Performance for the Poor Man?

What are they?
The Altec Lansing AHP712i is a full-size, “active noise-canceling” type headphone intended for reducing background noise or listening to music in a noisy environment, such as in an airline cabin. Active Noise Reduction” (ANR) systems work by “listening” to external sounds through a microphone, then producing an artificial “sound” with an opposing wave-pattern, and introducing it into the output of the headphones’ drivers. This effectively cancels external noise with an equal-and-opposite force.

According to Altec Lansing, the AHP712i’s noise reduction is greater than 19 dB from 40 Hz to 12 kHz. If this is accurate, it would place these among the most expensive ANR headphones available in terms of noise reduction. The AHP712i is also equipped with 40 millimeter neodymium-magnet drivers, which should give them the ability to produce a strong sound when reproducing music.

Packaging / Contents
The AHP712i comes packaged in one of those near-indestructible plastic bubbles. Dissecting this liberates the headphones, which are permanently attached to a controller by about two feet of cable. Also included is a 6+ foot (2 m.) cable with two plugs for connecting between the controller and a music source, another 2 foot (50 cm.) cable for the same purpose (more appropriate for an aircraft seat), a .25 inch plug adapter, an aircraft adapter, and a padded carrying bag. Not included is the single AAA battery required to operate the noise-canceling circuit.

Dimensions
Physically, the headphones are “full-size.” That is, a large headband goes over the top of the head, and the headphones’ cushions completely surround the ear and seal against the head. Nothing rests on the ear itself. They weigh-in at about 6 ounces (170 gm.), not including the controller. This is not ultra-light, but the weight is not bad when compared to other neodymium-magnet driver equipped headphones. When stored, despite their “foldable design,” they take up a good deal of space. In actuality, the earpieces simply rotate 90 degrees so that they can be stored flat in their padded bag.

The controller module is about 3.75 inches (9.5 cm.) long, and 1 inch (2.2 cm.) in diameter. It holds the unit’s AAA battery, which helps in keeping weight down on the headphones. The controller includes an on/off switch for the ANR circuit, a volume control, and a pocket clip. As mentioned previously, the cable to the music source can be unplugged from the controller. This allows for stand-alone use of the headset’s ANR system.

Noise Reduction
Situating the headphones over the ears immediately reveals the first part of their noise-reduction system, the seal made by the cushions on each earpiece. They fit snugly, and noticeably reduce outside volume. Switching on the ANR system, the characteristic “hiss” associated with such electronic circuits is mild, and significantly less than a much more expensive pair of Sony ANR earphones I tried recently. Interestingly, the sensation felt when using ANR headphones, a little like an air-pressure change, feels barely noticeable with these headphones.

The ANR system is at least reasonably effective, though I have some doubts that it is actually 19 dB’s, and certainly not over such a broad range. Subjectively, it seems to most effectively reduce lower-frequency “white-noise“ type sounds by 50 percent or more. A good side-by-side comparison would be against a pair of Plane-Quiet “Solitudes,” which claim an 18 dB noise reduction, though at four to five times the price.

At home, the ANR has varying degrees of effectiveness on sounds such as from a bathroom fan, refrigerator, or clothes dryer. In the cabin of an in-flight 747, switching the ANR “on” and “off” with no music playing, it became apparent that the system’s strongest effect is in the lower frequencies of aircraft cabin noise, which is concentrated below 1,000 Hz. Most affected were “rumbling” type sounds, which were greatly reduced. Less so affected was higher-pitched wind-rush noise. Higher frequencies, such as with voices or “clanking” sounds, are affected little if at all. Conversing with a flight attendant with the ANR activated was not a problem, and actually might have been a bit easier.

It should be noted that ANR systems don’t completely eliminate background noise, though they can provide great deal of relief. Aircraft white-noise, while much reduced, will still be significant. And other sounds, such as voices and banging food carts, will be nearly as loud. Consequently, if getting undisturbed sleep after nodding-off to Mozart is your objective, better results can be obtained with an in-ear type earphone, such as the Etymotic Research "ER6i."

Sound Quality
Listening to music, the ANR system provides a significant amount of amplification, particularly in the bass ranges. With the ANR system off, response is rather weak for a pair of full-size headphones. However, even with a dead battery, the headphones can be used for listening, which is a nice feature. But to take advantage of the neodymium-magnet drivers, the ANR system really needs to be switched on. The result is a significant increase in overall volume and a very significant increase in bass response.

Sound quality is always such a subjective issue. However, I would categorize the AHP712i as at least “very good” with the ANR system on, though perhaps a bit heavy on bass. The ANR system’s “hiss,” which is an unavoidable characteristic, is only discernable at the lowest volumes or in silent passages, and does not increase with volume. With the ANR system off, the headphone’s performance is easily bettered by others in the same price range. This makes them more suited to their designed use in noisy environments than to that of just relaxing by the home-system with a cup of espresso. They are not “audiophile” headphones, nor are they intended as such.

An at-home sampling of my eclectic assemblage of music left me with a few notes. Slight rumble (along with the ANR hiss) was noticeable during some peaceful passages of Chinese Ghuzeng. Sevara Nazarkhan's Uzbek dance rhythm, “Yol Bolsin,” had me heavily reducing the EQ in the 600 Hz range, which is (coincidentally?) where the majority of aircraft white-noise is concentrated. Listening to the Tibetan throat-singers and metal guitar feedback in Yungchen Lhamo‘s “Defiance,” I could discern some new sounds hidden in the music. The brooding saxophone in Yoko Kanno’s, “E-U-RO-BE,” put the hair on my neck at attention. And Crystal Method’s electronica, “Trip Like I Do,” had me half-expecting pictures to fall off the walls. It seemed like all but the softest passages were well-reproduced, and louder, bass-heavy music was no problem.

I also plugged the headphones into my little Zen Nano MP3 player, not really expecting much. To my surprise, they worked better than I had expected. With the ANR switched on, the headphone’s volume on maximum, and the little MP3 player's volume near full, I could actually get a fairly decent sound.

Voices, such as in audio books and movies are clear enough to understand, but the headphone’s heavy bass response with the ANR switched on tend to make them sound slightly “muffled.” Contemporary movie soundtracks, which tend to push bass in expectation of poor sound systems, can also produce a bit of the same effect. However, it is not enough to be a problem.

Battery Life
So far, the cheap alkaline battery I first installed in the headphones is still working! I can only estimate, but I think the ANR has been on for about twenty-hours total, almost all of the time with music or movie soundtracks playing. Volume has probably averaged 60 percent.

The “Nits”
Getting a “big” sound requires a certain amount of physical size, and these are not small. I make a general practice of “traveling light,” so full-size headphones are a compromise in that respect, and these are not an exception. The headphones also fit rather snugly, which make for a slight feeling of “relief” when you take them off after several hours. They were never “unbearable.” But after 3-hours, I was happy to trade them for a pair of earplugs and a nap.

They are also purpose-built items, most useful as substitutes for aircraft headphones, or for low-frequency white-noise reduction. They aren't intended to replace the compact earphones on small, portable music players. Nor will their sound quality match a set of full-size, "audiophile" headphones on a home systems.

Conclusion
The Altec Lansing AHP712i effectively reduces low-frequency white-noise, though one may still hold a conversation while wearing them. Sound quality is very good for a set of ANR headphones, with hiss noticeable only during the quietest passages. They are also reasonably comfortable. However, they are not the most compact design, and ANR headphones won‘t simulate the relative silence of earplugs.

That said, at less than one-third to one-sixth the cost of “high-end“ headphones, and half the cost of lower-performing competitors, the Altec Lansing AHP712i is a great value. For those on a mere mortal’s budget, and who aren‘t impressed by expensive brand names, they deliver decent results without the need to sell the ticket to one’s return flight.

Update -
An In-Flight Comparison to Bose “QuietComfort 2” Headphones
During a recent flight, I had the opportunity to briefly compare the noise-canceling characteristics of a set of Bose “QC2” headphones’ to those of my AHP712i headphones. I was quite impressed by the Bose headphones. Subjectively, they seemed to reduce overall jet cabin noise by about twice the level of my AHP712i headphones, largely by working well over a much wider range of frequencies. However, the Bose headphones cost their owner almost ten-times what I paid for my Altec Lansing headphones...last year. But since then, I have noticed that the price of the AHP712i headphones has climbed dramatically.