Sony MDR-NC11 NR Ear-Buds

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Silence is Golden.
Sony MDR-NC11 Headphones

Peter Kun Frary, Professor of Music • University of Hawaii

Sony's Noise Cancellation Ear-Buds, the MDR-NC11, are designed to enhance your listening experience by reducing ambient noise levels. During a weak moment in Fall 2002, I bought them. Subsequently, I went went a trekkin', listening to my Walkman on busy streets, in buses and cars and on a five hour flight to San Francisco and Las Vegas. Herein are my thoughts on the MDR-NC11.

Sony MDR-NC11 Noise Canceling Stereo Headphones • The sliver box contains the noise canceling circuits, an active preamp, volume control and an AAA battery good for 60 hours. If the battery dies, you can use the MDR-NC11 as standard headphones.

Construction and Feel

The MDR-NC11 is well made, but not as burly as the MDR-NC10. The fit and finish of these made-in-Korea cans are excellent. Plus, the MDR-NC11 are slim and sleek, hugging the ears more than the MDR-NC10. The brushed metal of the control unit and the chrome ear-bud housing are handsome and modern in appearance. Moreover, the soft silicon earplug-style design allow them to be worn comfortably for hours. I suffered no ear fatigue after five hours of listening on a flight between Honolulu and San Francisco. In contrast, the Sony MDR-7506 make my ears hurt after an hour. Plus, the MDR-NC11 Ear Buds are smaller and slightly more comfortable than the MDR-NC10, sporting interchangeable silicone ear pieces in three sizes.

The headphone cord and noise reduction unit entail five feet of cord. That's plenty 'o crapola tangling as you walk around. If you plug these puppies directly into your audio player it's bad enough. However, if you use a wired remote the resulting eight feet of cords is a mess for trekkers but, I suppose, a blessing for those that wear an iPod on their ankle. Too bad it doesn't ship with shorter detachable cords for maximum flexibility. In short, the tangle of cords suck for walking around but are no problem when tied to an airplane seat for hours on end.

Amtrak Sunrise, California • Trains are a perfect candidate for noise reduction headphones.

Noise Reduction

These headphones reduce ambient noise levels to enhance audio fidelity and, hence, enjoyment. Microphones in the Ear-Buds monitor ambient noise and feed into noise canceling circuits. This signal is sent to the drivers out of phase and, thus, cancels out a big slice of noise. Unfortunately, this phase reversal technique can't be applied to the entire audio spectrum. Instead, it is applied from 50 to 1500 Hz, with the maximum 10 dB reduction at 300 Hz. What this means is that the rumble and grinding of motors, air conditioners, traffic, etc., is reduced considerably, but higher pitched noise is still audible. NR won't allow you to listen to your Walkman while attending a rock concert! Nevertheless, the reduction is sufficient to make music listening on an airplane a high fidelity experience rather than an exercise in irritation. I found the amount of noise reduction to be slightly stronger--better--than the older MDR-NC10.

Sony claims an additional 3 dB in noise reduction is due to the earplug-like design. For me, the seal isn't tight enough to make a real difference. To bad Sonly doesn't include a set of foam ear pieces. Foam adjusts for individual ears better than rubber and is much better at blocking sound. With foam and NR these would be the ultimate airline cans.

The AC failed in my old Honda Accord and I was forced to drive in rush hour traffic with the windows rolled down (Oahu's freeways have the worse traffic in the world). The roar of traffic was deafening--on the threshold of pain--and I could hardly hear my car stereo. So I fired up my Walkman and the MDR-NC11. Man what a difference! Beautiful music and traffic a distant murmur, barely audible. My only problem was I kept forgetting to shift gears as I couldn't hear the motor!

I detected no degradation of audio quality with the noise canceling circuits engaged. The reduction of ambient noise always improves the listening experience, even if the background noise is moderate. You can engage the noise canceling circuits and benefit from reduced noise without playing music if you like. Unfortunately, the noise reduction circuit of the MDR-NC11 generate a slight hiss, something absent from the MDR-NC10, perhaps due to the active preamp used to boost volume. In fairness, this hiss can't be heard in a noisy environment, or with busy mixes, and disappears when you disengage NR. I only noticed the hiss between tracks while listening in a quiet place. You normally disenable NR in a quiet places so the small amount of hiss is a moot point.

The MDR-NC11 burns through more batteries than the MDR-NC10. Sony claims 60 hours of use for the MDR-NC11 vs. 80 hours for the MDR-NC10. I didn't time it, but 60 hours seems optimistic. Fortunately, if your battery dies, the MDR-NC11 continues to work albeit without NR.

Boogie Board Dude • Shootin' chromes is more enjoyable with a soundtrack.

Sound Quality

The sound quality of these headphones is wonderful: smooth, detailed, and neutral. I listened to the MDR-NC11 through a Sony D-EJ01 Discman (15th Anniversary Model), Sony Walkman WMEX20 (20th Anniversary Model), Sony WM-EX7 Walkman and Apple iPod and was stunned by the vivid sound stage. This performance was surprising as Sony headphones often lean towards the bright side.

Naturally, I compared the MDR-NC11 to the MDR-NC10. In terms of sound, they're cut from the same cloth but the older MDR-NC10 has a small edge in sonic quality. Whereas the MDR-NC10 is perfectly balanced, the MDR-NC11 is slightly bass heavy and less airy on the high end. I assume they're tweaked for Hip Hop and Rap tastes (Teen EQ). I don't dare touch the Mega Bass circuit with these puppies on! However, once played in (about 20 hours), the MDR-NC11 have a sweet as honey midrange. The only other earbud type earphones I've tried that sound noticeably better are the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro, and they cost a hundred bucks more. The Shure E2c are close but have less bass and are not nearly as effective at noise reduction.

Warranty

These cans don't inspire consumer confidence with a farty 90-day warranty. A set of $200 headphones merit at least a one year warranty. Well, at least Sony maintains its own repair facilities here in Honolulu.

Final Comments

To sum it up, the MDR-NC10 has a slight edge in sound quality and durability while the MDR-NC11 is more comfortable, better looking and slightly less expensive. This is one pair of fine sounding and comfortable cans at a good price. As I mentioned above, cord management can be an entangling experience for mall walkers, but is no problem during long plane, bus or train rides. As a result I only use these cans for air travel. For truckin' around town I resort to the remote friendly and less entangling Sony EX71 Earbuds. Nevertheless, I never set foot in a plane or train without my MDR-NC11 Noise Cancelling Stereo Headphones.

Score

Sound Quality: B+ • Construction: B • Noise Reduction: B

Update (July 2006)

Sony updated the MDR-NC11, now the MDR-NC11A, with minor cosmetic changes and a price drop from $125 to $65 ($80 list). It's now available in black (MDR-NC11ABLK) or white (MDR-NC11AWHT). The earphones and wires are the same as the originals, but the noise reductioin unit looks plasticy without the metallic silver cover. Unfortunately the hiss is still there when noise reduction is engaged. It's not louder but is slightly higher in frequency and thus more noticeable. In fairless, it's still inaudible during airplane flights. The country of origin is still Korea. However, for $65 clams it's a dad burn steal. I bought one for my wife...

Recently I've tried a variety of earphones with sealed earplugs. While they reduce ambient noise considerably, they're not nearly as effective at reducing bass and midrange rumble as electronic noise reduction. In other words, the roar of a jet engine is painfully evident with my expensive Shure E4c and Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro earphones. These earphones sound frickin' wonderful on the ground but are thin and utterly bassless at 30,000 feet.

After using the Shure and Ultimate Ears on a few flights I realized the Sony MDR-NC11 could be more effective with sealed earplugs. Combining the best of both worlds--electronic noise reduction and earplugs--is a nobrainer. Why didn't Sony think of this? The Sony supplied earpieces don't work worth a damn as earplugs. However, I have a pair of Shure E2c earphones with an assortment of rubber and foam earplug replacements that fit the Sony (the Ulitmate Ears and Shure E4c were too small). The foam earplugs provided the best seal and comfort. The foam is similar to industrial foam earplugs: squeeze and roll the the foam, insert in ear and hold about 15 seconds or until it expands. I tried this combo on a recent flight to Las Vegas and enjoyed every musical nuance possible from my iPod Nano. Upgrade to the tighter fitting Shure E2 series rubber or foam earpieces and the MDR-NC11 is the ultimate airplane cans. And, yes, Shure, will sell replacement E2c earpiece foams to anyone.

Fremont Street Casino • The MDR-NC11 Headphones made gambling a high fidelity experience

Specs

Type: Lateral, In-the-ear, Closed, Dynamic (with Noise Cancellation)

Driver Unit: 9 mm with neodymium magnets

Power Source: "AAA" x 1 Battery

Battery Life: Approx. 40 hrs (alkaline)

Power Switch: Manual, on battery box

Noise Reduction: >10 DB at 300 Hz

Impedance: NC Power On: 20 ohms

NC Power Off: 8 ohms

Sensitivity: NC Power On: 102 DB/mW

NC Power Off: 98 DB/mW

Power Handling Capacity: 50mW

Frequency Response: NC Power On: 10 - 22,000Hz

Cord and Plug: 2.5 ft (0.8m) cord to battery box

Approx. 1.7 oz (47g)

Included Accessories

Plug adapter for use on airplane

Soft carrying case

Small, medium and large ear-buds

Where to buy

B&H Photo • $65 ($80 List)

1/23/2003 • Updated 7/18/2006
©Copyright 2003-2006 by Peter Kun Frary • All Rights Reserved

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.	Silence is Golden. Sony MDR-NC11 Headphones Peter Kun Frary, Professor of Music • University of Hawaii Sony's Noise Cancellation Ear-Buds, the MDR-NC11, are designed to enhance your listening experience by reducing ambient noise levels. During a weak moment in Fall 2002, I bought them. Subsequently, I went went a trekkin', listening to my Walkman on busy streets, in buses and cars and on a five hour flight to San Francisco and Las Vegas. Herein are my thoughts on the MDR-NC11. Sony MDR-NC11 Noise Canceling Stereo Headphones • The sliver box contains the noise canceling circuits, an active preamp, volume control and an AAA battery good for 60 hours. If the battery dies, you can use the MDR-NC11 as standard headphones. Construction and Feel The MDR-NC11 is well made, but not as burly as the MDR-NC10. The fit and finish of these made-in-Korea cans are excellent. Plus, the MDR-NC11 are slim and sleek, hugging the ears more than the MDR-NC10. The brushed metal of the control unit and the chrome ear-bud housing are handsome and modern in appearance. Moreover, the soft silicon earplug-style design allow them to be worn comfortably for hours. I suffered no ear fatigue after five hours of listening on a flight between Honolulu and San Francisco. In contrast, the Sony MDR-7506 make my ears hurt after an hour. Plus, the MDR-NC11 Ear Buds are smaller and slightly more comfortable than the MDR-NC10, sporting interchangeable silicone ear pieces in three sizes. The headphone cord and noise reduction unit entail five feet of cord. That's plenty 'o crapola tangling as you walk around. If you plug these puppies directly into your audio player it's bad enough. However, if you use a wired remote the resulting eight feet of cords is a mess for trekkers but, I suppose, a blessing for those that wear an iPod on their ankle. Too bad it doesn't ship with shorter detachable cords for maximum flexibility. In short, the tangle of cords suck for walking around but are no problem when tied to an airplane seat for hours on end. Amtrak Sunrise, California • Trains are a perfect candidate for noise reduction headphones. Noise Reduction These headphones reduce ambient noise levels to enhance audio fidelity and, hence, enjoyment. Microphones in the Ear-Buds monitor ambient noise and feed into noise canceling circuits. This signal is sent to the drivers out of phase and, thus, cancels out a big slice of noise. Unfortunately, this phase reversal technique can't be applied to the entire audio spectrum. Instead, it is applied from 50 to 1500 Hz, with the maximum 10 dB reduction at 300 Hz. What this means is that the rumble and grinding of motors, air conditioners, traffic, etc., is reduced considerably, but higher pitched noise is still audible. NR won't allow you to listen to your Walkman while attending a rock concert! Nevertheless, the reduction is sufficient to make music listening on an airplane a high fidelity experience rather than an exercise in irritation. I found the amount of noise reduction to be slightly stronger--better--than the older MDR-NC10. Sony claims an additional 3 dB in noise reduction is due to the earplug-like design. For me, the seal isn't tight enough to make a real difference. To bad Sonly doesn't include a set of foam ear pieces. Foam adjusts for individual ears better than rubber and is much better at blocking sound. With foam and NR these would be the ultimate airline cans. The AC failed in my old Honda Accord and I was forced to drive in rush hour traffic with the windows rolled down (Oahu's freeways have the worse traffic in the world). The roar of traffic was deafening--on the threshold of pain--and I could hardly hear my car stereo. So I fired up my Walkman and the MDR-NC11. Man what a difference! Beautiful music and traffic a distant murmur, barely audible. My only problem was I kept forgetting to shift gears as I couldn't hear the motor! I detected no degradation of audio quality with the noise canceling circuits engaged. The reduction of ambient noise always improves the listening experience, even if the background noise is moderate. You can engage the noise canceling circuits and benefit from reduced noise without playing music if you like. Unfortunately, the noise reduction circuit of the MDR-NC11 generate a slight hiss, something absent from the MDR-NC10, perhaps due to the active preamp used to boost volume. In fairness, this hiss can't be heard in a noisy environment, or with busy mixes, and disappears when you disengage NR. I only noticed the hiss between tracks while listening in a quiet place. You normally disenable NR in a quiet places so the small amount of hiss is a moot point. The MDR-NC11 burns through more batteries than the MDR-NC10. Sony claims 60 hours of use for the MDR-NC11 vs. 80 hours for the MDR-NC10. I didn't time it, but 60 hours seems optimistic. Fortunately, if your battery dies, the MDR-NC11 continues to work albeit without NR. Boogie Board Dude • Shootin' chromes is more enjoyable with a soundtrack. Sound Quality The sound quality of these headphones is wonderful: smooth, detailed, and neutral. I listened to the MDR-NC11 through a Sony D-EJ01 Discman (15th Anniversary Model), Sony Walkman WMEX20 (20th Anniversary Model), Sony WM-EX7 Walkman and Apple iPod and was stunned by the vivid sound stage. This performance was surprising as Sony headphones often lean towards the bright side. Naturally, I compared the MDR-NC11 to the MDR-NC10. In terms of sound, they're cut from the same cloth but the older MDR-NC10 has a small edge in sonic quality. Whereas the MDR-NC10 is perfectly balanced, the MDR-NC11 is slightly bass heavy and less airy on the high end. I assume they're tweaked for Hip Hop and Rap tastes (Teen EQ). I don't dare touch the Mega Bass circuit with these puppies on! However, once played in (about 20 hours), the MDR-NC11 have a sweet as honey midrange. The only other earbud type earphones I've tried that sound noticeably better are the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro, and they cost a hundred bucks more. The Shure E2c are close but have less bass and are not nearly as effective at noise reduction. Warranty These cans don't inspire consumer confidence with a farty 90-day warranty. A set of $200 headphones merit at least a one year warranty. Well, at least Sony maintains its own repair facilities here in Honolulu. Final Comments To sum it up, the MDR-NC10 has a slight edge in sound quality and durability while the MDR-NC11 is more comfortable, better looking and slightly less expensive. This is one pair of fine sounding and comfortable cans at a good price. As I mentioned above, cord management can be an entangling experience for mall walkers, but is no problem during long plane, bus or train rides. As a result I only use these cans for air travel. For truckin' around town I resort to the remote friendly and less entangling Sony EX71 Earbuds. Nevertheless, I never set foot in a plane or train without my MDR-NC11 Noise Cancelling Stereo Headphones. Score Sound Quality: B+ • Construction: B • Noise Reduction: B Update (July 2006) Sony updated the MDR-NC11, now the MDR-NC11A, with minor cosmetic changes and a price drop from $125 to $65 ($80 list). It's now available in black (MDR-NC11ABLK) or white (MDR-NC11AWHT). The earphones and wires are the same as the originals, but the noise reductioin unit looks plasticy without the metallic silver cover. Unfortunately the hiss is still there when noise reduction is engaged. It's not louder but is slightly higher in frequency and thus more noticeable. In fairless, it's still inaudible during airplane flights. The country of origin is still Korea. However, for $65 clams it's a dad burn steal. I bought one for my wife... Recently I've tried a variety of earphones with sealed earplugs. While they reduce ambient noise considerably, they're not nearly as effective at reducing bass and midrange rumble as electronic noise reduction. In other words, the roar of a jet engine is painfully evident with my expensive Shure E4c and Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro earphones. These earphones sound frickin' wonderful on the ground but are thin and utterly bassless at 30,000 feet. After using the Shure and Ultimate Ears on a few flights I realized the Sony MDR-NC11 could be more effective with sealed earplugs. Combining the best of both worlds--electronic noise reduction and earplugs--is a nobrainer. Why didn't Sony think of this? The Sony supplied earpieces don't work worth a damn as earplugs. However, I have a pair of Shure E2c earphones with an assortment of rubber and foam earplug replacements that fit the Sony (the Ulitmate Ears and Shure E4c were too small). The foam earplugs provided the best seal and comfort. The foam is similar to industrial foam earplugs: squeeze and roll the the foam, insert in ear and hold about 15 seconds or until it expands. I tried this combo on a recent flight to Las Vegas and enjoyed every musical nuance possible from my iPod Nano. Upgrade to the tighter fitting Shure E2 series rubber or foam earpieces and the MDR-NC11 is the ultimate airplane cans. And, yes, Shure, will sell replacement E2c earpiece foams to anyone. Fremont Street Casino • The MDR-NC11 Headphones made gambling a high fidelity experience Specs Type: Lateral, In-the-ear, Closed, Dynamic (with Noise Cancellation) Driver Unit: 9 mm with neodymium magnets Power Source: "AAA" x 1 Battery Battery Life: Approx. 40 hrs (alkaline) Power Switch: Manual, on battery box Noise Reduction: >10 DB at 300 Hz Impedance: NC Power On: 20 ohms NC Power Off: 8 ohms Sensitivity: NC Power On: 102 DB/mW NC Power Off: 98 DB/mW Power Handling Capacity: 50mW Frequency Response: NC Power On: 10 - 22,000Hz Cord and Plug: 2.5 ft (0.8m) cord to battery box Approx. 1.7 oz (47g) Included Accessories Plug adapter for use on airplane Soft carrying case Small, medium and large ear-buds Where to buy B&H Photo • $65 ($80 List) 1/23/2003 • Updated 7/18/2006 ©Copyright 2003-2006 by Peter Kun Frary • All Rights Reserved	.
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