidelity, but it is not noticable after a few seconds. The volume and noise cancelling controls are on the body of the unit which attaches to your belt, so the controls of the CD player don't have to be adjusted or used as much. Even the single wire from the left speaker and the right angle of the jack have been well thought out. I'm happy with my purchase.


Better Than Bose!   February 15, 2007
L. Smith (Sebring, FL United States)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

We just returned from California on a Red-Eye flight to Ft. Lauderdale. The plane was just about full and included lots of children and two dogs in carry-on cages. One of the little yappers was right in front of me and one of the dogs was in my row. We had stayed with my son in CA, who owns the newest Generation Of Bose Noise Cancelling Headsets. We wanted to purchase two sets..and two Bose were just beyond our (retired persons) budget. So we bought two sets of The Maxell Noise Cancelling Headsets w/ Full Ear Cups at a nearby discount store. My husband, who is an Electrical Engineer and VERY picky, decided to do a test: He tried both Bose and Maxell hooked to our MPC player, in our noisy rental car (in neutral and revving engine), with grandchildren yelling. His final assessment was that the Bose had marginally better sound quality, but the Maxell had quite acceptable sound quality and BETTER sound deadening. We used the headsets on the 4-hour flight home and were VERY pleased with both sound quality from the airline jack hookup and THRILLED with noise cancellation feature. In addition, the comfort of the full ear cup headset was excellent. After four hours, my ears did not feel "mashed" or tender. So, must say that we highly recommend them for anyone who does not want to pay the extra $$$ for Bose.