Not to be overshadowed by the slew of new A/V receivers and Blu-ray players, a trio of newly designed headphones also debuted at Denon Electronics' New York City line show this week. The top-end AH-NC600 is Denon's first-ever noise-canceling earbud-style headphones. It is expected to be available at retail this July for $199. This is a great combination of features, as the in-ear design acts as an effective earplug and then the addition of active electronic noise cancellation on top of that promises to render quiet bliss. (Big Picture Big Sound Editor Chris Boylan contends that the proper seal of a high-quality in-ear-canal phone is enough to block out ambient noise, even from the big, constant drone of an airplane's engines, although I respectfully disagree.) This cancellation purports to eliminate up to 99% of ambient noise.
To further enhance performance, Denon has added the C.A.R. ("Compressed Audio Restorer") circuit, cleverly re-purposed from technology long implemented in their receivers, to revive lost high-frequency harmonics from compressed music and video files. It makes MP3s and such (what we'd likely be listing to while flying, or otherwise on-the-go) sound more like their original uncompressed versions. The Restorer is backed by serious 3.5mm drivers, oxygen-free copper cables and a built-in amplifier. The included horizontal hard case, in addition to holding all accessories (assorted eartips, new soft-foam earpads, a two-pronged airplane plug adapter), can be quickly configured as an ideal stand for the iPhone/iPod, for hands-free viewing on a tray table, for instance.
Also new to Denon's headphone line, bringing their total model count to 15, are the AH-C710 ($149), similar but most notably lacking the noise cancellation, and the comfortable, affordable AH-C360 ($49), both expected next month. These three all feature an ergonomic design that dependably isolates the ear while also decreasing mechanical vibration, with a newly developed hybrid metal/elastomer housing. Denon's Radial Cascade Damper reduces that annoying microphonic sound we encounter whenever the cables are touched or tugged, plus a specially designed Acoustic Optimizer adjusts the sound pressure balance in front of and behind the diaphragm for superior bass.
Where to Buy:
(new models coming soon)
