As with any travel product, if I have never heard of it before, but start seeing it around, I want to know more. This is partly the curiosity in me, and partly my acclaimed traveler-expert noisiness… always wanting to know more. Well, Able Planet is one of those companies I wanted to find out more about.
I saw their headphones recently, and they looked stunning from afar. Okay, not that afar, from the beverage cart to the passenger seat as I served a young gentleman a drink. I took note of the brand, and did some investigation. It was to my surprise that this company was actually my neighbor in Colorado! They are just about 20 minutes away! Now I really wanted to know more.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Able Planet designs and manufactures innovative audio and communication devices for individuals with All Levels of Hearing™. The company’s products include Award Winning headsets, assistive listening devices and headphones. All products feature Able Planet’s patented LINX AUDIO® technology. The company has won 30+ awards in the past 5 years, including 25 International Consumer Electronics Show awards for innovation and design. Able Planet is headquartered in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
ABOUT TRAVELERS CHOICE HEADPHONES
Ideal for the traveler, student or music lover. The latest technology and convenient foldable size. The NC190B features an adjustable headband, superior sound quality and clarity, patented LINX AUDIO technology, in-line volume control for easy adjustment to safe listening levels (no more hunting for the volume control) and state-of-the-art active noise cancelation (ANC). With 30+ International CES and CTIA awards, the sound quality will delight even the most discernable ear.
- SPECIFICATIONS
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20,000Hz
- Sensitivity at 1 kHz: 115 dB (Off); 121 dB (On)
- Plug: 3.5mm
- MY TAKE ON THE HEADPHONES
There is no question in my mind to why these are named "the traveler’s choice". They are sleek, of superior quality in sound and fold up for convenient stowage and travel. The Traveler’s Choice NC190B headphones are a perfect option for any traveler looking for a quality noise canceling headphone, at a reasonable price.
The headphones come in a very sturdy, professional and heavy duty box. There is a clear window on the front, exposing the headphones inside as well as a lot of product information on the outside. Once you open up the box – inside you will find the included contents: headphones, 1/4 in. home stereo adapter, airplane 2-prong adapter, AAA battery (no searching the house for a battery!) and a soft carry case.
I was happy with the contents of this set. I loved that the airplane adapter was included! I often fly to-and-from work, and find that headphones on flights with this type of adapter cost money ($2, but still adds up) or they are free for use – but cheap and flimsy – you can hardly hear anything above your neighbor snoring!
Folding these headphones into a tiny ball is my favorite part about them! They fold in half, and then in half again – making them so incredibly compact and easy for travel! They are the perfect headphones to fit into a small bag – and they’re lightweight too! I have never even seen foldable noise-cancelling headphones before!
As far as the capabilities go – these headphones are of incredible quality for their price! You can use them with or without the active noise cancelation (ANC) which is great because, say the battery dies mid-flight, you can still use them as standard headphones! I know with other brands you can’t continue to listen to music, the headphones are just dead.
One thing I did notice was there was a slight buzz noise when the noise-cancelling switch is in the on position. Although when music was playing, it couldn’t be heard. This could be irritating if you were to just want the noise-cancelling part, and not music. Most importantly, I found the the sound quality to be top notch, thanks to the LINX AUDIO® –– no matter what I was listening to, I was pleased with the difference in sound, than that of standard headphones.
When I wore them for extended periods of time, I found they were comfortable. This is due to the fact they are lightweight and there are cushion pads on the ears and head piece. I wore them for over 3 hours once, and they didn’t give me any headache or any pain. You could easily fall asleep with these on or wear them for a good length of time – maybe an international flight?
MY YOUTUBE VIDEO
Overall, I highly suggest the Able Planet Travelers Choice noise canceling headset for long flights, for some peace and quiet, to drown out obnoxious neighbors or roommates, or just for simple everyday music listening. I recommend Able Planet, because while some other brands have similar products that are 2x or 3x the price, the Able Planet headphones are much, much, much more affordable – but you still get great sound quality and all the high tech features.
CONNECT WITH ABLE PLANET
- Able Planet on Facebook
- Able Planet on Linked-In
- Able Planet on Twitter @able_planet
BUY YOUR OWN – You can find Able Planet headphones like the Travelers Choice ($79.99) at numerous retailers including Best Buy, Circuit City, Fry’s Electronics, Brookstone, Costco and more! You can also buy them online at www.ableplanet.com