AKG K 490 NC

Innovation in the noise canceling headphone realm occurs in relatively small doses. Partially, this is because Bose has led the way in terms of active noise cancellation for a while now, and many competitors seem content to issue products that look and behave quite similar to, say, the Bose QuietComfort 15 ($299.95, 4 stars). So it's nice to see a newcomer?to the noise canceling market, at least?shake things up a bit. AKG's K 490 NC, at $249.95, is the least expensive of two models in its debut line of active noise cancellation headphones. Its excellent audio performance delivers clear highs and rich bass with zero distortion?even at top volumes?and highly effective noise cancellation. The innovation? The K 490 NC charges via USB cable, meaning you never have to snap in a new battery or remove part of the headphones' body to charge it. You can also use the headphones in passive mode, with no noise cancellation engaged?which isn't true of Bose's QC15 or the new in-ear Sony XBA-NC85D ($499.99, 3 stars). This product could easily sell for $50-100 more and still get a strong rating from us, but at this price, it is an absolute steal?and a shoo-in for our latest Editors' Choice.

Design
Okay, not everything about the K 490 NC is innovative. Its black plastic and leather-meets-metallic accents deisgn is straight out of the Bose playbook that everyone's been cribbing from for the last half-decade now. But the supra-aural (on-ear) ear-cups still manage to look a little original; They're capped with metallic-lined circles and emblazoned with AKG's sharp logo. A switch on the left ear activates the noise cancellation?when it's on, you see a green LED glow next to it. The earcups also swivel and the entire unit folds down into a very compact shape. Since people tend to wear noise canceling headphones while traveling, a comfortable fit for long listening periods is important. AKG nailed that?the headband's underside is plush, as are the earpads, and the whole design is very lightweight at 5.3 ounces.

Another nice design element is the detachable cable. By virtue of being detachable, it extends the value of headphones?you don't have to replace them or take them in for repair if the cable frays, you can just buy a new cable. The cable seems pretty durable, though?it's in a cloth-bound, 99-percent oxygen-free casing that terminates in a 3.5mm connection narrow enough to work with most phone cases. Unlike some noise canceling models, like the Creative HN-900 ($99.99, 3.5 stars), the K 490 NC does not come with mobile phone controls built-in. It ships with an airplane adapter, a 3.5mm-to-USB charging cable (AKG claims the headphones get roughly 40 hours per charge), and a very compact, not-very-rugged protective pouch. For this price range, a more heavily-padded or hard case, like the Bose models ship with, might have been a better move, but here's no denying that AKG's tiny case and the headphones' small frame make for easier packing.

Performance
Like another new pair of noise canceling headphones, the Able Planet Clear Harmony NC1050 ($349, 4 stars), the AKG K 490 NC puts strong focus on audio performance. That may sound like an obvious move, but for years, noise cancellation models have often treated the noise canceling features as the top priority and the audio as a distant secondary. Even the recent Sony MDR-NC200D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones ($199, 3 stars) sound great when there's no noise cancellation, but turn it on and the sound quality decreases markedly. A noticeable difference between passive and active listening modes is usually forgiven?provided it doesn't sound worse in active mode?because the alternative is not being able to use the headphones without draining the battery at all, as is the case with Bose models. With the K 490 NC, however, we have one of the first examples of an active noise cancellation pair that sounds nearly identical in active or passive modes. That would be less impressive if the headphones didn't sound good, but the K 490 NC offers a powerful, rewarding listening experience.

At top volumes and in both passive and active modes, deep bass tracks like the Knife's "Silent Shout," do not come close to distorting. Rather, it sounds as if there's a finely-tuned subwoofer in your headphones. While the deep bass frequencies are represented with some serious thump, things never get muddy, and the bass never overpowers the mix. Mid-to-high frequencies are delivered with precision and clarity, never overly bright or harsh. On John Adams' modern classical piece, "The Chairman Dances," the mid-range frequencies are beautifully articulated. Low frequencies exist, but subtly, offering a pleasant resonance to lower register strings and larger percussion, and the high frequencies occupied by woodblocks and small percussion sound neither exaggerated nor underplayed. Rock drums and modern hip hop mixes sound exceptionally strong, but the headphones also gracefully handle delicate, intricate finger-picking on an acoustic guitar. In other words, this is a very nicely-balanced pair of headphones, capable of recreating just about every frequency thrown at it in a pleasing, clear manner.

As for the actual noise cancellation circuitry, the AKG is a very quiet headphone pair. This may sound obvious, but often, active noise cancellation adds a tiny bit of hiss in the users' ears when engaged. It's rarely terrible, but its absence is a sign of more effective circuitry, and the K 490 NC has barely any hiss at all when engaged. The open design of the headphones means that you're still going to hear the outside world to some extent?and it will also hear your music. But the circuitry is there to knock down the levels of strong, constant ambient sounds like the rumble you hear on planes and trains, or the constant whir of an office AC unit, and it does this quite well.

It's not that the Bose QuietComfort 15 isn't a great noise cancellation headphone pair, or that Able Planet's circumaural (around-the-ear) design and even stronger bass response won't appeal to some listeners more than the K 490 NC. And it's not that some will prefer the, yes, slightly more comfy Bose QuietComfort 3 ($349.95, 4 stars)?a far pricier on-ear pair. It's that, for this price, there's really nothing in contention.

The AKG K 490 NC is the least expensive headphone pair with this level of audio performance and noise cancellation we have ever tested, period. As you spend more, you often get more, but you're hereby advised to stop at this price tier for a moment?test the headphones out at a local dealer, if possible?before moving up $50, $100, or even $200, as you easily could. The AKG K 490 NC is quite impressive: One listen will make it challenging to justify spending more on another pair.

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