Product
Sony MDR-NC33.
Promise
Noise-cancelling in-ear headphones from Sony that promise to block out more noise for longer.
Performance
They make some large claims: 90% of background noise can be cut out with use of Sony’s tried-and-tested noise cancelling technology. That’s a whole lot of noise. These work by producing sound waves that cancel out those of the background: it means that they work really well in places where a constant drone disturbs you, like on a plane, near a noisy A/C unit or near crowds. The second big claim behind these plugs is that they run from a single AAA battery – and can operate for up to 100 hours on a single battery charge. Quite impressive for the long-distance traveller.
Verdict
A great addition to your lightweight travel kit, these will take up less room than traditional headphones and work more effectively to seal out unwanted din.