Discover the QuietPoint. And find your own.
Japanese manufacturer of high performance audio products, Audio-Technica, has today announced its latest in the range of noise-cancelling headphones.
Pictured below, the ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint active noise-cancelling headphones promise an impressive 85% noise cancellation and will be available in the UK from April 2008 at a suggested retail price of £69.95.
Just how do these headphones achieve such a high noise cancellation percentage? Well, here's the blurb straight from the press release:
"The ATH-ANC3 uses patented technology that detects external environmental noise through miniature microphones which are incorporated into each ear bud, and then creates an equal but opposite noise signal which is added to the music signal and so cancels out the external noise. To perform the outstanding achievement of blocking out 85% of the outside noise, the ATH-ANC3 extends the active noise cancellation over a wide frequency range, unlike most similar in-ear headphones that actively cancel only the lower frequencies."
Sounds very promising. The headphones also come complete with a compact control unit that'll give you quick access to mute, noise cancelling is all well and good but there are times you need to hear you know.
One slight downside is that these headphones do require a AAA battery. The noise cancelling functionality can be disabled to allow the headphones to be used without battery, but that kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it? There is one totally cool feature mind you, you can put the headphones in and switch them to noise-cancelling-only mode where, with no music on, they'll turn a noisy environment into a peaceful retreat. Genius.
Official press release: New In-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones promised from Audio-Technica
