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Denon AH-NC732: Review

Posted to Headphones 2009-05-23

In a noisy room and just want to listen to music peacefully? The Denon AH-NC732 noise-canceling headphones are an option you may want to try. Like other noise-canceling headphones (such as the competing Bose and Sony models) the audio isn't as good as a regular headphone but then again, you really want it for the blocking capabilities. The bottom line is it does a good job as a noise-canceling headphone for a bit less cost.

The AH-NC732 is big (with 40mm drivers) but it is also comfortable when wearing them for extended periods. Running off of a single AAA battery, the active earphones have the benefit of turning off the power to save the battery and improve sound quality. This is an advantage over many other competitors that can not have the noise canceling feature disengaged. Even so, a good alkaline battery can last up to 40 continuous hours.

Rating:

3.2 out of 5

Quality

While the Denon headphones do a great job at canceling out noise they do little in the sound department. Switching the noise control off will help but with it powered on, the high-notes are distorted and can be sharp changes in sound quality depending on the note. An audiophile likely won't like them but probably wouldn't be looking for noise-canceling headphones either. The sound deadening feature on these Denon headphones is really all it promises to be. You can put these on when you get on a plane and you won't hear any of that terrible cabin noise. A great touch is that Denon also includes that two-pronged adapter used by many airlines. The headphones also work wonderfully to drown out the horrible sounds of road work.

Features

The collapsible design is a nice touch on these headphones and makes carrying them onto a plane easy. They fit nicely into any bag and they are ultra-portable especially in the great carrying case. When travelling, space does matter so if you can carry them, all the better.

Summary

Overall these headphones are good enough for some regular use and are great when noise cancellation is necessary. They (along with many other noise canceling headphones) fail to offer great sound quality and really lose it at the high notes. Keep in mind, that if you are looking for audio quality, you likely won't be interested in noise cancellation.

Pros

Great noise cancellation
Good battery life
Compact for travelling

Cons

Some distortion when noisec-cancelling active
Not for an audiophile