| JVC HA-NC250 Noise Cancelling Headphones |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Audio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Dan McNamara | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monday, 22 October 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
JVC HA-NC250 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Manufacturer: JVC Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article was self-supplied. Noise cancelling headphones are almost a necessity for frequent travelers. Benchmark Reviews has just complete field trials of the JVC HA-NC250 noise cancelling headphones. These headphones provide solid all around performance for a very competitive price. In my line of work travel is still a large part of the job. Being able to relax on the journey is a very important part of reaching your destination and being effective when you get there. I also work in an open concept environment that is divided up just enough so that other people think they can talk loud, so background noise is always an issue (in cube teleconferences anyone?). I need something that I can blank out background noises and still allow me to listen at a reasonable volume. For several years my solution has been noise cancelling headphones. Due to the travelling I need something that does the job, and is not too flashy. Also it must be rugged enough to handle constantly being jammed into my backpack, stowed in the luggage rack and generally kicked around in my hotel room. Work is a conservative environment so I also need something that is not too over-the-top. 
Over the years I have bought over-the-ear, on ear and in-ear headphones. I have always tried to buy low to mid- cost noise cancelling headphones mostly because a) they break, b) I lose them, and c) I don't want to pay a lot and have them stolen. On a recent trip back from Hawaii I was able to try a fellow passenger's Bose QC-3 headphones. I liked the storage case and the amount of noise it removes, but the price was a bit scary for me. So I became determined to find a high quality but lower cost solution. The first thing that I did was go to a popular website and search "noise cancelling headphones". Forty-six 46 items came up including everything from in-ear to over ear, with prices from $49 to $399. So I knew somewhere there were a pair for me. Next, the good internet shopper that I am, I tried Top 10 sites and reduced my search to out-the-ear headphones that had decent overall value, because for me value is function of cost and performance. Going analogue, I went to various shops around town and was able to try the various contenders. Based on my research and in-store trials I finally decided on the JVC HA-NC250. Normally that would have been the end of my journey, but when Benchmark Reviews suggested that I report on how well the HA-NC250 worked I jumped at the chance. JVC HA-NC250 SpecificationsSource: JVC The JVC HA-NC250 specifications are an indication of solid, mid-to-high end performance. Noise reduction is optimized for the lower frequencies, which tend to be the more tiring and disturbing on long haul trips. The band of frequencies that the headphones cover is wider than frequencies that people can hear within (20Hz to 20KHz). Low sensitivity means better response to rapidly changing frequencies, and ultimately better audio reproduction whether you are listening to pop, rock or classical music. The low weight of the headset means that it is easy to wear the JVC HA-NC250s for long trips, around the office, and at home in comfort.
Closer Look: JVC HA-NC250 HeadphonesThe JVC HA-NC250 Headphones are a low key but very attractive set of headphones. It comes complete with a detachable audio cord, two audio adapter plugs and a semi-hard storage case. 
When I received the headphones there were a lot of things that I liked right away. I liked the way the ear-pieces fold flat. I had a pair before that you had to fold and fold again and it ended up being a large roundish ball. With the old pair they also seemed to get caught, or interfered when you were putting something in the backpack. By folding flat the JVC HA-NC250 seem to be much less intrusive. 
The next feature that I found interesting was the detachable audio cable. I am not saying that the JVC HA-NC250 is the only set of headphones that features this, but this is the first time that I came across a set like this. I like the idea for several reasons. First, you can change the length of the audio cable, so if you need longer you can buy a longer one and not have to manage an audio cable and an extension. Second, this feature gives a second point for the audio cable to tear away when you suddenly get up, or forget to take your headphones when going to the bathroom. I have done both, and trying to repair either end of the headset audio cable usually does not turn out to last, or have a good aesthetic appearance. The last thing that I thought of was that with the audio cable you can plug your audio source into a larger receiver or sound system if you want to share your experience and you can do this with everything that came with the original headphones. 
The JVC HA-NC250 also comes with two audio adapters. Even though most aircraft have been modified to use a single audio jack, it is still nice to have an adapter along. I really do not like to have to either pay to use my own equipment or pay to buy a set of substandard headphones. The 6.3mm/1/4 inch audio adapter is also handy for those with older receivers for listening to or playing your music.
The JVC HA-NC250 come with a semi-rigid carrying case. With the ear-pieces rotated when stored it makes a very slim object to fit in your bag. I also like the zipper: it is a full size, nylon zipper that closes without catching on the material, or contents. Even when I stored my cell phone with the headphones there was no noticeable increase in effort required.
Inside the case there is a pouch to store your adapters and audio cable. There is also some room for other small items, like an MP3 player or iPod NANO. I like the fact that it attaches to the inside of the case with Velcro, because I am notorious for losing those bags. With the Velcro you can also take it out, if you have a reason to. JVC HA-NC250 Detailed FeaturesThe main feature that I was looking for was, of course, the reduction of ambient noise. The JVC HA-NC250 headphones use both active noise cancellation and passive noise isolation. As noted above the exterior noise is sampled and is used to cancel the noise. The HA-NC250 also monitors what is going on inside the earphone and further adjusts the phase of the generated signal. All this to say that when you turn on the noise cancellation it feels like someone turned on a vacuum pump on your ears. The majority of the ambient noise drops off, and the music comes to life.
In the above photo you can also see that the battery is inside the right hand earphone. I like this because it keeps both sides of the headpiece symmetrical. The future will tell if the headphone pad can take the repeated removal and installation this requires. 
The second component of the JVC design is the isolation aspect of noise reduction. The JVC HA-NC250 ear pads are on ear, or Supra-aural. As advertised these headphones provide a very comfortable fit and mold themselves to effectively seal off the ear from direct outside noise. The double walled construction also limits the through body noise transfer to the outer edge of the casing as well. Between the noise isolating design and noise cancelling electronics the JVC HA-NC250 provides significant noise reduction. For those that like redundancy in design the JV HA-NC250 headphones also provides a good level of noise reduction and sound reproduction even when there is no battery power. This means that you can still enjoy your headphones even when the battery dies, like on an aircraft or during a long trek. Testing & ResultsTesting MethodologyTo find out if the JVC HA-NC250 headphones were truly effective I planned a series of environmental trials including, office environment, city bus, propeller and jet aircraft and home computing/computer gamingTest System
ResultsAn office environment may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of noise cancelling headphones. However when your head is approximately two and a half feet from the fellow next door and he or she needs to yell into the telephone it is nice to be able to literally tune them out. Also I work in an open concept office that houses several thousand people so the general noise level starts at a low rumble and goes up from there. The JVC HA-NC250 headphones are very comfortable, being light and don’t trap a lot of heat, so you can wear them all day without discomfort. Being both visible and at the same time understated you have the option just to wear them without music to reduce the overall noise level. Even at low volume the music quality is outstanding and will screen almost all noise around you. I took the opportunity to ride the local city bus, I was located in the back next to the engine. Noise cancelling headphones should come into their own given a sinusoidal input, and these headphones performed like a champ. The main noise on the bus was the engine, and the low frequency growling adequately disappeared into the background, making the ride far more comfortable. In this environment the understated style brought little or no notice from my fellow passengers. I cheerfully walked downtown and no one paid attention to me at all. The main reason I chose noise cancelling headphones was for travel, especially while in transit. Repetitive and cyclical noise is where the noise cancelling headphones really shine. Recently I had the chance to fly in both a propeller and jet aircraft. With the propeller aircraft the lower frequency noise was the most pervasive, and it was easily reduced to a comfortable level by the headphones. On the jet aircraft the higher turbine noise tended to dominate the environment, but once again the JVC HA-NC250 headphones were able to generate a quiet and relaxing aural experience. The JVC HA-NC250 headphones are so easy to pack up I tend to take them with me to and from work, so I have had the opportunity to use the around the house. Although there most certainly are better gaming headphones around I find I do not feel the need to buy an additional set, and in fact my children keep taking my headphones when I put them down. Headphones Final ThoughtsThe JVC HA-250 Noise Cancelling Headphones represent a very good value for money. The noise isolation and cancellation preform solidly, and the music reproduction is very good and have readily handled all the test environments. I like redundancy in design so it appeals to me to be able to use the headphones with and without a battery, and also being able to replace the audio cord if it gets damaged. My only concerns revolve around some of these same redundancies. If I can lose something, I will lose it, so I worry about losing the audio wire. I worry about damaging the headset ear pads, because it is usually very hard to find replacement parts. These headphones cost anywhere from $120 - $200 and you should be able to obtain replacement parts through the manufacturer. Having to take the right hand ear cushion to replace the battery gives me concern, and will be one of the areas I will monitor as time goes on. I would also like a longer cord with the headset. I am sure that the industry has set a standard length of around 1.2 m. I would like to know why because, for me, the cord is just long enough to sit back from the computer, but short enough that turning around or moving your arms can result in pulling out the plug. Of course with the removable audio cord I can always buy a longer cord and use it, but I’d rather not have to.
JVC HA-NC250 ConclusionIn all test environments, listening to various types of music the JVC Ha-NC250 Noise Cancelling Headphones perform as advertised. Noise is reduced sufficiently to allow you to listen to your music at a reasonable level. Audio reproduction is crisp and clear, and comes to life in, powered, noise cancelling mode. Even with the power off these headphones perform well. The appearance of the case is simple, but classy. The headphones are understated, but attractive, which for me is a benefit when wearing them around the office, or around town. The carrying case is well constructed, and well thought out. The headphones are light but seem to be durable. The adjustment slides work well, and the fit is firm, but easy to use. The ear pads are comfortable and effective. The purpose of the noise cancelling headphones is to cancel noise, which the JVC HA-NC250 headphones does admirably. The headphones then reproduce crisp and clear music, making travelling and work at the office a lot less tiring. The JVC HA-NC250 headphones presently sell for $104.99 (Newegg / Amazon). As I stated above I look at value as a function of performance and cost. The JVC HA-NC250 Noise Cancelling Headphones is a slam-dunk in both areas. They are affordable enough that I won’t feel devastated should something bad happens to them, but they perform well above what I expected. The JVC HA-NC250 Noise Cancelling Headphones are solid performers at a very reasonable price. I would recommend this product to business people who travel frequently or are looking for a low key headset for the office environment.Pros:
+ Great value for money Cons:
- Audio Cord can become unattached at both ends Ratings:
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