Review: Logitech noise-cancelling headphones

These Logitech noise cancellation headphones are Serious Headphones, mostly used by High Flyers. However, they don't check your credentials on purchase, so even if you don't spend a disproportionate time in the air you might still benefit from their effect.

The headphones come in their own carry case, which also has space for a spare AAA battery (needed for the noise cancellation element) as well as an adapter for irritating airplanes that use the two pronged jacks.

They've got seriously cushioned ear pieces, making them comfortable for the whole of a Led Zeppelin concept album and more. There's a small switch on the right earpiece, which turns on the noise neutralizing element. Grow your fingernails for this one, as it's dead tricky to switch. In the event of the battery running out, they can still be used as ordinary headphones, and if you don't fancy listening to music, they can still be used to cancel out your flatmates shoe-borrowing requests by keeping the switch on.

As for whether they work or not, the answer depends on what you're trying to drown out. Ambient noise like engines are almost entirely cut out, but random, sharp noise (like clapping) isn't. Voices are also neutralised, so it's handy to have a switch that can turn them into normal headphones. Whatever you do, don't try to cross a busy road with these on. It's only thanks to the reflexes of a certain taxi driver that I am here writing this at all.

The main problem I personally found is that noise cancellation headphones make me nauseous. Seriously. Five minutes with these on, especially when there was no music on, was like spending an hour on a rollercoaster.  I believe the technical explanation is "something to do with middle ear mumble mumble white noise mumble mumble".

The headphones themselves are also inevitably pretty massive. On donning them, you'll either feel like an air traffic controller, or someone who is *serious* about music. I found this generally was decided by how cool my shoes were. Today was an ATC day.

There really isn't anything that can go wrong with these. They do what they say, and then it's left up to you whether it's worth it. Personally, I don't mind the odd rattle from the engine if the alternative is feeling ill. I'd use these exclusively for air travel, when the roar of the engine really is noisy, but I'd leave them at home for other journeys - they're not what you call portable. Price wise they're about £75, which is pricey compared to something like the Creative offering, which is about £30 cheaper.

Other ear accessories: Bluetooth headphones|Robot headphones|Pink headphones

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