‘Great value on the quiet’
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent ANC and Sound Value for money Long battery life | Limited on ear controls Basic app functions Minor after use discomfort |
These are aimed at those wanting to enjoy music to the level of Hi-Res audio and take advantage of their powerful noise cancelling capabilities; to be enjoyed at home and when travelling.
What are they?
Edifer WH950NB Wireless Noise Cancellation Over Ear headphones
Specs
Hi-Res Audio, Active noise cancellation, Ambient sound mode, ENC 4-mics, 40mm composite diaphragm driver, safe volume <85db, foldable design. Ā
Included in the box?
Headphones, carry case, USB-C charging cable, 3.5mm Aux cable and adaptor.
Manufactured by
Edifer are an award winning Chinese audio company, highly regarded in the middle sector of the audio market. I was very much aware of their well- established brand but had yet to purchase or experience one of their products first hand. I was therefore keen to see how their wireless headphones stood up to the Sony headphones I already own, and other leading brands. Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Design & Comfort
Straight away, from the box and smooth carry case these come in, as well as the device itself, they come off as premium tech, being light, well built and aesthetically pleasing. Although I am not a fan of the bronze logo emboss on black combination, I like the look and subtlety that these carry off. Though donāt confuse the small bronze outlined openings on each ear cup, with USB-C ports that they very closely resemble! They are finished in a plastic combination of a matt black and brushed metal look, overall a classy but understated design.
When on, they feel very comfortable on the ears, fairly light and sit securely without the need for being overtight. Prolonged use during this review does not defer me from this opinion, but once removed you are left with slight ear discomfort but only for a short period of time.
They have plenty of adjustment in the soft faux leather padding that surround the plastic band, which appear built to last, without knowing how they will wear over time. They offer plenty of flexibility, providing the option to fold flat, such a benefit when travelling or using them on the go. The on device controls have very little bells and whistles, no tap or swipe volume controls like other brands, it just provides the standard volume rocker and single button for Bluetooth and ANC options.
Performance
As with everything these days, you have to download and use the accompanying Edifer connect app, at least when using it with your mobile phone, it will pair normally and app free with things like a TV.
The app is quite basic but does offer plenty of options, if not as many as other leading brands. Other than the opportunity to discover other Edifer products and to access your profile/settings etc., you have three main pages you swipe between. The first displays the current battery level and the varying noise cancelling levels you can choose from, the second page gives you options to tailor the way you want your music to sound and the third page offers three different modes depending on which audio you are feeding the device, these being Music, Game and Theatre modes. These modes do sound different when compared, but like sound appreciation itself, whether you would use them for the assigned audio types would be down to the individual and what sound dynamics you prefer.
To begin with I tested these when listening to sport via Bluetooth on my TV. At first they felt a little flat on lower volume, but once you up the volume to between 50- 75%, the atmosphere kicks in and you feel fully emersed in the action. The stadium noise envelopes your ears, giving that crucial sense of atmosphere, but without overpowering the core commentary and action.
I then listened to a mixture of music, of all varying genres and quality up to High-Res recordings. I felt it excelled in this area, if not ahead of other leading brands in the market, from strong competition from the likes of Sony and Bose, it ran them close. The lows, mids and highs were all handled with ease and provided a very deep and warm sound, that connected you with the music. Creating that sense of audio escapism we all crave for. Bass was nicely balanced, present and at the core of the music, without sliding into the overpowering influence many cheaper headphones present. When the tracks were High-Res audio, that step up in class was clearly evident and music was a joy to listen to, Its 40mm dynamic driver really delivers!
With its ANC and 4-mic features, handling calls/online meeting audio was equally good, providing a solid connection with clear microphone representation. Though not directly marketed for this use, if you were to use them when working from home, you would have few complaints. Podcasts were equally presented with very strong, clear vocals and to the same high standard.
Its big feature though of course is the active noise cancelling on offer, which is I can confirm is extremely impressive. This does a great job of separating the noisy outside world, be that the environment at home, commuting or sat outside where a multitude of competing noises surround you. The level of noise cancellation is really exceptional. If using these without the app and just the on device buttons for control, you have just the three NC options, Ambient, Off and High. If used with the app you have two further options made available, low NC and Wind reduction.
Using the simple but ideal for testing sound of a loud ticking wall clock, sat above me, this is how I found each NC setting.
Ambient: This keeps the outside noise from creeping into your main wall of sound, but separates it and lets it sit outside the headphones, but more than audible enough to give you that awareness you require if selecting this option. (Clock clearly heard and present)
NC Off: Gives you a nice cocoon of isolation just due to the snug and secure fit (Clock faintly heard)
Low NC: ā It is hard to differentiate massively between this mode and when NC is fully off, but it does provide the slightest additional dulling of sound (Clock very faintly heard, disappearing more into the background)
NC High: The outside world is pushed back away from you and becomes a distant white noise (Has the clock stopped?)
Wind reduction: Though not able to test this, it should specifically identify and reduce the sound of wind, say on a long walk on a windy day.
It is nice to see fast charging is present, a quick 10 minute charge providing an excellent 7 hours of playback. When fully charged you can expect a more than impressive 55 hours with ANC off and 34 hours with ANC on. Bluetooth 5.3 gives a very stable connection, as well as one step fast pairing via Android, this means you can have two devices connected, with quick switching between them.
Conclusion
In summary, yes there are better headphones out there, which deliver more advanced ANC and audio, whilst also offering additional functionality; for example, the automatic sound reduction when you speak, for conversational convenience, that Sony offers. But the Edifer headphones are really not that far behind, they do everything incredibly well, efficiently and with a touch of quality. But the main reason I would highly recommend these, is for the price point of (Ā£179.99 RRP/Available currently for around Ā£150). This represents great value, and must be a big reason behind the fact they are already award winners. If you want to go to the aforementioned next level up, then you are going to be paying up to twice as much. These deliver in every area and pass the crucial āPost purchase, no regretsā test completely!
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