http://ift.tt/2kLMXGi The best noise-cancelling headphones for travelers got an upgrade
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AmazonLast year Sony introduced the MDR1000X, the best noise cancelling headphones I’d ever tried.
This year, the second generation of those headphones, the WH1000XM2, has earned that title.
A lot of things have carried over physically and aesthetically, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts.
Sony got enough right last year that I’m glad it chose refinement over an all-out rethink this time around. The headphones look the same, but a new finish makes the pair feel more premium to the touch. The cushioning from last year is also back, which is great since there’s enough to make these headphones comfortable to wear for hours.
My favorite extra feature from the previous generation has also returned: By placing your hand over the right ear cup, your music lowers, the noise cancelling turns off, and the headphones’ microphones let in ambient sound. It’s the perfect way to hear announcements in an airport, or on a train or plane, without having to take your headphones off. The play, pause, volume up, volume down, next track, and previous track gestures are also still there.
With all that stuff from last year still intact, what’s new?
Sony spent time refining the components inside this headphone to deliver better audio quality and noise cancelling.
The noise cancelling in particular deserves a shoutout because it was already very good. You can cycle through a few noise-cancelling modes from within Sony’s Connect app, or have it optimized based on your surroundings by hitting the noise-cancelling button on the headphones. These headphones can take factors like barometric pressure into account to tailor the noise cancelling to your current situation without having a big impact on how your music sounds.
I have two 45-minute subway rides per day, and this pair of headphones totally eliminated the normal train noises I’m used to hearing over my music. In many cases, I only had to turn my music up to half and three quarter volume noise until the outside world was completely gone.
The headphones even do a good job of eliminating normal office ambience with no music at all. I wore them for a few hours while writing and couldn’t hear any typing or conversations around me. Abrupt, out of the ordinary noises — a door slam for example — would come through, but were few and far between.
The noise cancelling and comfort make the WH1000XM2 the best headphones I’ve tried for travelers, and if you take even one long haul flight per month, they’re a must-have.
In terms of audio quality, this pair of headphones ranks among the best I’ve tested. Music is presented clearly, without distortion at high volumes or blown out bass and treble in songs with a lot of high and low end. Active noise cancelling can sometimes have a big impact on how music sounds since the headphones are simultaneously playing sounds while blocking others out, but that wasn’t a huge problem here. If anything, I think these headphones are a little bass heavy, but not enough to be annoying or noticeable to most people unless they’re listening for it.
Overall, I was impressed with Sony’s latest noise-cancelling effort. The company created a sturdy foundation last year and built upon it with the WH1000XM2, so I’m already excited for what will come in 2018.
Sony WH1000XM2 Premium Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones, $348, available at Amazon
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October 12, 2017 at 10:24AM