Comply Noise Reduction-1 Earphones
Review - Comply Noise Reduction-1 Earphones
by , 9:00 AM EST, January 22nd, 2007
Picking the right earphones for your music listening experience can be an amazingly difficult process. There really isn't a good way to test how different models will sound in the various environments you are likely to use them in without actually using them. And one of the worst environments you can possibly use your headphones in is on an airplane, which is why I'm glad I discovered Comply's NR-1 noise reduction earphones. The NR-1 is an in-the-ear headphone set that includes built-in noise reduction technology. Unlike some other noise reduction headphones I've tried, these were able to maintain a surprisingly constant level of protection from outside sounds. I first tried them out on the floor during Macworld Expo 2007, and was really impressed at how much outside noise they blocked. The din of the expo floor simply went away. Completely. The NR-1 slowly faded out the external noise and ramped up the music from my iPod - which turned out to be a wonderfully pleasant and unexpected change from other headphones I have tried. My next test was on the flight back to Denver from Macworld Expo, and I was equally pleased with the in-flight performance. My seat was a row or two behind the wing, and I could barely hear any of the typical airplane sounds. In fact, two alarms went off during the flight, and while the stress levels of the other passengers went up, I remained thankfully unaware in my Beatles playlist.
I also spent some time using the NR-1 earphones in my kitchen while dishes were being washed and put away. Again, only the faintest of external sounds. Other headphones I have tried didn't do as well with the random sounds from the clanking metal and glass pots. As great as the noise reduction capabilities of the NR-1 earphones are, it doesn't matter if the audio quality sucks. Luckily, they hold up there, too. I always try to create as level of a playing field as possible when testing headphones. For these tests, I settled on two songs for my sound quality comparisons: L'Inverno by William Orbit from his Pieces In a Modern Style album, and Speak to Me/Breathe from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Both were played from my first generation iPod nano with the equalizer and sound check features turned off. I could clearly hear the subtle parts of both songs that I often miss with lower quality earphones. The overall tonal quality felt just a little flat, but still really good. For someone that has only listened to the earbuds that Apple ships with the iPod, however, these are a monumental improvement. Of course, you can adjust the audio by changing equalizer settings. For perspective, I usually use XtremeMac's FS-1 earphones with my iPod, which you can learn more about from Ricky Spero's amazingly comprehensive in-ear headphones Buyer's Guide at iPodObserver.com. The overall audio quality the NR-1 earphones offer isn't in the same league, but I wouldn't consider using them in the same situations. The NR-1 earphones are far superior in noisier situations where they let you clearly hear your music, making them my new choice for in-flight listening. The Bottom Line
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Observer Comments
The review states that the FS-1 earphones "thanks to the superior noise reduction sensors, they will hold up in listening environments that many of the higher end options can't manage."
This is a mis-statement. The FS-1 earphones are passive noise reduction and have no "noise reduction sensors."
The FS-1 earphones rely on the tight seal formed by the foam "canal tips" to keep ambient noise away from your eardrum. This is why they have the "consistent" noise reduction that so surprised the reviewer, which "Unlike some other noise reduction headphones I've tried, these were able to maintain a surprisingly constant level of protection from outside sounds."
If the reviewer doesn't understand the difference between active and passive noise reduction they are not qualified to review this product in a thorough manner.
I have the Etymotic ER4P headphones, which reduce noise passively. I tried the rubber flanged style tips but found they added some low rumble with movement and didn't isolate as well as the foamy tips. They gave questionable benefit in the lower ranges on the airplane - the low rumble comes through your body.
My wife has the Bose Quiet Comfort II headphones, which reduce noise actively. They neutralize the airplane noise amazingly well, but always produce a hiss even in quiet environments. There is no way to turn off the NR on the Bose headphones and just listen to a straight signal. For max NR on an airplane, I use the Etymotic in-ear for music and borrow my wife's Bose to use *over* the ER4Ps. Yes, I might look/seem geeky but it works wonders.
Solitude headsets are billed as offering active NR when needed, and passive NR for quiet environments. I have not tried them - anyone?
If you are hearing a great deal of hiss with your wife's Bose headphones you may need a higher clamping force on the headphones to provide a better seal. It seems that when the headphones don't seal properly, the active noise reduction--the hiss--doesn't cancel out as well.
If you really need noise reduction enough to use headphones over ER4p (pricey) you could use actual noise reduction earmuffs over the in ear phones, instead. Also available are Sony V6 drivers in passive NR muffs. But, since you seem to have enough disposable income to have Etty and Bose, you should just get custom earmolds--you can get them as cheap as $180 complete with Knowles drivers (less tax).
QuoteGuest wrote:
The review states that the FS-1 earphones "thanks to the superior noise reduction sensors, they will hold up in listening environments that many of the higher end options can't manage."
This is a mis-statement. The FS-1 earphones are passive noise reduction and have no "noise reduction sensors."
The FS-1 earphones rely on the tight seal formed by the foam "canal tips" to keep ambient noise away from your eardrum. This is why they have the "consistent" noise reduction that so surprised the reviewer, which "Unlike some other noise reduction headphones I've tried, these were able to maintain a surprisingly constant level of protection from outside sounds."
If the reviewer doesn't understand the difference between active and passive noise reduction they are not qualified to review this product in a thorough manner.
The review was of the Comply NR-1 headphones, not the FS-1 by XtremeMac.
More to the point, Comply may be disingenuous in calling these "Noise Reduction" headphones. They look like ordinary earbuds with foam tips attached--and, they are priced that way. No $60 headphone is going to have the drivers that Etymotic and other high-end manufacturers use.
Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:32 pm Subject: Re: Review is factually wrong
QuoteAnonymous wrote:
The review states that the FS-1 earphones "thanks to the superior noise reduction sensors, they will hold up in listening environments that many of the higher end options can't manage."
This is a mis-statement. The FS-1 earphones are passive noise reduction and have no "noise reduction sensors."
You are correct that the FS-1 earphones do not offer noise reduction and do not have noise reduction sensors. I was not implying that they do, but instead was comparing the overall audio quality of the NR-1 to the FS-1 in less than optimal listening conditions.
For your clarity: The FS-1 earphones offer great audio in normal conditions, but the NR-1 earphones perform better in loud conditions (like on an airplane) because they block out the ambient sound.
And here's an added bonus: You don't have to crank up the volume in noisy environments. That's something that my ears appreciate.
Jeff
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