is love!
I had mentioned to Markus before that I'd like noise-cancelling headphones because on my journeys between Singapore and BP, I normally have to play my music really loud to cancel out the chatter in the car and also the loud music that the drivers play. Also the case when I fly, I have to turn up the volume to drown the whirring of the engines.
Markus asked which brand I would like so I said probably a Sony. He went to several stores to try the different noise-cancelling headphones without my knowledge. I myself hadn't even tried out a single pair but I told him one of those $200+ pair should be good. I've a pair of DJ headphones from Sony that I love to death that cost about that price so I reckoned the sound quality should be pretty similar.....
He couldn't be sure that I'd like the sound so eventually he brought me to a Sony Center to try the headphones out myself. Turns out I was not too impressed with the noise-canceling ability of the pair I had in mind.
Then the store assistant said we've to try on one pair, even though it's OUT OF STOCK.
WE WERE BLOWN AWAY.
I was so tickled when I saw what appeared to be the two men miming away while discussing the headphones.
And the best part????
When I wish to listen to the outside world, I just have to cup my hand over the right side of the headphone and the outside world will be loud and clear!!
The price though was a major put-off. It definitely wasn't what I expected to pay.
But Markus said if I really like it, he would rather buy me this than a sub-par noise-cancelling headphones.
So which pair of headphones is this?
He asked if I would like this, the 1000x, or a Bose QuietComfort 35. I know I want to enjoy my music. I'll take a Sony. .
And may I also add, after reading reviews, almost 95% of reviews called this the real contender or even finally a winner, over the Bose QC35, the undisputed noise-cancelling headphones for the looooooongest time.
Noise-cancelling wise, this wins. Music sound wise, this wins. Looks wise, this wins.
It was very hard to get this pair. Markus called all the Sony Centers and retailers in Singapore. It's sold-out islandwide. Only the airport has stock in black. The only place that had it in this beige, the last piece at that, was in Jurong. So off this boy drove to IMM in Jurong to buy this. The shop assistant told Markus that just the day before, 6 sets had arrived and in just that short time they're down to the last set.
I'm extremely pleased with it :)))
It has all the fancy shmancy technology which is very useful.
Cup your hand over the right ear to hear the outside world instantly while the music goes very soft.
Tap on the right ear piece to pause the music or answer a call.
Swipe up, down, right and left on the same ear piece to increase volume, decrease volume, skip to next song and go back to previous song respectively.
There are also different types of noise-cancelling abilities such as the mode where it can drown out all noise except voices. Ah huh! Just when people think you can't hear them speak...... #spymode. I've tried this out and it definitely works.
The Bluetooth signal is very stable and I've never experienced a skip or disturbance at all.
While most noise-cancelling earphones work to actively produce opposite sound waves in order to cancel out noise, the 1000x has another technology where it also has mics inside that measure the shape of your head, if you wear glasses, etc in order to better cancel noise.
The best best best best best part of this is, it plays High Res Audio.
Reviewers who have heard high res songs with the headphones say it is like being in the studio of the recording.
And so my hunger for high res audio has begun too.
The day Sony comes out with a High Res Walkman (already there are) that supports apps (still not in the market..I need my Spotify) will be the day I trade my iPod for a Walkman.
