(Pocket-lint) - A fair one is the AKG Y600NC proposal: to provide ultra-comfort with active noise-cancellation (ANC) in an over-ear style, but without the giant price point often associated with such headphones.
But what corners have been cut to squeeze such a bid into this price bracket, so it makes sense to buy or save the Y600NC a little more and look elsewhere.
Design
Memory foam and protein leather ear cushions
Bluetooth 5 wireless, 2.5mm wired
610mAh battery, USB fast-charge
Finishes: Gold, Black, Silver
Carry pounch included
Folding design
Weight: 322g
If there's one thing the AKG Y600NC has right, that's comfort. There are large earcups in these over-ear cans, made from memory foam and lined with protein leather. Wear them at one time for hours and you're not going to get the 'pinch' associated with other over-ears. It is merely dreamy comfort.
The earcups, however, are very big, so they can slide around just a little bit - which can impact the sound quality to a degree as it flies into your ears. We think the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 to manage suit only slightly better - which are just a bit extra in price.
Our review sample is finished in black, but if you prefer, there are silver and gold alternatives available. The finish is not plastic, since it is covered with a soft-touch material that feels fantastic and doesn't make any creaky irritating noises as other plastics can. The slightest touch does, however, mark this substance with fingerprints.
AKG has a mix of automation, a well-designed software, and physical buttons/switches that you can quickly locate without having to look for controls. It's a good solution, but in terms of scale, we would prefer more discreet buttons - instead, making the different openings noticeable with touch controls could be avoided, as you would find in many other headphones these days.
The Bluetooth link we found to be good, or you can listen via wire - a cable is included in the carrying pouch (it's the smaller 2.5mm opening on the headphones themselves, 3.5mm for connection to devices at the other end). There is also an auto start/stop facility that can be conveniently turned on or off within the app, and auto-off too, allowing automatic some user aspects that can be switched on or off within the app.
Sound
Frequency response: 10Hz - 24kHz
Active noise-cancelling (ANC)
AKG app with adjustable EQ
40mm drivers
It's the sound profile that is most significant, as with any headphones. AKG is doing fine, but he's not a class leader. We considered the top end to be a little pushed, less impactful bass than others, like the Bose NC 700 headphones, and there's not the same disparity you can find elsewhere.
That said, a wide range of frequencies is protected, so there's no limit to what you can hear. Plus, inside the software, there is a completely adaptable equalizer (EQ) to manipulate a waveform as you please (albeit within 32Hz - 16kHz, which cuts off the lowest bass and highest frequencies outside the range which the Y600NC claims to cover).
Cancelling active noise helps to tone down ambient noise, allowing you to devote your time without distractions to listening, but it's not a very strong ANC. That's not really a concern - some ANC systems make you feel like you're floating in a space vacuum - as it helps to improve the overall sound more delicately. But if you want stronger cancelling technology, it's easy to find it - from Surface Headphones 2, with 13 levels adjustable, to Bose Noise Cancelling 700, even more powerful.
VerdictThe AKG Y600NC headphones have a large sound wall-of-sound style that is loud, capable across the frequency spectrum, but less coherent than some other more professional products on the market. The ANC isn't so strong either.That, in essence, is the concession that you make to pay a little less. For all that's on offer, most will be satisfied with the Y600NC - before you listen to the slightly pricier competition out there and know what could be had.
Also consider
Bose NC 700 Headphones
These over-ears deliver the best ANC you'll find, plus super sound quality, for your money - and you'll admittedly need a fair bit more of it.
Microsoft Surface Headphones 2
Microsoft's second-gen over-ears give supreme comfort and better ANC adaptation for a little more cash.
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