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Pros

• LINX Audio Technology works very well
• Active Noise Cancellation works fantastically
• Excellent sound quality
• Comfortable to wear
• Hard case and extras are a big plus

Cons

• Plastic construction feels cheap
• Requires AAA batteries for LINX technology to work

Able Planet produce consumer friendly headphones that range from their lower ranged behind the head headphoens to their more expensive audiophile headphones. They also boast the award winning LINX AUDIO Technology designed to reduce distortion, filter out undesirable sounds and generally improve the overall sound quality.

The headphones we’re reviewing today is one of their higher end models with the Sound Clarity Active Noise Cancelling Headphones with LINX Audio. Not the most consumer friendly name for a product but we’ll shorten it to SCANC for the rest of the review for simplicity’s sake.

So do these high end consumer headphones meet up to the lofty claims made by Able Planet that their LINX AUDIO technology products produces some amazing sound?

Style

If you’re looking for a stylish pair of headphones then the SCANCs are not what you’re looking for. Compared to the Beats, the V-Modas and the Sennheisers around it, the SCANCs definitely lose out on the looks. The headband is made from a matte rubber plastic along with some faux leather lining the top of the band. The band does extend by pulling down on the ear cups however doing so reveals a fairly ordinarily looking metal extender which is supporter on the inside by yet more plastic. Pinching on the plastic portion of the headband produced some very noticeable squeaking and creaking which is probably a by-product of using plastic as the main material.

We did however like the chrome rim on the ear cups which are a nice touch and we liked how clear the left and right text is displayed on each side. The switch on the left side of the headphones is easy to reach while being worn and we found that even after many hours of usage, the SCANCs were extremely comfortable mostly due to the wider than average headband.

Sound Performance

Without the LINX AUDIO technology turned on, the SCANCs sound very good. With it enabled however, and it becomes one of the strongest performing headphones at it’s price point. The bass was strong without being overbearing and surprisingly even at high volumes, the bass never became ripped and stayed intact all the way through. We really felt the difference in the lows when the LINX AUDIO was turned on and is definitely one of the stronger sounding headphones on the market.

The highs and mids were very clear and crisp and everything from techno to hip hop through to classical sounded very solid on these headphones. A negative point though is that when nothings being played and with the LINX AUDIO turned on, there was a faint hiss that was definitely noticeable. Just a minor point but still a point nonetheless.

The Active Noise Cancellation was extremely good. Even sitting in front of a desktop keyboard and typing away we could barely hear the keyboard right in front of us. They do a fantastic job of cancelling out external sounds and provides an environment for the actual sound you want to hear, to really come alive.

Extras

The SCANC comes in it’s very own hard case which we must add is a very good addition to the product. Although it looks simple and has no bells and whistles as such, it does a great job of holding everything in place and provides solid protection to the headphones. You’ll find both 1/8″ and 1/4″ stereo adapters for those with larger audio equipment and the cable comes with an in-line analogue volume control remote. Along with the rest of the headphones, they look average at best but they do a decent enough job of controlling the volume.

To enable the LINX AUDIO technology, you’ll need two AAA batteries in the left ear cup. We didn’t feel any unbalance in weights but for a product of this price, we’d have liked an inbuilt rechargeable battery with the option of USB recharging if possible. Having to use external batteries may be a bit of a hassle for people who use headphones a lot. The upside to this is we’re told that a fresh set of batteries will last a very good 50 hours of continuous use.

Conclusion

The SCANCs are a fantastic sounding product and due in most part to the very good LINX AUDIO technology embedded within them. They do unfortunately lack good looks but if you’re looking for a fantastic sound of headphones for around this price and don’t need it to look flashy then we would definitely recommend them.

The Able Planet Sound Clarity Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are available for $249.99 from Able Planet.

TUS Rating

Style:	2.5 of 5
Sound Performance:	5 of 5
Extras	4 of 5

Overall: 4 of 5  

DISCLOSURE: This product was provided to TUS by Able Planet. See Contact TUS page for full details on our review policy.