Tim Gideon Sony MDR-NC300D If you want to effectively block outside noise, but bulky headphones aren't your thing, Sony's MDR-NC300D is a solid in-ear noise-cancellation solution. But you'll have to sacrifice some audio quality in the bargain.
Top-notch, adjustable noise cancellation. Five ear tip sizes provide a secure fit. Selectable listening modes optimize bass or movie dialogue. Useful Monitor mode mutes music and eliminates noise cancellation.
Audio performance is lacking for the price. Runs on AA battery (not included). No passive mode for listening.
If you want to effectively block outside noise, but bulky headphones aren't your thing, Sony's MDR-NC300D is a solid in-ear noise-cancellation solution. But you'll have to sacrifice some audio quality in the bargain.
Sony has included embedded noise-cancellation in some of its Walkman portable media players, like the X Series ($299.00, ), for a while now. The company moves the circuitry out of the player and into the earphones with its ($299.99 direct) MDR-NC300D. The in-ear 'phones actively block out sound, and even analyze your environment to determine which of its three selectable noise cancellation modes is the best choice. The NC300D does a solid job dampening the outside din, but drawbacks include subpar audio performance and a bulky on-cable circuitry-and-battery compartment.
The earpieces on the MDR-NC300D look a bit large, but aren't heavy and stay in place just fine. Microphones, pointing outward on each earpiece in order to sample the ambient room noise and feed it to the noise canceling circuitry, are the primary reason for the bulkiness of the black-and-chrome design. The largish 2.9-by-1.3-by-0.7-inch circuitry-and-battery compartment sits about halfway of the way down the 47.2-inch cable. With the required single AA battery installed, the MDR-NC300D weighs 2.2 ouncesit doesn't operate in a passive mode without the battery like the Creative Aurvana X-Fi ($300.00, ), for example, does. Five sizes of rubber ear-tips come with the earphones, as does a velvet pouch, a leather carrying case, an earphone extension cable, an airline adapter, and a shirt clip. Sony estimates battery life at about 15 hours, but, of course, this depends on what brand you use, and the AA battery is not included.
Using the included shirt clip, which attaches to the back of the circuitry/battery compartment is pretty much essentialotherwise, you'll have this heavy, awkward box dangling from the cableand likely yanking the earpieces from your ears. A Monitor button on the front face of the compartment mutes all music and disengages the noise canceling circuitrybut still utilizes the microphonesso you can hear what's going on in the outside world with a simple push. Beside the button is a tiny battery-life-indicator and mode display. The Sound Mode button is on the top panel, along with the Volume rocker, and the Power/Hold switch.
Sony is proud of its new technology, claiming it's the only manufacturer to offer true 100 percent digital noise cancellation. And the MDR-NC300D impresses with its array of noise-cancellation modes. Mode A focuses on low-to mid-range frequencies (best for airplanes), Mode B focuses on extremely low frequencies (better for trains and buses), and Mode C minimizes over a wide band of frequencies (ideal for noisy office settings). In addition, you can press the "NC Optimize" button on the back panel of the compartment, which, according to Sony, adjusts the noise canceling signal shape to fit the unique contour of your inner ear. Adjusting this setting, which spans from -10 up to 10, seems to allow more low frequencies through at the lowest setting and higher frequencies at the highest setting. During testing, I kept my NC Optimization set to 0.
Given their respective sizes, it's not quite fair to compare the noise cancellation of the MDR-NC300D with headphones trying to accomplish the same task. Bose's $299 QuietComfort 15 ($299.95, ) headphones are the best noise canceling pair available, but Sony's earphones use their in-ear seal to great advantage. Combining passive reduction with the active digital noise-canceling circuitryand the ability to adjust which frequencies get the most attentionthe MDR-NC300D rivals just about any other model you can buy. Thing is, there aren't many in-ear 'phones with active cancellation on the market. Denon makes an in-ear model, the AH-NC600 ($199.99, ) that sounds fantastic, but its noise cancellation is merely decentthe opposite of the MDR-NC300D. Denon can't touch the selectable modes and the excellent seal created by Sony's comfortable rubbery ear tips.
Unfortunately, like with Bose's earlier QuietComfort headphone models, audio performance is not a strong suit here. During testing regardless of the sound mode I selected, the audio was a bit too sculpted for my taste. My primary complaint is the earphones are overly crispthe Rolling Stone's "Rocks Off" sounds too sibilant and bright, although Bass mode seemed to balance things out a bit. Basically, the middle frequencies seem a bit under-represented. Movie mode is helpful for hearing dialogue betterespecially if you are in a particularly loud environment that the noise cancellation can't completely conquer. The bass response, in Bass mode, is definitely enjoyable, but it's offset a bit by the middle frequency deficiencies.
Is the sound you'll get from the MDR-NC300D downright awful? Not by any stretch of the imagination. The thing is, though, the audio quality isn't what you'd expect from a $300 pair of earphones. But again, the noise cancellation is top-notch. While it isn't fair to compare apples and oranges, it's worth noting that Bose has made strides in the frequency response of its QuietComfort linethe same-price QC 15 still isn't a sonic masterpiece, but it does offer a better listening experience than the MDR-NC300D. Why don't these pricey products deliver audio bliss? It's simple: All the manufacturing cost is sunk into the impressive noise-canceling technology and the hardwarewith little left for the earphone's drivers, which are responsible for sound quality.
If you eschew bulky over-the-ear headphones like the Bose QuietComfort 15, but effective noise cancellation is your top priority, the Sony MDR-NC300D is a solid option. But if sound quality trumps dampening the outside din, you should skip this pair and check out the $200 Denon AH-NC600, which offers capable-but-not-astounding noise reduction and great audio performance for $100 less.
Compare the Sony MDR-NC300D with several other headphones side by side.
Bottom Line: If you want to effectively block outside noise, but bulky headphones aren't your thing, Sony's MDR-NC300D is a solid in-ear noise-cancellation solution. But you'll have to sacrifice some audio quality in the bargain.