I just waded through 3 days of the most boring wootoff evah, hoping to get another pair of these. And then, in the ultimate bit of woot irony, here they are as the "day after" prize!

I have to hope that woot will continue the irony, and include 3 or 4 pair in the consolation bag o' cookies that I did manage to receive for the 3 day snooze fest amazon called a woot off...Anyway, I really did want to join in on the personal review of the headphones, not just gloat about the box o' chocolatte'..;)

I bought a pair of these last time they were on woot, as I'd heard a set of bose qc13's, and was dying for a set but it's against my religion to spend $300 for a set of headphones since I'm not a professional audio person, and as I'm on the older side of the hill, my ears just don't hear all the sounds that make spending those kind of dollars really have an acceptable benefit to dollar ratio.

Literally the day after I got these, I was on an airplane, and I have to say they made the trip on the typical every seat full of screaming baby's plane from hades much more bearable. They did a great job of drowning out the background noise from the mechanics of the flight, and while I could still hear the voices and overly loud PA announcements, they did not intrude over my music or spoken word type podcasts. If I wanted to hear the PA announcements well, I had to take the headphones off, so I could still know there was something I needed to know from the flight crew.

I also tested them out using the lawn mower, and compared them to just regular earbuds. Wow, amazing difference! I could hear everything from the ipod, at a much lower volume in my ears with the headset than without. I figured if I ran over my foot while in sonic bliss, I'd know about it without any external audio stimulus, and if it were someone else, I'd have to wonder why they were so stupid as to put their foot under my mower?

Sound quality? For those wrong side of the hill aged ears I mentioned earlier, they are fine. For the classic rock and metal that I listen to, bass is just fine. For the brain cell killing (c)rap chanting that has been loosely given the term "music" to the kids of today, I'm not sure if they'd be happy, but trust me, after enough brain cells are dead, it won't matter anyway..(sorry, couldn't help including a "dad" type joke there!) They sound fine without the battery on as well, just have to add a bit more volume. I really like the volume knob on the cord, so I dont' have to mess with the mp3 player in my pocket, so the neighbors don't think I'm having too much fun with my music...

The cons to these for me is they are on the physically "large" size. I feel like a robot from a bad 1950's sci-fi movie walking around with them on in the front yard mowing grass. Sitting in a plane seat, they are fine. I use the case to pack my clothes, and check it as baggage, and then carry just the phones in my laptop bag, cord in my pocket, so I do get double duty from it!. I also find them to get "warm" on my ears after an hour or so, but that is easily solved by taking them off for a few seconds.

So, why am I really buying a second pair? Am I a two headed genius like the guy who invented woot? Am I the type of person who doesn't change batteries when they die? No, the wifey has found that they do a great job of reducing the sounds from the TV when she wants to watch something on her computer when say a football game is on the tube. And since if you look at a calendar, football season is here, she thinks a pair of her own would be a wise thing. And of course whatever the queen wants, she gets!! And for $10 less than 2 months ago? SOLD!!

OK, back to sleep now...(me, not you!)

Wooted these the last time. These are perfect for when I'm having my therapy sessions with my weed wacker. The quiet just enhances the satisfaction that comes from shredding the mums.

Seriously, they are very good at canceling out most of the the drone of the lawn care equipment while I'm jamming to my Pandora channels.

I had some time to kill at the airport this week. The guy there recommended these exact headphones, but I was very skeptical because I've never heard of this brand before.

I ended up taking them for a test drive and I was very impressed. I was comparing them to the Dr. Dre Beats Studio and BY FAR I enjoyed the Able Planets much more.

In the end the price tag is what drove me away @ $240 and I went with the Dr Dre Beats Solo, which actually sounded better than the Studios. I listen to bass heavy music and although it was there in the Able Planets, I couldn't feel it. And if you can't feel it, you aren't feeling it right?..... right?

@ The this price though, I wish I wouldn't have bought the solos. DAMN YOU WOOT!

SkippyFlipjack wrote:For those who have bought them before, do these things fold up?

If you look at the pictures on the Woot main page, you'll see the ear cups swivel so they can lay flat and fit in the supplied case, but the case would take up a relatively large amount of room in a carry-on bag. I have the high-end version, but the case is the same size: about 8.5" x 7.5" x 2.5"

I bought these the last time around and I've been very happy with them. Occasionally I'll hear a slight static noise, but it's so inconsistent I've decided it's a problem with the particular file I'm listening to at the time. Nice headphones tend to bring out the flaws in files.

The noise canceling feature eliminates constant noises such as a box fan, air conditioner, or the buzz of a computer lab.

Pretty comfortable; I can wear them for a few hours before my ears start to get sore.

Renratca wrote:Been looking for a pair of noise canceling headphones, anyone have experience with these??

Great headphones..been using them for about a year or so. Little delicate, but if your careful with them they are great!

I bought a set of these when they came up about a month ago; and have used them on several flights and on the deck of a REALLY noisy research vessel. (to the point that I would buy a second pair if I had a need)

They are fantastic. They fit great; are comfortable; great battery life; very effective noise canceling.

Two small negatives:

1) when sitting in the case, they have a tendency to rub up against each other and accidentally switch "on"; wearing down the battery.

2) the ports where the noise canceling feature takes in the ambient noise are placed so that if you lay your head a certain way on a plane (like to sleep in a window seat) one gets blocked and stops canceling the noise in that ear. It's workable; but slightly unfortunate. Not sure if there is a anyplace else they could have placed that port, though.

eco2geek wrote:Say you work in an office in which noise traveled well. Oftentimes, you have people engaging in conversations or laughing, and it's distracting. It's sometimes hard to focus on the work due to the conversation 3 cubes down.

Given that situation, if you plugged these headphones into a CD player and listened to some ambient music, would these headphones cut out most of the background noise?

The girl next to me paid hundreds of dollars for a pair of Bose QuietComfort 3's, and loves them, but I don't really want to spend that much.

If you have tried her headphones and liked them, these work just as well, cost significantly less, and have some features which make them better than the Bose.

ChrisW6ATV wrote:From the Manufacturer's Web site:

"Operates as normal headphones when ANC function is turned off, or if batteries run out"

I ordered a pair! I just cannot afford the $300 Bose ones now.

Ah, I thought so, but figured it's worth asking.

rgmcloud wrote:Does it make sense to buy a pair of cans like these if you seldom fly?

I bought the up-market version of these a few months ago; I've yet to use them on a plane. But even using them around the house, it reduces ambient noise, making music listening clearer without having to turn the volume up higher.

luvrhino wrote:The batteries ran out on me on a plane ride home. The canceling seemed to cutout instantly without any advanced notice. However, they continue to function even without the battery (still blocking out some noise due to the cups covering the ear). I did have to turn up the volume substantially.

They're a good value if you need such things. They're the most effective headphones i've tried at noise canceling (both planes and rooms full of computer servers). My biggest problem with them is that they're not very portable, even with the case. They don't fold in on themselves. They're pretty comfortable, but not as comfy as my Bose Tri-Port.

I'm glad i made the purchase.

I see, thanks for the input. Having them cut-out instantly vs. gradually seems much more desirable to me.

I bought a pair the last time Woot offered them. I was unimpressed at $65 plus shipping.

I am somewhat more impressed at $49 plus shipping.

These ARE NOT worth the retail price being advertised in the stores.

These DO NOT compare to the Bose headphones many use as a benchmark for NC headphones.

Regardless of the type of hearing loss you have or if you have normal hearing, listening to music for long periods of time with it turned up can (further) damage your hearing. Noise cancellation itself is not something to damage your hearing, but rather how loud and for how long in a day. The louder the sound, the shorter you should listen to it in a given day.

I have these headphones and love them. I'm not really picky about sound quality, and these serve me just fine. I concur that the bass is not as good as the really expensive headphones in the same market, but am satisfied with what you can get at this price.

For the noise cancellation feature, the reason they don't block out all outside noises other than your music is because the processing speed of the electronics impacts which pitches are affected. Lower pitched sounds (like on an airplane) are easier to "cancel" out because the wavelength of the signal is longer and doesn't take as much time to produce an opposite signal to cancel it out. There is a cutoff (and it should be listed somewhere for this product) on how high pitched something can be and get "canceled".

MoscowMidnight wrote:Looks like a terrific deal. Not sure I'm in though.

Given the following what would someone with a background in otology (or audiology) have to say.

1. I am not an audiophile. I enjoy music but not real picky about sound reproduction.

2. I have recently been diagnosed with "near-moderate" hearling loss in both ears....and have trouble hearing people conversing when there is a lot of background noise.

3. I have no memory of "concert damage" or other traumatic "injury" to my ears.

4. Would these earphones be helpful to me? Or would they progress the deterioration in my hearing?

B1GgP3tE wrote:i actually got these the last time woot had them up. apparently i was one of the select few who had a working pair in the batch (many others weren't as lucky).

i'm no audophile, but i think the sound is excellent. the bass isn't overwhelming, but i think it is sufficient.

the noise canceling doesn't drown out 100% of the background noise; i used these on a flight and they reduced only about half of the overall 'plane noise'.

but still, for the price, they are a great deal!

Did you burn them in?

After hours of reading every post and research I've overcome my desire to purchase these.

It was almost as hard as quitting smoking.

In the past I've relied on noise isolating headphones, like Shure or Etymotic research, and found them to be much better at blocking outside noise than ANC headphones. But their major drawback is that while the silicone cups make a pretty tight seal in your ear, they start to hurt after some time and you have to take them off and let your ears rest. My family and I fly a lot and I don't think most of them would tolerate the pain on the longer flights. So, I've been researching ANC Headphones , for my parents, because they are easier to wear for longer times. At the culmination of my research, it was between these and a pair of Beats by Dre. The price definitely tipped the scale in favor of these!

BigRedDogATL wrote:How do these Able Planet Noise Canceling Headphones compare against the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones?

This seems to be the question that won't die in this thread, and there have been mixed answers. Undoubtedly, one reason for that is that you didn't specify which Bose model to compare with. But I'll take a shot.

First of all, a little info on Bose: IMNSHO, Bose is a company that made a fortune by duping the uninformed public, selling vastly inferior products for way too much money. However, as that public began to access the internet in ever increasing numbers, with easy access to information, Bose realized that the jig was up. They have improved the quality of the products in recent years, although they still rely on their "name cachet" to sell them for way too much money.

Any of you who have followed my posts here know that I'm not just speaking from experience or the word of a few friends. I don't know half as much as some people here seem to think, but I do my homework, and I've read plenty of articles and opinions on Bose, written by experts and everyday users. Here's one that struck a nerve.

All that being said, here are some things that users have said about Bose vs. Able Planet (various models):

"This really beats the Bose headset. I have tried them both and this one has better noise reduction, and just as good bass and treble. The thing that makes this much better than Bose is try calling AblePlanet up- you get a LIVE person immediately and they listen immediately. They are genuinely interested in getting your feedback and ensuring you are satisfied. Smaller company, big customer support."

"Overall, the music on the Clear Harmony sounded more "real" than the Bose. (How's that for unscientific and completely subjective!)"

"I've been a Bose user for the past few years and thought they were pretty good. After reading a review of the the Acble Planet headphones in Forbes, I decided to give them a try.

I purchased an Able Planet Clear Harmony Headset at Airport Wireless to try out on a recent plane flight. Wow! The sound clarity and frequency range was amazing. Not only did the headphones block out ambient noise, but the sound was really great.

I am a convert. Everyone shoud switch to these headphones"

"Overall these are great for someone on a budget, the style, design and price are all nice. Don't confuse these with "BOSE" because you'll be disappointed, there a level below and are good headphones."

" Compare to Bose QC 15, Still a long way to go. I think Able Planet should redesign a little with with stronger base option, lighter flexible and strong headband, slightly larger earcup."

My personal recommendation: given that Bose has that "name cachet" I spoke of, and the fact that many users are afraid to "buck the trend" and speak out against them, or admit they paid too much for something, and...

given that you WILL be paying too much if you buy a pair of BOSE headphones, I would run to these Able Planets at this bargain price and never look back. At least you won't be ripped off!

Finally, am I buying these myself? No, but only because I already own 2 sets of noise-canceling headphones.

I am seriously considering these, as my old Sony headphones have given up the ghost.

I bought 3 from woot last month. They arrived just in time for us to take on two 5-hour flights. My spouse thought they were great (the other two were used by my young children; no commentary from them, but they didn't complain so I assume they worked).

I used my QC15s, which are much better. But not 6x better (roughly the price difference).

For those who ordered, if you're like me, you won't be able to figure out how to install the batteries (it comes without a manual). One of the ear cups houses the batteries (I don't have a headphone in front of me, but you can tell which one). Toward the top of the shiny side is a black arrow. You need to push from that point down (so you are SLIDING the battery cover down). Don't try to pry it off, etc. It's easy to open once you know how, so if you're putting a lot of force on it, you're probably doing something wrong.

As I mentioned above, mine didn't come with a manual. However, there is one online. I'm sorry, but I can't find the link (someone else posted it in the comments to the deal last month). Hopefully someone will repost.

I love my Able Planet headphones. My only complaint would be the in-line audio control on the cable... At first, I thought they sounded bad, but I replaced the audio cable and now they sound great! Great buy!

Renratca wrote:Been looking for a pair of noise canceling headphones, anyone have experience with these??

Got a pair last time they had them on here and gotta say that I like them a lot.

rgmcloud wrote:Does it make sense to buy a pair of cans like these if you seldom fly?

I think they'd be useful on a train or bus ride too. I use a pair at my son's Tae Kwon Do lessons. Obviously, they can't cancel out every speck of noise, but they are still very effective. There's a surprising amount of continuous noise in many venues.

They also cancel out the sound of the loud air filter in my office.

I got these from Woot a little while ago. I am very pleased. My roommate has a pair of the really expensive brands similar product. Neither of us can tell a difference in the noise cancellation.

Armagedon wrote:Product Website

[MOD: Actually, that's the manufacturer's website. You can do better than that. ]

Here's the actual product website:

http://www.ableplanet.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=45

I bought a pair too last time and I approve!!!

their $350 1000 series headphones is on sale for $299 with a free 8gb ipod touch ($250 if you got a coupon code).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826737026&cm_re=able_planet-_-26-737-026-_-Product

i almost pulled the trigger on those for the ipod touch alone, but i really dont live a lifestyle that needs NC headphones (rarely travel, dont ride the bus/train, etc.)

I think these are the same as the Jabra ones that I bought on woot. If they are the same, then I would recommend them. I like them very much and the battery lasts a very long time.

I was wondering about the noise cancellation for drumming. The reviews say that they're good for pretty much constant sounds, but the changing of pitches on drums is a different story. How do they work for that situation?

It would please my ears if these actually arrived. I'm not saying they won't. But Lindsay Lohan might still have a career. We'll see.

hothmiw wrote:I was wondering about the noise cancellation for drumming. The reviews say that they're good for pretty much constant sounds, but the changing of pitches on drums is a different story. How do they work for that situation?

As I mentioned in another post, I use noise-canceling headphones at my son's Tae Kwon Do lessons, where they sometimes play loud music. They do lower the overall volume of the music, but any sudden changes in volume at a particular pitch get through - for example, the beat of a bass drum.

Woot Tang Clan wrote:I think these are the same as the Jabra ones that I bought on woot. If they are the same, then I would recommend them. I like them very much and the battery lasts a very long time.

Thank you. But I can find nothing on the web that suggests that Jabra ever made Able Planet products (or vice versa). What model headphones did you get from Woot? Or, what was the date they were offered?

I bought these last time for a trip to Asia, and it made the 36 hours of travel MUCH more bearable. It really reduced the plane noise, and even a crying baby a few rows ahead. Plus the batteries lasted the whole trip! I've used Bose QC15 on a short trip before, and the only difference I could really tell was that my ears got hotter with these than the bose.

The major downside, however, is the look. It says: "able planet" on the side, and multiple people asked me what that meant and if I had a hearing problem (I'm in my 20s). Does anyone know of a good way to get this logo off without ruining the finish? They're also a little big compared to super-expensive ones, but for the price, they cannot be beat. I do not regret this purchase at all, and am thinking about getting another pair for my husband for when he mows the lawn.

Well Woot, the combination of the $5 coupon code you emailed me and the $10 discount from last time these were on here successfully lured me in.

Although I have made one other purchase since Woot announced its acquisition by Amazon, this is apparently my first purchase since they have fully mind-melded. I say this because I was rather shocked to see an unexpected line item in my order: sales tax. Here in Washington State, my Woot purchases have always been sales-tax-free, but "thanks" to the Amazon buy-out, that era is apparently over.

lizalexander wrote:I bought these last time for a trip to Asia, and it made the 36 hours of travel MUCH more bearable. It really reduced the plane noise, and even a crying baby a few rows ahead. Plus the batteries lasted the whole trip! I've used Bose QC15 on a short trip before, and the only difference I could really tell was that my ears got hotter with these than the bose.

The major downside, however, is the look. It says: "able planet" on the side, and multiple people asked me what that meant and if I had a hearing problem (I'm in my 20s). Does anyone know of a good way to get this logo off without ruining the finish? They're also a little big compared to super-expensive ones, but for the price, they cannot be beat. I do not regret this purchase at all, and am thinking about getting another pair for my husband for when he mows the lawn.

Ooh - I'm sure I'm not going to find the answer to that one on the web. But from looking at the pictures, I doubt you'll be able to remove the logo without spoiling the finish.

Here's a suggestion: get some metallic tape, and cut a rectangular piece that's just big enough to cover the logo.

Or, bravely leave the logo, and when someone asks what it means, tell them you are a "visitor," and you're here to "evaluate your interesting planet." That should give 'em something to stew over.

The Tim wrote:Well Woot, the combination of the $5 coupon code you emailed me and the $10 discount from last time these were on here successfully lured me in.

Although I have made one other purchase since Woot announced its acquisition by Amazon, this is apparently my first purchase since they have fully mind-melded. I say this because I was rather shocked to see an unexpected line item in my order: sales tax. Here in Washington State, my Woot purchases have always been sales-tax-free, but "thanks" to the Amazon buy-out, that era is apparently over.

Woot now charges sales tax in my state (New York) also, but I think their deals have been better since the "friendly takeover." I've bought 8 Woots since June 30th.

Also, you can use the coupon code TAXSUCKS to get free shipping on orders over $40 (save those other coupons for smaller orders). Some deals end up being cheaper!

Yeah yeah, I know I sound like a shill for Woot. But you try to undersell every single retailer on the web and on the street. An when 1 out of 40 deals is a tie, listen to everyone whine about it.

YAY in for one. First woot in almost a year. Thanks for the $5 code, Woot!

I haven't been pumped for a Woot like this for a while. How nostalgic!

Dang Woot, why do you have such compelling write-ups?! now that cee lo green song is stuck in my head! F*** you... ooh ooh ooh!

I bought these the last time they were up because the price was right compared to bose and sony. Also, I fly a lot and was tired of people trying to talk to me.

They are good, not great, but great for the price. I agree with the CNET review, if you have big ears (read as wide not long), these headphones are not for you, your ear won't sit comfortably inside the cup and it probably would hurt after awhile. My ears are a perfect fit, so it doesn't bother me.

The bass could be better. The noise cancelling is good enough, especially for the price. The case is big. They look decent though.

I think they are worth the money.

A questions to someone who has them:

1). Can you hear the music if the headphones are "off" or the batteries go dead? I had a pair of Sony's that if you switched them off, they went ALL THE WAY off. Same for dead battery.

2). How much do they weigh with batteries?

3). Both batteries in the same side I assume? Do you feel a weight difference, or unbalanced?

4). How long is "long battery life"? A 10 hour plan trip to Japan?

Thanks in advance

beachhead wrote:...
I have to hope that woot will continue the irony, and include 3 or 4 pair in the consolation bag o' cookies that I did manage to receive for the 3 day snooze fest amazon called a woot off...

Congrats and thanks also for all the good info.

Like you, I sloughed through that Amazon overstocked product-fest as well, watching closely and waiting for the magic moment, and then the phone rang. While I took the 5 minute call, the elusive Baggie of Cthulhu went by. SIGH! Murphy strikes again! Maybe next time.

Although, I have won a few before, and I must say, there is truth in advertising when the say B A G O F C R A P. They called it right two times so far!