Sometimes, you want to block out annoying noises. When you can't leave a boisterous room or airplane cabin, the Koss Quiet Zone 2000 headphones are what you need. Koss uses "active noise reduction" circuitry to detect a constant external noise and then create an opposite, out-of-phase wave, which, in theory, cancels out that irritating sound. Pilots have worn this type of headphone for years, but they cost US$1,000 or more. I've tried the lower-priced Koss units on walks in my neighborhood and sitting at sidewalk caf�s. They cut out half the rumble of a bus or the buzz of traffic, chopping off the low end and leaving only the higher frequencies. The high-quality headphones can also be used to listen to music and audio recordings and have good, full-frequency response. Nothing in the circuitry cuts out any of the music's low end, which is decent for small, open-ear models, and the highs are bright and crisp - but not artificially so. When you switch the noise unit on while music is playing, you'll notice a slight change in the sound - the music becomes somewhat lighter and airier in balance, and the background noise recedes, even at low volumes. You can listen to recordings at a lower setting, protecting your ears from damage while protecting your sanity from the nonstop roar of a leaf blower or other annoyances.
- Chris Rubin
Koss Quiet Zone 2000 Headphones: US$199.99. Koss Corporation: (800) 872 5677, +1 (414) 964 5000, on the Web at www.koss.com/.
STREET CRED
Atari DazeDawkinian Evolution
The Quiet Zone
