A few months ago I got the chance to review the Bose QC25 noise cancelling headphones which were said to be the best in the industry; so when I got the opportunity to review the Philips Fidelio NC1, I was interested to see which ones really were the best !

Needless to say, the Philips Fidelio NC1 are my new favourite pick for the best noise cancelling headphones.

Here’s why.

Fit

The Philips Fidelio NC1s are called “open style” headphones as they lay flat on your ears unlike the Bose QC25’s which cover your ears. You might think that due to this style, it would let a lot of noise leak in, however the NC1’s have ear pads made of memory foam, which forms a perfect seal around your ears so there is no leakage.

My head is fairly small (I have had to purchase a child size snowboarding helmet!), so I find that most headphones fall off even on the smallest setting, the NC1’s fit perfectly!!!

Noise cancelling

Considering the NC1’s are open style headphones, the noise cancelling worked surprisingly well. I could only hear a very faint hum of the plane engines or other vehicles while using them on public transport; I was surprised at how loud the plane and other surroundings were without them on.
The 40mm drivers utilize high power neodymium magnets to deliver true high definition sound in a wide dynamic range.

You need to remember is to turn them off when you are not using them or they will keep using the battery. However you can continue to listen to your music or watch your movie without the noise cancelling feature on, its just not as “noise cancelling” (unlike the Bose QC25’s).

Storage

The size of the NC1’s gives it a portage advantage as they collapse and roll up into a small “ball”. The NC1’s carry-on case is small, which means more room in your carry-on luggage/handbag and more room in your seat pocket to store them during your flight.
The storage case is a hard case to ensure your NC1’s are always protected.

What do you get in the Philips Fidelio NC1 box?

• Philips Fidelio NC1s headphones.
• Inline remote and microphone cable (compatible with Apple products and android products).
• Airline adapter (super hand for frequent flyers!!).
• Carrying case.

Specifications:

• Headphone Type: Over-The-Ear
• Deluxe memory foam cushions
• Noise Cancelling: Yes
• Battery Life (claimed): 30 hours
• Charging: Yes. You re-charge it by plugging the headphone into a USB port on your computer or a recharger.

Cost: RRP AU$399

Purchase a pair your pair of Philips Fidelio NC1’s from Amazon.

Disclaimer: Philips provided a pair of the Philips Fidelio NC1 for me to test.