A Top-Performing Bargain For Wireless Noise-Canceling
The AKG N60NC has a clean appearance that exudes excellent quality and the unit does not have a cheap feel. It comes with a fabric pouch that contains an internal pocket that holds a USB charging cable and a cable with an in-line remote and 1/8-inch plugs. Also included is an adapter plug that allows you to plug the N60NC into a plane's headphone jacks. This is a blessing and allows you to use the N60NC instead of the disposable earpieces sold by most airlines.
Ergonomically, the controls are simple and located on the edge of the right ear cup. With just a little practice you can easily operate these controls just by touch alone. One slide switch activates both the Bluetooth and noise-canceling functions simultaneously in the second position. It can also be used solely for its noise canceling function if you use the included cable to plug it into a source such as your cellphone or a portable audio device. The cable itself contains the aforementioned remote to allow you to pickup and hang up phone calls, play and pause audio and skip backwards and forwards for each song using just one button whose particular function depends on the number of taps. If you are using the Bluetooth function with a cellphone, the microphone on the edge of the right ear cup would substitute your phone's. Despite its tiny dimensions, its quality is first rate (crisp, clean and highly intelligible). The first position is for a passive listening mode used when the headphones are plugged into a source. The third and last position is for Bluetooth pairing mode. AKG has thoughtfully designed this position to be a non-latching, spring-loaded position to prevent users from inadvertently leaving the switch in pairing mode.
The left ear cup contains the 1/8-inch mini-jack as well as the mini-USB port, which is used to charge the internal battery.
The ear cups swivel both vertically and horizontally on ball bearings that provide little resistance to movement while the headband can be lengthened along different click stops on scales for each side. Regardless of the size and shape of the listener's head, these headphones should be very accommodating and comfortable. Even during extended listening sessions, I did not experience ear fatigue or extra warm outer ears.
The sound quality for the list price of $249 is reasonable. The fact that this can be purchased directly from AKG for well under $100 is phenomenal. Most users usually describe headphones and speakers in terms of tonal balance. The N60NCs are too refined for such a simple description. If you listen passively using the included cable, the sound is certainly very well-balanced for the price but it may be a bit lean in the bass for some users. If you are a fan of Beats or most BOSE, you would likely want more mid-bass emphasis or a downright boomy sound. The N60NCs will not produce that kind of goosed-up bass. It's a bit on the light side of neutral (read "balanced") but its mid-range and treble performance is extremely smooth and well integrated for the price. Everything sounds extremely natural without emphasized upper mid-range/lower treble that can produce listener fatigue. Upper bass all the way to high treble is very well balanced while sharp transients such as high-hats, snare drums and cymbals have just the right amount of snap and almost perfect attack and decay. Most other headphones anywhere near this price and many up to $200 at street price blur these details. If there is something missing, it is a slight loss of the extreme high-end extension ("airy" quality) that you can hear from much more expensive headphones. But bear in mind that those headphones are typically not noise-canceling headphones. Those are usually serious audiophile models so the fact that the N60NC can even be compared to those is a testament to the quality of this model.
Switching on the Bluetooth/noise-canceling mode will give more than what you would expect. The Bluetooth connection is flawless with no interruptions or dropouts even at more-than-reasonably extended distances from the sources. Noise canceling works extremely well and better than I would have thought possible. The most disturbing external noises, including lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners, and computer fans are reduced to insignificance. Loud extraneous noises will not be silenced but they will be reduced to the point where you can definitely enjoy music and discern every lyric in a well-recorded song. On top of that, the Bluetooth/noise-canceling mode noticeably extends the bass. You will hear a better sense of the body of the music yet the bass will never, ever sound boomy. It can be described as a good deep and tight bass without exaggeration.
Imaging is first rate and there is a good sense of spaciousness; not too dry and not cavernous. Just right for my taste.
So you can either listen passively and if you want more extended bass, turn on Bluetooth/noise-cancellation. Outstanding!
Verified purchase: YesCondition: New