Able Planet Clear Harmony Active Noise-Canceling Headphones

Other products by AblePlanet

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 2 x 8 inches ; 12 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000K41PH8
• Item model number: Clear Harmony
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank

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  Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Headphones > Noise-Canceling Headphones

• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 1, 2006

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Able Planet made its mark in the portable audio field at the 2007 International CES trade show, where its Clear Harmony active noise-canceling headphones won an Innovations Design and Engineering award for high-performance audio. Since then, the Clear Harmony headphones have won wide acclaim from consumers and experts alike, who rave about the phones' ability to eliminate almost all background noise while offering superior sound quality. Released in tandem with a pair of sibling models--the True Fidelity and Sound Clarity--the Clear Harmony headphones are ideal for everything from iPods to home stereos to portable DVD players, with full, rich sound that shuts out such extraneous sounds as airplane engines, bus motors, and background conversations.

The Clear Harmony headphones come with a hard-shell case and several audio adapters

As the high-end model in Able Planet's noise-canceling line, the Clear Harmony headphones offer slightly more sophisticated speaker components than the Sound Clarity and True Fidelity models. As a result, they're the best choice of the three for audiophiles who value a robust bass performance and aren't intimidated by the higher price tag. The Sound Clarity phones, by contrast, aren't quite as bass intensive but still boast the same rich clarity and noise-reducing performance as the Clear Harmony headphones. Price-sensitive listeners or people with hearing aids, meanwhile, will likely find the True Fidelity headphones more to their liking. Not only does the True Fidelity model cost less, but it also emphasizes the upper and mid-range frequencies more than the other two, helping hard-of-hearing listeners better enjoy the full audio spectrum while they listen to music or news radio.

Linx Audio Technology
Although the speaker components differ, all three headphones share Able Planet's patented Linx Audio technology. Originally developed for a new generation of top-of-the-line hearing aids, Linx Audio technology alters the audio signal to increase the intensity of higher-frequency harmonics. This makes it easier to hear words, music, and sounds in the higher frequencies where clarity is often lost, while also ensuring that speech and other high-frequency sounds are not smothered by bass tracks. Able Planet compares the results to the difference between hearing a "C" note on a piano as opposed to a "C" chord. The "C" chord, which sounds richer and more complex, demonstrates the impact of adding harmonics to the audio signal.

Listen to the difference between Able Planet's Linx Audio technology and standard audio sources

Linx Audio technology also fits into Able Planet's mission of creating audio solutions for people with hearing disabilities. By filtering undesirable sounds and noise via the state-of-the-art active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, Able Planet headphones encourage users to listen to music at lower volumes to reduce long-term hearing loss. The phones also provide crisp sound for people already suffering from moderate hearing problems, and even accommodate hearing aids thanks to a new technology that restricts electromagnetic interference.

Special Features
Clear Harmony headphones also reduce distortion at higher volumes by soft-clipping the sound wave rather than squaring it off, delivering a full-bodied frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz and an industry-leading 18 dB of active noise cancellation. And as a bonus, the phones offer an inline volume control that makes it easy to turn the volume up or down without reaching for your portable audio device. Other features include a 5-foot removable cord with 1/8-inch, 1/4-inch, and two-prong airline adapters; a lightweight adjustable headband that provides a superior fit; full-size swiveling ear cups with soft cushions; and a hard-shell protective carrying case with a storage area for iPods and other MP3 players.

The headphones--which can be used at home as well as on the road with TVs, computers, portable DVD players, CD players, MP3 players, and assisted listening devices--fold flat for easy storage.

Note: The noise cancellation feature requires two AAA batteries (not included), but can also be turned off should the batteries run down. As a result, users can still listen to music without power, unlike many competing noise-canceling headphones.

What's in the Box
Clear Harmony headphones, removable cord, 1/8- and 1/4-inch stereo adapters, two-prong airline adapter, hard-shell carrying case, user's manual.

Product Description

Make Your Other Senses Envious! Award Winning Patented Technology designed for the music lover, sound critic and you. With fifteen International CES Awards, Able Planet is a company founded on the principles of hearing preservation, enhancement and superior sound performance. The secret behind the advanced sound quality is a patented technology called LINX AUDIO.¿ Originally developed for a new generation top-of-the-line hearing aids the LINX AUDIO technology alters the audio signal to increase the intensity of higher frequency harmonics. This makes it easier to hear words, music and sounds. The enhanced audio signal also increases the perception of loudness without increasing volume, providing full rich sound at lower volumes. Imagine being able to listen longer, fuller at lower volumes. Over 10 Million Americans have hearing loss because of excess noise exposure¿now you can do something about it!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent, even surreal, once eq is adjusted, September 19, 2007

By	KDS - See all my reviews

These are excellent headphones, with unbelievable bass(read-accurate).

As equalized they are not particularly accurate though-no doubt to the intention of having them used in noisy environments. Though lacking a documented frequency curve, I would guess it has a pronounced dip in the upper midrange to lower high frequency region, combined with a slightly heavy midbass band. No doubt many people will find this exciting, I am sure this was done again to compensate for an expected noisy external environment.

I am a sound engineer, and I have been looking for very high quality noise reduction headphones for mastering purposes. I suspected when I first auditioned these, that with a little tweaking, I could get them "perfect".

In mastering, one of the biggest problems is dealing with any extraneous noises that may "mask" details in the recording you are working on. traditional headphones simply cannot block all of this noise out. You would be amazed at the noise that creeps into your audtioning that you aren't aware of. The headphones do the finest job of removing this noise that I have ever heard. It is simply amazing. I never realized, even in a controlled listening room, just how much noise was present. In silence with the headphones powered off, then on, I realized I could hear my breathing! Yes, even the smallest amount of noise can effect the quality of music, and how wonderful to have almost everything eliminated.

As stated earlier I had to adjust my eq when using these for mastering, involving listening to hours of reference recordings to get it right, but I got there.

Now I have to say I almost listen exclusively to these headphones for all my audtioning. I have B&W speakers for my reference-anyone who knows anything about speakers, know these are the best, and I still prefer my headphones. NOW this is primarily because of the noise elimination, you simply will not believe the details in music that are buried beneath a noise floor that you don't even perceive.

I can even plainly hear differences between 16bit and 24bit when I am mastering! Its almost frightening.

One last thing. they are VERY comfortable. mastering can often take hours, and its wonderful to have a pair of cans that you can leave on without any ear pain.

Highly recommended. I will be happy to write another review with the supplied eq settings in the future if anyone is interested.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent quality, November 20, 2007

By	NZkiwi (Chatham, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This really beats the Bose headset. I have tried them both and this one has better noise reduction, and just as good bass and treble. The thing that makes this much better than Bose is try calling AblePlanet up- you get a LIVE person immediately and they listen immediately. They are genuinely interested in getting your feedback and ensuring you are satisfied. Smaller company, big customer support.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Able Planet Clear Harmony delivers!, August 10, 2008

By	P. Mozarowski - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have problems with my hearing, ringing, and unusual noise sensitivities, so I am very sensitive to the differences in the noise cancellation headsets. I have experience with most of them, bose, koss, sony, and have blown prodigious sums of money. I received my Clear Harmony, and they deliver!!! The noise cancellation is the strongest that I have experienced, also there is NO annoying low frequency accentuation. I find that many headsets, when set to noise cancellation alone, seem to leave me with upper frequencies cancelled much more than lower frequencies. This headset is superb. There is a tiny amount of hiss, but I believe that is a trade off. This is really a superb headset, and to me, is the favorite of all of them. Although I own the bose,koss, sony, audio technica, this is the one I actually use. AT, and Bose, are also quite good, but Clear Harmony has an edge, in my view.