Customer Reviews

ABLE PLANET NC200W True Fidelity Foldable Active Noise-Canceling Headphones (White)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

BACKGROUND: Music aficionado and audiophile that is always on the lookout for the best bargain with the best looking or sounding equipment.

I've tried many headphones and many types of brands, including Sony, Sennheiser, Bose, Beats, Koss, Skullcandy, and Audio Technica. I only have the Sony MDR XD200 headphones. Since I got into the audiophile scene, I've been looking for decent headphones. I've never heard of Able Planet, but I decided to give them a try.

STATS:
20-Hz to 20-kHz
1 kHz sensitivity
3.5mm plug

FEATURES:
Active noise cancellation (needs 1 AAA battery to use)
foldability
noise level scroll on cord
"leather" ear cups

COMES WITH:
Airplane adaptor
1/4" home stereo adaptor
pouch

Music: my music tastes range from classical to hip hop and metal.

Good:
Works without the battery too (unlike Bose QC15 and Beats)
Hissing noise (doesn't feel like the pressure that Bose QC15 gives off b/c both are different frequencies. The frequency isn't as good, but it hurts a lot less too.)
cord length (Sony MDR XD200 has like 10 ft.....wtf)
Price (I got mine for $50)

Bad:
Hissing noise (it's there even with music, but you can turn it off to get rid of it)
Regular price

The ok:
Frequency response is alright....not too high, not too low, bass is ok
Cushion cups aren't as comfortable as Beats/Bose
The look is pretty fresh, white and pretty. Not as pretty as wooden/Beat headphones will ever be, though.

Yes, I am pretty happy with my purchase.

Ask me how this lasts in a few months.

I owned this product for 9 months and in those nine months they were generally a good product. They sounded good, were comfortable for a few hours at a time, and had good sound cancelling qualities. Not top end headphones but good enough for the price.

However, at the end of these 9 months the product broke in identical locations on other side of the ear peices due to apparently cheap materials. Following the failure, when I contacted the customer service department to honor their warranty, they refused saying that I had somehow used them in an improper manner.

In the end, the product is not worth the sound quality or their terrible customer service. Cheap materials means it will not be a lasting purchase. Spend a few more dollars and get a name-brand product with a helpful CS department.

I am very impressed with the noise canceling. I work as an engineer for a manufacturer and occationally have to walk through the factory (which, as you might guess, is VERY noisy). I have used the noise canceling feature while walking through; while the factory sounds are still audible, they are significantly muted and I am still able to hear the audio without having to turn the volume up to ear-splitting levels. While not a complete "cone of silence," using the noise canceling feature results in a significant, very noticeable reduction in ambient noise. There is a definite background hiss when there is no audio, but this is no worse than I have found with any of the other noise-canceling headphones I have used.

I have used these with my cell phone for a de facto "hands-free" mode as an alternative to speakerphone for private conversations and am very pleased with their usefulness for this purpose. The sound quality is so much better than either handset or speakerphone mode; I can hear the audio clearly from both ears, take advantage of the noise canceling feature, maintain the privacy of the conversation, and keep my hands free all at the same time; with these headphones, my cell phone often sounds better than my landline. I can understand the voices very clearly.

I have very good hearing and relative pitch, so I was anxious that the audio quality of these be good for music. I have been impressed in that regard as well. This is better than my previous set of noise canceling headphones, which I thought were pretty good too.

The comfort is very good. I like the "over-the-ear" design, and they don't feel too intrusive or tight, even after fairly long wear.

My one complaint is the transportability and compactness, which is definitely not as good as some other headphones I have used. These are very large headphones, even when folded up. As some have mentioned, it would also be nice if these came with a hard case for traveling; I'm always worried that they'll get broken or something if I put them in my briefcase.

I actually purchased these through a site called Lockerz. I don't want to go into the dynamics of the site but for reference, I purchased them for $52 USD ($57 USD with taxes). They came in the mail with good packaging and no noticeable blemishes/scuffs on the product box.

The headphones are totally worth what I paid for; they yield good sound quality and the noise canceling feature is good enough that when I use the apparatus, I can barely hear myself typing on my laptop. There is a slight "hissing" noise when the noise canceling is activated without music but when the music is playing, you can't hear the hissing. The headband is snug and could be a bit uncomfortable over long periods of time but I don't have a problem wearing them for 2 hours or more.

As people have mentioned before, the case does not protect the headphones at all so I recommend getting a better case. The cord has ample length and its own volume control which is really convenient for devices that have less precise volume meters. I definitely recommend these to anyone who wants noise canceling headphones without paying $300.

I wanted a solid set of phones, but I did not have a much cash, so I decided that the Able Planets were a nice happy medium between quality and affordability. The headphones sounded wonderful out of the package, especially the bass. Unfortunately, they broke after a little less than a month in use. To be specific, the part where you can adjust the size of the headphones snapped. I really liked the headphones, especially for the sound quality, price, and sweet design, but in terms of durability they don't last. I would have been better off paying for a more expensive pair that would have lasted.

My Aiwa HP-CN6, noise cancelling headphones, I had for almost 7 years, went dead for the left ear. Checked, it's not the wiring, or plug. Have to fly next week, and I cannot do it anymore, without noise reduction phones. Checked reviews, and compared. +$200 phones are out, unless they are electrostatic. I don't buy; $200 0r $300 sneakers either; and no headphone, should make a bad recording sound better. If Bose, or Beats; sounded better than electrostats, I'd jump on them; but no one, has said that. The headphones, are not as comfortable as my old Aiwa's. White, was cheaper, than the same model in black. The best surprise? When I turned the NR unit, with no music playing; I heard no hiss, at all. My Aiwa's had a slight hiss. With these and the NR switch off; I could barely, hear the music. Haven't been on a plane with it yet; but, I had to really guess, that little noise I heard, was my (loud) phone ringing; It blocked it out, almost completely. I only gave it four stars; should be 4.5 stars; because it's not the most comfortable headphones, I own or have. The sound quality is superb; hear things, I didn't notice before. Do I think, there are better NR headphones, out there? Maybe comfort wise, but for my ears musically; this is how a headphone should sound. If they made it more comfortable, I'm sure they'd want $300 also... If these break, I'd buy the same pair, before I took a chance on another. I really like the sound, NR.

These headphones broke after only a couple of months use. Able Planet does not back up their product without original packaging and a written registration.

Embarrassing as they were a birthday present.

I do not recommend these as they are not worth it.

I've had these headphones for about 4 months and loved them... until they broke. They broke in the same spot that other reviewers mentioned (where you can adjust the size of the headphones). I wore these headphone every day but I treated them carefully. Maybe I just got unlucky, but I will be spending a few extra bucks and getting a better built set next time.

I previously owned a pair of Sony NC-40 headphones that have served me well until they wore out from extensive use. This product seemed like a reasonably priced alternative, so I decided to give them a shot. Bottom line, the price was indeed reasonable, but that was about all - they got returned after being out of the box for an hour. My major impressions are:

1. If you're a fan of anything with any amount of bass in it, avoid these headphones. They simply don't have the juice to keep up.
2. Other reviews have mentioned a background hiss when the NC feature is on but not playing any music. If you know it's there, you can't help but notice it.
3. Apart from these two major flaws, there were a couple of features that I did like about these. The over-ear design was comfortable, the detachable cord seems like a nice touch for use in an airplane, and the sound quality was passable for mid- and high-range frequencies.

I since had a chance to borrow a pair of Sony NC-60 headphones from a friend and will be saving up for these instead.

The headphones broke after 3 months.

The plastic snapped while I was putting the headphones on my head. When I checked the "Lifetime" warranty, it says on the website you have to register the product within 30 days.

This was not stated anywhere in my product packaging.

This product (and probably company) is an absolute sham.

You are better off paying $100 or $150 for a quality product than being a sucker like me and shelling out $70 and looking for a replacement 3 months later.

DO NOT BUY THESE HEADPHONES. All of the 4-star and 5-star reviews are more than likely from customers who are reviewing recently after receiving the headphones.