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Whether you travel often, need to focus in the workplace, or just want some alone time to decompress, wireless active noise-cancelling headphones can be a great start to get you there.
Today we’re going to be looking specifically at the iTeknic Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones. These are over-the-ear headphones that help to provide a private listening environment, no matter where you are.
Let’s dive in and get started.
Headphone Design
These headphones are made to be a compact, travel-friendly alternative to traditional, wired over-the-ear headphones. They are made of matte black plastic with cushioning around the headpieces as well as the ear portions.
The extra cushioning at the ear helps to deaden exterior sound and amplify sound output from within the headphone, while also providing comfort.
How are they powered?
The iTeknic over-the-ear headphones connect wirelessly to your smartphone via Bluetooth 5.0. When it’s time for a boost, these headphones charge up via micro-USB.
They can also plug directly into an audio jack on your smartphone for wired performance.
Wired vs. Wireless
If wired, you can listen for an unlimited amount of time without worry of the battery draining.
For the purpose of this review, I tried these headphones in both wireless and wired mode to see if there were any noticeable differences in performance.
Regarding audio output, I did not notice a difference in audio volume, quality or response time.
RELATED: See our iTeknic earbuds review
How long does the battery last?
When using these headphones wirelessly, there are some limits to how long you can use them for.
- Charging up for 5-8 minutes can provide about 3-4 hours of listening time.
- Charging up for about an hour can provide the full 30 hours of listening time.
What can these headphones be used for?
The iTeknic headphones have a couple of functions and different ways you can use them. For reference, see the list below:
- Listening to music
- Taking or placing calls
- Watching videos or movies
These headphones also can be used with your smartphone, tablet, or PC.
What’s in the box?
These headphones come with a few simple parts and accessories that make these headphones easy to travel with and easy to use.
Parts included:
- iTeknic over-the-ear headphones
- Micro-USB charger
- Carrying case
- Audio jack (for wired listening)
iTeknic Headphone Performance
Concerning performance, the iTeknic headphones were evaluated on a couple of different factors:
- Audio quality
- Active noise cancellation.
Audio Quality
To assess audio quality, I played a variety of song types at a variety of volumes and made subjective assessments based on performance during these songs.
Bottom line, did the audio sound good?
Yes, definitely.
I would not call myself an audiophile, but I’m certainly a card carrying nerd. Over the years I’ve used a variety of high-end headphones, including my current daily driver, the Bose QuietComfort 35.
The iTeknic aren’t as good as my Bose headphaones. However, for the price, they are way better than they should be.
In general, the sound quality is fantastic. It’s a bit more muddy compared to Bose, but it’s not bad by any stretch. Bass is surprisingly solid, as are highs and lows.
As with most active noise-cancelling headphones, when noise cancelling is active the sound becomes slightly distorted. However, it wasn’t overly distracting.
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Noise-Canceling
Comparing these to the Bose Quiet Comfort:
- They cannot remove quite as much noise as the Bose QuiteComfort headphones
- However, they are more comfortable to wear while noise cancelling is active
When noise cancelling is on on my Bose headphones I find them uncomfortable, as the active noise cancelling waves hurts my inner ears. This is just a product of the technology. As a result, I really only use active noise cancelling while traveling.
However, the iTeknic noise cancelling is more comfortable to wear. I don’t notice the discomfort in my ears nearly as much as with my Bose. As a result, I was able to leave active noise cancelling on for long durations.
In general, the iTeknic’s noise cancelling is more than sufficient for most environments. With music playing and noise cancelling on it was able to drown out ambient noises, air conditioners, and people talking.
Again, they aren’t quite as good removing loud noises as my Bose QuietComfort headphones are, but they are more comfortable over long durations and still do solid job.
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Should you buy the iTeknic Noise-Canceling Headphones?
So all things considered, should you buy the iTeknic headphones? I would recommend these if you’re looking for the following in an over-the-ear headphone:
- Fast charging time: You can quickly build up 3-4 hours of listening time with a quick 5-6 minute charge. A full hour charge will get you up to 30 hours of playback time.
- Wired or wireless: These headphones can be used wirelessly or wired if you’re concerned with draining battery power. This provides some nice flexibility for using them in different situations.
- Compact fold: The iTeknic headphones come with a portable carrying case and are designed in a way that allows for a semi-compact fold. While they’re not as small as in-ear headphones, they are certainly smaller than other over-the-ear options on the market.
To learn more or see the iTeknic headphones for yourself, check them out here.
Budget Noise-Cancelling Headphones
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Design - 95%
95%
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Performance - 95%
95%
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Quality - 95%
95%
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Usability - 95%
95%
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Value - 98%
98%
Summary
The iTeknic is arguably the best value headphones I’ve ever used (personally or professionally). Audio quality is only slightly muddier than my Bose headphones. However, in general, it’s still a great listening experience. The active noise cancelling feature is better than expected. It’s not nearly as distracting as the noise cancelling on my Bose headphones, while still being powerful enough to remove most noises in typical environments.