Altec Lansing AHP-712 Headphones

Other products by Altec Lansing

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13 x 9.5 x 3.8 inches ; 2.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002XJ5KQ
• Item model number: AHP-712
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank

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

• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 5, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description
Improve the audio performance of your portable MP3 or CD player with these Altec Lansing headphones, which are ideal for frequent travelers and anyone else who listens in a noisy environment. The phones employ a technology called Active Noise Reduction, which "listens" to ambient sounds and filters them out by creating a 180-degree out-of-phase sound wave. So whether you're trying to overcome the engine hum of buses, subways, or planes or merely the voice of the couple next to you, the AHP-712 headphones are the perfect complement. Fortunately for listeners, the noise-blocking circuitry lets you focus on the music itself, which sounds great thanks to the high-performance 40 mm neodymium drivers. The bass explodes through the ear cups while the high and mid ranges sound rich and clear.

The phones fold and store compactly in the included carrying bag, which also offers an accessory pouch for extra cables and adapters. Additional features include a handy multi-function controller, a deluxe padded headband with comfortable leatherette ear pads, two choices of cable lengths, and airline and 1/4-inch adapters for additional listening options.

What's in the Box
AHP-712 headphones, carrying bag, controller, two cables, two-prong airline adapter, 1/4-inch adapter, user's manual.

Product Description
The superb-sounding Altec Lansing AHP712 headphones with Active Noise Reduction are ideal for the frequent traveler and anyone in a noisy environment. Active Noise Reduction technology uses small microphones to "listen" to ambient sounds and special circuitry to create a sound wave 180 degrees out of phase from the ambient sounds. When the sound wave is played through the headphones, it reduces ambient noises, such as airplane engines and subway rumbles, to allow you to focus on your music, movies or games.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What are you talking about? This is awesome., June 13, 2005

By	Leonardo Pisano - See all my reviews

Sorry about your first faulty headset...but that happens. These are, by far, the best headphones in the price range, and have a pretty good sound quality (20hz-20khz). They come with a nifty carrying bag and an adapter for airplanes (so you don't have to pay the annoying $5 charge). What's more, the MSRP price of $149 has been nearly reduced in half to $79 at places like Buy.com and the king-of-all-stores Costco. The Altec website is not much help, though. So if you want a real review, go to http://www.thetechlounge.com/review.php?directory=altec_lansing_ahp712&page=1.
And, by the way, if money is absolutly no object, try the Bose QuietComfort 2 Acoustic. They are the best--period. Happy trails.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good for the price, December 21, 2005

By	Likes to listen to radio (Canada) - See all my reviews

I had a pair of Sennheiser PXC 250 earphones and although they are quite good, I could make out the white noise and thought I would look for an additional pair of noise reduction/cancellation earphones.

I found a pair of Altec Lansing AHP-712 headphones at Costco and was able to try them after unplugging the music source. I was impressed and based on the price I bought them. I was ready to buy a pair of Bose earphone, but only if I could try them first. These earphones are about ¼ the price, so I figured I couldn't loose.

I have been wearing the AHP-712 earphones every chance I get. I find them to be comfortable and don't find any distortions. Since they cup the ear, unlike the Sennheiser that fit on the ears, I find that they may be slightly better then the Sennheiser for blocking noise.

The Sennheiser are far more portable and I would use them for trips, but the AHP-712 are my earphones of choice for the office.

The AHP-712 are a good buy at any price under $100. I paid CN$89.95 and I would recommend them for anyone looking for this type of earphone, especially for the office. I paid CN$149.95 for the Sennheiser which are also good, come with a nice pouch and are more portable.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not good at all, April 4, 2005

By	RG (Hawaii) - See all my reviews

Bad design - bad sound
The first set I received was defective - there was absolutely NO noise reduction when the switch turned on. Return & were replaced - but not in time to take on my long-haul jounrey - which was probably a good thing:

As I'm testing the new pair (with noise reduction that works - sort of anyway), I cannot imagine wearing them for more than a few minutes at a time. There is not a position on my head that is comfortable. They press very hard against my head/ears (I do have big ears, and I wear glasses). The band that connects the two earcups is angled very oddly - if you line the cups vertically with your ears, the headband will be about at your forehead.

Without noise reduction turned on, the sensitivity is low (volume of source needs to be cranked way up) and the audio sounds very dull. Turn on noise reduction and there is a large increase in amplification; but if you adjust volume level to make same, the audio response is way different - sounds like an equalizer has been inserted that sharply cuts mid-bass and boosts mid-upper treble frequencies. Wierd. Not only that, the noise reduction isn't nearly as good as the specs which lead you to believe it handles noise across the spectrum - only mid-low frequencies are reduced, and the microphones on the earcups are VERY sensitive to any disturbance near to them: put your hands on or near the cups to try and make the set more comfortable and you'll hear gross distortion of the audio. If you want to use them for noise reduction only, you will hear a background low-level hiss/white noise (common to most noise-reducing headsets).

I've been using the way less expensive Kensington set (Amazon sku 33084), and thought these Altecs would give me better audio quality with better noise reduction. I was wrong: while the Altec's do have better bass, the noise reduction is about the same and I can actually wear the Kensington set hours at a time without discomfort. And the truly 'new noise instead of the recorded audio' you get when the audio is distorted by someone or something getting too close to you is unnerving. I'm really disappointed with this product - would suggest the Kensington model mentioned above if you're looking for cost-effective, wearable noise-reducing headphones.