£239.99
microsoft.comWE’RE IMPRESSED Just as good
as the best noise cancelling cans;
VRXQGJUHDWHYHQZLWKLIĆHU
sources; feel good on your head.
WE’D IMPROVE Battery life still
nothing special; no AAC support;
up against very stiff competition.
THE LAST WORD By retaining
the originals’ excellent noise-
cancelling, improving the audio
quality and reducing the price,
Microsoft has produced a real
alternative to class leaders.VERDICT
Find more noise-cancelling
headphones at: bit.ly/ncht370 T3 AUGUST 2020Te s te d
Microsoft Surface Headphones 2he original Surface Headphones
were brilliant pure noise-cancellers- but they cost a stonking £329 a
pair. Their unhappy grey finish
didn’t help, either. But now they’re back in
black – sounding better and costing less.
In terms of sound, they’re much more
forgiving of a standard Spotify stream now. Bass
frequencies have much more solidity about
them, so the bottom end is much punchier, but
at the same time it’s better controlled – there’s
no more swamping of singers by bass that’s
overstayed its welcome.
It’s really only up in the higher frequencies
that they’re anything less than confident.
There’s not quite the bite or the shine to treble
sounds that there really should be – mind you,
it’s more sensible than the hardness and
brilliance some rivals indulge in.
There are also some very commendable
touches in terms of build quality. The memory
foam that forms the ear-pads and lines the
inside of the headband is soft, yielding, slow to
heat and very comfortable. The earcups
The new headphones keep
the great noise-cancelling,
upgrade the sound and
lower the price
Microsoft
Surface
Headphones 2
RE:SURFACE
themselves swivel through 180 degrees, so the
headphones fold flat enough to be easily (and
safely) transported.
Like many a rival, they have touch-controls
for music, phone calls, or using a voice assistant.
But uniquely they also have a dial that adjusts
noise-cancellation, running from ‘amplify
external noise to make sure I’m safe when
crossing the road’ to ‘full-blown sensory
deprivation’ – and it’s brilliantly effective. Plus,
of course, Microsoft’s noise-cancelling really is
among the most effective around.
Battery life is another area that has improved
over the original Surface Headphones – they’re
now good for 20 hours with ANC engaged. Some
rivals will last longer, it’s true – but this should
be ample for more-or-less any circumstance.
So thoroughly have the shortcomings of the
original Surface Headphones been addressed, it
might seem churlish to find fault with these
replacements. They sound better balanced, they
cost a lot less money, they cancel noise as well as
ever. So where’s the downside?
Really, it’s all to do with the strength of the
competition. They’re facing off against the likes
of Sony, AKG, Sennheiser, Bowers & Wilkins...
but now Microsoft has a genuine contender. You
really should hear the Surface Headphones 2
before you make any big purchasing decisions.T