Design and features:This Bluetooth wireless noise canceling home/studio-style over ear model provides good sound and excellent active noise reduction. Its closed design and electronic noise canceling feature reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music, and the audio cable can be detached to get it out of the way when the headphones are being used for noise reduction only. The headphones have medium sensitivity when powered with or without the noise cancelation feature turned on and when unpowered, so they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and all but the lowest-powered portable audio devices. The Whisper ANC has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls. Additional features include Detachable audio cable. Earcups fold and swivel to flat for ease of carrying and storage. Free Altec Lansing Just Listen app download for Apple and Android mobile devices provides product support and is claimed to provide a burn-in audio file (the burn-in file did not function at all on the Apple version, and didn't work properly on the Android version). Has Bluetooth volume, music player transport, call connect/disconnect, and noise cancelling control on the left earcup. Has power on/off, Bluetooth pairing, battery level voice announcements, Bluetooth connect and disconnect alert tones. Supports Google Assistant and Apple Siri digital voice assistants when used with Bluetooth connected devices that have those features. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. Free Altec Lansing Just Listen app download for Apple and Android mobile devices provides product support (product registration, information, tutorials, FAQs, customer service contacts, etc.) and a burn-in audio file, but the burn-in feature did not work on the Apple app version, and shuts down after a few minutes on the Android version (to be usable needs to run continuously at least the mfr. recommended 8hr. burn-in time). This model comes with Detachable 40-inch long standard audio cable, USB charging cable.
Sound quality: We found the Whisper ANC delivers sound quality that falls in the good range - it reproduces music and voice reasonably well despite the obvious shortcomings in its sound and excellent active noise reduction. With the noise cancelling mode engaged the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but the upper bass is a bit subdued. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is a bit thin, somewhat grainy, hazy, and congested (think sonic traffic jam), and has a noticeable plastic resonance (something like what you would hear if you talked into a semi-rigid plastic cup). The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended but somewhat smeared (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer sound blurred) and the upper The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is a bit prominent. Somewhat open sounding but only does a so-so job of recovering room ambience. Good dynamics. Mixed character - warm low bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) with coolish midrange and treble. The overall sound can be summarized as a bit thin and plasticy and somewhat grainy. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. An extremely faint rushing sound can be heard when there is no audio program to drown it out.
Comfort: We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure around the ears. As typical of over-ear models the ear pads might feel hot and/or sticky after prolonged use. Users with larger heads might find that the headband does not have enough adjustment range to allow the ear cups rest properly over the ears and/or that the headband presses uncomfortably on the top of the head. Users with larger ears might find that the over-the-ear fit of the ear pads feel cramped, or that the ear pads sit on, rather than around their ears; in that case the less-than-ideal fit around the ears might interfere with the ear pad seal and reduce the noise reduction capabilities of the headphone. Some users may find that when they lean far forward the headphones feel unstable and shift forward. When wearing this model while walking the muffled vibrations from each foot step can be heard through the headphones regardless of whether or not the headphones are in noise cancelling mode. When the audio cord is used the sound of it rubbing on clothing may be faintly heard through the earphones regardless of whether or not the headphones are in noise cancelling mode.
