Able Planet Clear Harmony Active Noise-Canceling Headphones
by ABLE PLANET, INC.
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: ABLE PLANET, INC.Format: CD
Model: Clear Harmony
Color: Silver
Product features:
- Patented LINX AUDIOTM technology provides award winning sound quality
- State-of-the-art active noise cancellation (ANC), to reduce undesirable sounds and background noise
- Hard shell protective carrying case with storage area
- Lightweight adjustable headband provides superior fitFull-size ear cups with soft cushions swivel for maximum comfort
- In-line volume control enables easy adjustment to safe listening levels for hearing preservation
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Able Planet Clear Harmony Active Noise-Canceling Headphones
Customer Review: Solid product, good customer support
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought these from another site where I had a discount coupon. I was in the market for a good set of $200 over the ear noise canceling headphones. My first choice was the Audio Technica ATH-ANC7, but they had been discontinued, and the new ATH-ANC7b version was not yet out. I chose the Able Planet after doing a lot of research on various headphones.
The headphones are good quality, with a very comfortable fit. The noise canceling is very good, with only a very, very slight noise canceling artifact (hiss), far less than other mid-priced noise canceling headphones. In fact, I did not hear it the first time I turned them on.
Sound quality is very good. The LINX technology seems to be a form of equalization which boosts certain ranges, mainly low base and midrange. The strong base and midrange boost gives a sound color very similar to Bose.
The head band was large, and I don't think the headphones would have fit well on someone with a smaller head (more on this later).
I used the headset for a long flight to the South Pacific, however on the return, something malfunctioned in the headset, resulting in the left earcup failing. I contacted Able Planet, and they emailed instructions to return the headphones. About a week later I got the replacement shipment, however it contained the wrong headphones (the Able Planet Clear Harmony NC200). I called Able Planet the next day, and they looked up the shipments and realized they had reversed two warranty shipments (someone else got my NC1000s). They immediately shipped another set of NC1000s to me, along with a return label for the NC200s. But I never got them. I contacted Able Planet again, they pulled up the tracking number on the new shipment, and found they had never been delivered, and instead there was a bizarre code about the shipment. So Able Planet immediately shipped out a third pair the same day I called them.
This shipment I did receive. In the rush, they did not include the return label for the NC200s, so I called Able Planet back, and they told me to just keep the NC200s.
The replacement set appears to be brand new, not a refurbished set. It has worked fine so far. One physical difference I see is the new set uses a different head band, the same as on the Able Planet Lost Cauze and Sound Clarity headphones. This eliminates the one design issue of the original, however I am uncertain if this is an intentional design change.
Despite my challenges, I am sold on Able Planet's customer support. They are very responsive and friendly.
Description of Able Planet Clear Harmony Active Noise-Canceling Headphones
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!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 |
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.
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.