After a bit over a week of use I can describe these so that others can evaluate them as an option vs. comparable headphones.
Features
The AKG N700NC may be used wireless via bluetooth or with a line. The provided line has a mic and may be used with a smartphone headphone jack. The package also comes with a USB to micro-USB charging cable, an airplane headphone jack adapter, and a travel case. There is an app that may be downloaded to Apple and Android devices. The app is helpful as it provides dynamic assignment of a function button on the headphone, permits EQ customization, and toggles on/off an auto-off feature.
Whether the headphones are used with or without the line there is a mic available in both modes. When the line is inserted in the headphone it seems to disable the bluetooth, which was a handy feature on a recent flight that did not permit the use of bluetooth headphones. My wife was not able to use her noise canceling Bose earbuds on that flight.
There are buttons to control volume, take & hang up on calls, play/pause playback, and skip forward back tracks. A dynamic button allows either to toggle between normal ANC and "Ambient Aware" or "TalkThru". It seems to me the difference is that Ambient Aware turns off the active noise canceling, while TalkThru uses the mics to modestly amplify the outside, which could be helpful to counteract the noise isolation the ear phones provide. A long press on the dynamic button activates the TruNote feature, which purportedly discerns the ears shape via ultrasonic imaging of some sort.
Sound Quality
To my ears these produce a flat perceived sound spectrum from ~300 Hz - 10 kHz. There is some drop off in lower frequencies, esp. from ~ 100 Hz towards 40 Hz; however, this is less pronounced than in any other closed back headphone or in ear monitor I own. Plus the EQ adjustments in the app are able to counteract the fall off so that I can have a flat perceived response across the frequency spectrum. I could not tell a difference from using the TruNote feature, but some of you sound engineers out there might be able to.
Isolation & Active Noise Canceling
With active noise canceling on I estimated a reduction of ~20 - 23 db of environmental sound. Walking down a busy street with construction, traffic and sirens the loudest noises are still audible, but reduced so that music or spoken word can be played at lower levels while preserving detail to the sound. Turning off the noise canceling feature still provides ~ 11 - 17 db of noise reduction from passive isolation.
Bluetooth
Pairing was simple. Bluetooth range has proved strong, where I can leave my phone in one room and wander several rooms away while maintaining a signal. On the street there can be some stuttering of playback as other bluetooth devices are discovered and discarded by my phone, though I suspect this is not a fault of the headphones so much as the phone. For that reason though, I tend to use the line when listening to music in public.
Fit & Comfort
The headphones fit snugly on my head. The headband is adjustable and lengthens or shortens with enough effort so that it won't adjust on it's own. The ear cups are small for my big ears and my ears barely fit, requiring some small adjustments. Once on, they are comfortable, though not very breathable, so after some wear they can feel warm. The padding on the headband is thin, but adequate given the light weight and snug fit.
Mic
In a quite room both the line mic and the mic for bluetooth operation are fine. But on the street with some traffic & a light breeze and the mics tend to pick up so much intrusive environmental noise to make a normal spoken voice patchy & difficult to discern. I would not recommend placing work calls on this. Your friends and family might tolerate it, but your clients might prefer you call back from a clearer line. The mic quality can be improved by holding the line mic in front of the mouth.
Controls
When worn the buttons are small & difficult to distinguish. On the right side both buttons are round. On the left the play/pause / pick up/hang up button is small and hard for my fat fingers to find and press quickly. The volume up & down are the same shape, without any braille-like bumps or divots to help.
Ambient Aware & TalkThru
Using the app you can switch one of the buttons to either activate Ambient Aware or TalkThru. This enables you to leave the headphones on, leave the bluetooth connection active, but either deactivate the active noise canceling to allow you to better hear alerts and announcements in the environment (Ambient Aware), or use the external mics to pipe some environmental sound in so that you could carry on a conversation with someone talking in a normal voice (Talk Thru).
Conclusion
These sound great! The EQ app allows me to listen with my preferred sound profile. They're light. The battery purportedly lasts 23 - 36 hours depending on if you use the line and/or bluetooth, and can be used with no battery power. The bluetooth is easy to use and has good range. The headband has metal components and so doesn't look prone to snap, like some comparable headphones. I only wish that the engineers that came up with all these features had figured out how to make clearer calls from noisy/windy environments.
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This Item  Samsung AKG N700NC Over-Ear Foldable Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Active Noise Cancelling Headphones - Silver (US Version) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | -17% $149.95 List: $179.95 | -20% $278.00 List: $348.00 | -46% $75.06 New Price: $139.99 | $149.99 | $49.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Monday, May 13 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 13 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
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| Noise cancellation | ||||||
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| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Chubbiestech | AvantreeDirect USA | AvantreeDirect USA |
| connectivity tech | Bluetooth, USB | Wireless | Bluetooth, Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth, Wireless, Optical, RCA, 3.5mm AUX | Wired (Optical, RCA, 3.5mm Aux） |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | semi-open-back | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | wireless | — | USB Type C | wireless | USB Type C | Wired (Optical, Rca, 3.5mm Aux） |
| noise control | active noise cancellation | hybrid noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | sound isolation | — |
| headphones jack | Wireless | — | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack | RCA |
| cable feature | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | wireless | 5M Coild Cable & 2M Extension Cable |
From the manufacturer
Studio-quality Sound
A first-class listening experience with studio-quality sound. Hear only what you want, whether you're listening to a book, catching some sleep on the plane or taking a call on the street.
Specifications
- Color: Dark Silver
- Impedance: 16ohm
- Sensitivity: 110dBSPL/1mW @ 1kHz
- Max Input Power: 20mW
- Bluetooth version: 4.2
- Frequency Range: 10-20kHz
- Weight: .57 lb.
*Actual battery life and charging times may vary and depend on usage conditions.
AKG Signature Sound
AKG has devoted decades to delivering a sound experience that ignites creative expression. Balance gives you smooth, multidimensional tones rather than overpowering bass. Exceptional detail allows you to feel each layer of sound. When it’s mixed and mastered the way it was intended to be heard, music opens your mind to endless possibilities.
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Comfortable Foldable Design
- Ambient Aware technology
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Active Noise CancellationDistracting sounds around you disappear. Whether you’re listening to a book on your commute, catching some sleep on the plane or taking a call in a noisy café, you’ll hear only what you want. |
Comfortable, foldable designFlat and foldable, easily slip them into your bag. Made with memory foam and a comfort headband, you can listen for hours in comfort. Take them anywhere, thanks to a compact carrying case, flight adapter, straight cable and USB charging cable—all included in the box. |
Clear calling/one-button remote cableEliminate echo and improve the way you hear yourself during phone calls. And the universal one-button remote cable means you never have to stop listening and taking calls. |
Ambient Aware technologyControl how much surrounding noise you want to let in with the touch of a button, so you can stay in the world while getting lost in the one you’re listening to. |
Long-lasting battery*
Get up to 20 hours of playback with both Bluetooth and Active Noise Cancellation turned on and up to 36 hours when wired with ANC on.*
*Actual battery life and charging times may vary and depend on usage conditions.
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| AKG N700NC Active Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones | AKG N200 Reference Wireless In-Ear Headphones | AKG Y100 Wireless Earbuds | AKG Y500 On-Ear Wireless Headphones | AKG N60NC Noise-Cancelling Headphones | AKG N90Q Noise-Cancelling Headphones | |
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| Price | — | — | — | $124.98 | $149.00 | — |
| Battery life (hours) | Up to 20 Hrs | Up to 8 Hrs | Up to 8 Hrs | Up to 33 Hrs | Up to 15 Hrs BT + ANC, Up to 30 Hrs ANC Wired | Up to 11-12 Hrs |
| Weight | 261g | 15.6g | 24g | 230g | 199.4g | 460g |
| Active Noise Cancellation | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ambient Aware | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Multiconnect | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| Additional Features | Flat-foldable design with clear calling & one-button remote cable | Magnetic buds | Speed charge 15 min = 1 hr playtime | Speed charge 5 min = 1 Hr playtime & play/pause automation | Flat-foldable design with detachable cable | TruNote Technology |
| Colors Available | Silver | Blue, Green, Black | Black, Blue, Pink, Green | Black, Blue, Pink, Green | Black | Black |
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fantastic sound and great noise canceling headphones.
AngelM
Reviews with images
UPDATE: Six month lifespan (confirmed with a re-order)
UPDATE: had to update as I loved these headphones... until I realised that within 6 or 7 months, the plastic had cracked on both sides - clearly not as premium as they felt originally . Check additional photos for proof. I can't recommend these which is a damn shame as the audio quality is superb. And yes, these had been in the hard case during all of my travels. I had them replaced under warranty, but unless they use different plastics now... I expect the same to happen in another 6 monthsWhen you first handle the 700NCs, it becomes clear that these are an incredibly well-built pair of headphones that, at the same time, side-step any pretentious touches. A nice balance of metals and premium plastics help balance the headphones, as well as give you confidence these will be up for the challenge of regular air travel - my personal main use case.Comfort then, is key, as I want to be wearing these for 11 hour flights without discomfort. Leather and memory foam cushions achieve this goal with ease, and unlike competing headphones I didn’t find my ears being squashed at all - they were able to fit inside the cups with ease. This is saying something, as my ears are larger than the average. Yeah, that’s not something I’ll brag about regularly - but it is a reason I don’t get along with a lot of over-ear headphones.Fit may be an issue for some people. The headphones fit me PERFECTLY, but my wife couldn’t work out why the noise cancelation wasn’t all that impressive, until we realised that even in their most compact form, the headphones were still too large for her, which lead to the cups not being securely pressed against her head, resulting in sound leaks.So, just something to be aware of; if your head is on the small side, these may not be for you.Battery life is stellar. You’re looking at 20 hours noise cancellation on full charge - with USB micro and not USB-C cable, sadly - and 36 hours if you’re using the included audio cable.Control of the headphones can be done with the buttons on each ear cup. It may take a few uses before you get the hang of remembering where the controls are, but an on-off switch and volume up and down buttons are accompanied by a Google Voice button and a button that allows for ambient aware mode, which pipes in exterior noises, so you can have conversations or listen to your surroundings without having to remove the headphones.Finally, I’ve saved the most important thing for last- audio quality. Bass is commanding, full and deep without being overpowering - an issue I have with some mid-range headphones - highs are crisp without sounding tinny and the mids have a powerful clarity to them.AKG’s N700NC have instantly become part of my travel kit. Fantastic noise cancelling with features that really make practical sense, outstanding sound quality and premium materials and design.I reviewed the AKG N700NC as part of The Insiders program.
Top reviews from other countries
NSM
Imperfect. Excellent noice cancellation. Perfect for classical music, less so for everything else
Reviewed in Canada on April 10, 2019mark hamilton
Great value NC headphones
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 21, 2022