TRIED AND TESTED HEADPHONES
These over-ear headphones connect to
the sound source over Bluetooth, which
I’ve always avoided in the past for three
reasons: first, Bluetooth can often be quite
complicated; second, the sound quality
often suffers; and third, there is sometimes
a slight delay, which is annoying when
watching something on your iPad or laptop
and there are lip-synch problems. With the
Mixcder MS301, these problems seem to
have been addressed.
The connection was very easy. I simply
turned on the devices in the correct order
(headphones first, then device) and the
items paired instantly, with my phone, iPad
and laptop. I found that on returning to the
iPad at a later date I occasionally had to
ask the iPad to forget the headphones
and then re-pair them, but that’s the
iPad’s fault.
The headphones have a high capacity
500mAh battery, which has a play time of
about 20 hours. If the battery does run out,
there’s a 3.5mm audio cable supplied toplug into the device (admittedly, too short
to be very useful).
For the price, I also thought the sound
was very good. To quote the information
supplied, “Inside, the MS301s are equipped
with 40mm ultra large-aperture backed
dynamic drivers with advanced APTX-LL
and shock sound to deliver a unique sound
performance, with an incredible booming
bass, a detailed midrange and extended
treble.”
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Denon AH-C820
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 businesstraveller.comPRICE
ilable from Amazon
for US$79.99CONTACT
mixcder.comPRICE
£129 (US$173)CONTACT
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cups and an adjustable headband made
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comfort levels.
Finally, there was no noticeable delay in
the sound. The technical word is latency.
The manufacturers say this has been
addressed with “the latest Bluetooth 4.2 for
fast pairing and strong capability”.
Any concerns? Well, although they are
good for noise isolation, they spill an
awful lot of noise themselves, so in
a quiet environment, this
isn’t ideal.VERDICT Great value, and
a lovely sound, just don’t sit
next to anyone in a quiet
place and listen to loud
music. Tom OtleyIf you’re looking for a pair of in-ear
headphones for your next flight, these
could be a good option. The AH-C820s
are extremely small and light, and provide
powerful base delivered through dual
drivers (tiny speakers designed for both
high and mid tones, as well as deeper,
richer sounds).
The AH-C820s are simplistic when it
comes to features, which will suit some
people but not others. They are not
wireless or noise cancelling and they
don’t have a remote attached to the cable
(this was the thing I missed most) but
they are great for running as they don’t
fall out (a shirt clip is also provided),
and block enough ambient sound
without eliminating everything,which I like as I prefer to have my wits
about me. They also plug in to airline
in-flight entertainment systems, which
is essential.
The headphones are fitted with hard
memory foam “Comply TX500” ear buds
but you can also swap them out for softer
silicone tips that come in four different
sizes so you can find what feels most
comfortable. I was unimpressed with the
“carry case” provided, as it required you
to wind the smooth grey cable around
and around a disc-shaped mount, which
was a nuisance. I would have preferred a
straightforward pouch of some kind.
The design of the headphones is
pleasing, with die-cast aluminium
housings and a translucent, tangle-free
cable. I generally used them for listening
to podcasts during my daily commute or
watching movies, but music sounds good
through them too.VERDICT They won’t be for serious
audiophiles but for the price, they are real
contenders. Jenny Southan72