Review: Logitech Noise-cancelling headphones
The Propaganda
Logitech only have three headphones in their current range, and these noise cancellation headphones are the serious ones. Their schtick is that they are designed to cancel out low-frequency noise, making them ideal for planes, trains and automobiles.
The Good
The headphones come in their own carry case, which also has space for a spare AAA battery (needed for the noise cancellation element) as well as an adapter for irritating airplanes that use the two pronged jacks.
The headphones themselves have cushioned ear pieces, making them comfortable for long periods of time. There is also a small switch to on the right earpiece, which turns on the noise neutralizing element. In the event of the battery running out, they can still be used as ordinary headphones. And if you don’t fancy listening to music, they can still be used to create a quieter environment.
As for whether they work or not, the answer depends on what you’re trying to drown out. Ambient noise like engines are almost entirely cut out, but random, sharp noise (like clapping) isn’t. Voices are also neutralised, so it’s handy to have a switch that can turn them into normal headphones – you wouldn’t want to try crossing the road with these on.
The Bad
The main problem I personally found is that noise cancellation headphones make me nauseous. Seriously. Five minutes with these on, especially when there was no music on, was like spending an hour on a rollercoaster. I believe the technical explanation is "something to do with middle ear mumble mumble white noise mumble mumble".
The headphones themselves are also inevitably pretty massive. On donning them, you’ll either feel like an air traffic controller, or someone who is *serious* about music. The choice is yours.
In our opinion
There really isn’t anything that can go wrong with these. They do what they say, and then it’s left up to you whether it’s worth it. Personally, I don’t mind the odd rattle from the engine if the alternative is feeling ill. I’d use these exclusively for air travel, when the roar of the engine really is noisy, but I’d leave them at home for other journeys – they’re not terribly portable. Price wise they’re about £75, which is pricey compared to something like the Creative offering, which is about £30 cheaper.
