Manufacturer: Able Planet
MSRP: $129.99

Back in the day, I never wanted to play games with headphones on. Instead, I invested in an awesome (and supremely expensive) 7.1 Cambridge Soundworks gaming set. It was pretty spectacular, came with a lot of stuff, produced excellent sound quality, and garnered me bragging rights. Over time, however, it became less and less of what I wanted in a listening device. The speakers were bulky, the subwoofer gigantic, there were wires everywhere, and the connectors didn’t work with the new sound cards. Proper configuration was also a challenge, as people and cats routinely knocked my investment to the floor. After about eight years of service, I gave the entire setup to an audiophile friend of mine, and replaced it with a crummy set of no-name speakers. It was shortly thereafter that I realized that owning a good set of headphones was essential. When Able Planet’s True Fidelity (NC300B) headphones arrived at my doorstep, my dream of world domination via gaming finally began to come true.

The True Fidelity NC300B headphones arrived inside of a sturdy black carrying case, were firmly held in place by a rubber band and securely buffered from all sides to protect it from any shipping mishaps that might have occurred enroute. They were accompanied by a cord with a volume control knob and 3.5mm stereo connectors on both ends, so that you can plug one end into the headphone jack on whatever device you are listening to, and the other into the headset itself. This is very convenient since you may sometimes wish to use the set for it’s noise blocking / noise canceling ability. Another positive aspect of this is that if you accidentally jerk the wire, it won’t rip, but instead will merely disconnect from the set. Other accessories included are the airplane adapter and a 1/4″ home stereo adapter.

The headset itself is ergonomic, fairly light and crafted of plastic, leather, and metal. The NC300B also goes around the ear, and thus is quite effective at blocking out outside noise. Unlike similar products, this set is actually comfortable for hours of non-stop use. You can adjust the size of the band, and since the middle is well padded in soft leather it will neither pushes into the top of your head, nor messes up your hair, assuming, of course, that you’re not sporting a mohawk. Both phones swivel 90 degrees, so you can actually use them as reasonably loud speakers if you so desire.

While the wire connects to the left phone, the right one houses a AAA battery (included) and a noise cancellation switch. The noise cancellation works exceptionally well and was able to completely eliminate the fairly loud droning noise that various devices in my study produce. I am definitely looking forward to using this headset on the plane when I fly to France next month, but I also found this feature quite useful for gaming. It makes the music, speech, and other sound effects come across more clearly. In addition to my PC, I tried them out with both my Sony and Panasonic MP3 players and my G1 Google phone. All of these devices demonstrated a marked improvement in sound production.

If you are wondering why I described everything but sound quality so far, the answer is simple. It goes without saying that the sound quality is fantastic! These headphones use a technology called Linx Audio, which, according to the manufacturer’s site, enhances sound quality, improves speech clarity, filters undesirable sound, reduces distortion, restricts electromagnetic interference, and increases perceived loudness without increasing volume. I believe True Fidelity is an excellent product and will fulfill the needs of most gamers, travelers, and music lovers. The only complaint that I have is the lack of a microphone, which is essential to those who play multiplayer games.

True Fidelity is pretty amazing except for some barely noticeable distortion when noise cancellation is engaged. If you are looking for a new pair of headphones, I can definitely recommend the NC300B. Retail is listed at $129.99, but you can find them online for around $80. So far as I am concerned this is money well spent.

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