Able Planet Sound Clarity Active Noise Canceling Headphones
by ABLE PLANET, INC.
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Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: ABLE PLANET, INC.Format: CD
Model: Sound Clarity
Color: Silver
Product features:
- Patented LINX AUDIOTM technology provides award winning sound quality
- State-of-the-art active noise cancellation (ANC)Operates as normal headphones when ANC function is turned off, or if batteries run out
- Ideal for creating your own personal space filled with full rich sound or nothing at all
- Lightweight adjustable headband provides superior fit Full-size ear cups
- 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 Sound Clarity Active Noise Canceling Headphones
Customer Review: Sound Clarity vs. QuietComfort 15: A comparative review
Summary: 4 Stars
I recently acquired a pair of Able Planet Sound Clarity (SC hereafter) headphones, just 6 days after purchasing a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 15 Noise Canceling headphones (QC15 hereafter). I got a very good deal on the Able Planet phones, which is the main reason I bought them. With both sets in hand, I have been able to do a side-by-side comparison between them. Bose is generally regarded as the Gold Standard when it comes to active noise canceling phones so this review is spun in that regard. I have not had a chance to try the Sennheiser offerings, so I cannot comment on those.
In summary, the Able Planet phones compare reasonably well against the Bose phones, but there are some trade-offs between the two. Which set to buy depends on the personal preferences and intended uses.
First off, the phones look very similar to one another. The general design is the same, with an over-the-ear design, soft pads and an on-off switch for noise cancellation. There are some very distinct differences, though, that are not obvious at a glance. First, the detachable cord plugs in somewhat differently, the SC having a jack that this flush with the phone and the QC15 having a jack that is inset within the base of the phone, with a molded plug. The battery compartment is also accessed differently, the SC having a sliding cover exposing 2 AAA batteries and the QC15 having a flip-up cover for a single AAA battery.
Another visible difference is in the cord that is included with the SC phones - it has a volume control thumb wheel. The QC15 phones have simply on/off. I like being able to adjust the volume without fiddling with the source such as a computer.
Comfort-wise, Bose has an upper hand on Able Planet. While both have an over-the-ear design which covers the ear, the SC cup is a hair smaller and as such it cannot cover the whole ear as easily as the QC15. That said, the SC phones are still comfortable and the difference is minor.
The noise canceling aspect of the SC phones is very good but it does not compare to the QC15 headset. Standing next to a running air handler that is roughly the size of a minivan, the SC is able to wipe out a good portion of the noise to make the level comfortable. The QC15 wiped out the sound of the air handler completely, to the point that it was difficult to tell if it was even turned on.
I was interested in the Linx Audio aspect of the SC phones and at first I was very disappointed. The high range is somewhat dampened, "S" sometimes sounding like "PH". However, the mid and low ranges are solid and are very rich, whereas Bose sounds good but has remarkably less depth. The QC15 phones are primarily noise canceling phones, and sound quality is secondary to that. The SC headset achieves a better balance of sound to noise canceling.
Once very distinct advantage that the SC headset has is that the phones will work without power, though noise canceling does not work in that case. The QC15 requires a working battery and must be turned on to work at all.
Right out of the box, my SC phones were defective. I contacted Able Planet, hoping I could get some advice on how to adjust them, but instead I got an RMA number. Less than 2 weeks later I had a new, working pair in my hands that work much better than the initial pair. Customer service at Able Planet is very responsive, professional and courteous. With the LIFETIME warranty on their headphones, Bose cannot answer with their 2-year warranty.
Which pair to buy is a matter of preference and intended use. If the intended primary use is noise cancellation and comfort, Bose is the right choice. For listening to music with the ability to engage noise canceling when needed, Able Planet is a better choice. Considering the 2-year Bose warranty against an Able Planet lifetime warranty, though, is hard to ignore.
As I use my phones for listening to music more than anything else, I use the Able Planet headset as my primary headset and I keep my Bose headset as a backup.
Description of Able Planet Sound Clarity Active Noise Canceling Headphones
Your Personal Sound Chamber! Award Winning Patented Technology designed to provide superior sound with no distractions. 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!Amazon.com Product Description 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 entire line of Able Planet noise-canceling headphones has 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. These Sound Clarity headphones--which were released in tandem with the Clear Harmony headphones and a third sibling called True Fidelity--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 Sound Clarity 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
Sound Clarity 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
Sound Clarity headphones, removable cord, 1/8- and 1/4-inch stereo adapters, two-prong airline adapter, hard-shell carrying case, user's manual.
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