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Sony MDR-NC20 Noise Canceling Headphones with Foldable Headband | 
 enlarge | Brand: Sony
Category: CE
This item is no longer available
Rating:  37 reviews
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 3.5 x 7.3 x 8.8
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: MDRNC20
Model: MDRNC20
UPC: 027242501805
EAN: 0027242501805
ASIN: B00000DMA3
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| Features:
| • | Reduces exterior noise by more than 70 percent (10 dB) so you can hear music against a quieter background | | • | Closed-ear design for even strong isolation from outside sound | | • | 30 mm drivers deliver deep bass down to 16 Hz and provide outstanding dynamic range | | • | Folding headband and pivoting earpads simplify storage in a backpack, briefcase, or purse | | • | Extended battery life approximately 45 hours with a single AAA alkaline battery |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Use these headphones to block out noise, listen to music, or do both at once! Sony Noise Canceling Headphones reduce outside noise by more than 70%. Listen to Beethoven without being bothered by the symphony of your neighbor's buzz saw. Take in the latest Salsa sounds on planes or trains. These magnificent headphones feature a "noise canceller" on/off switch (in case you need to hear what's going on around you) and a headband that folds for easy storage. It reduces noise by 70% (10dB) making it ideal for travel - it gives you peace and quiet on planes, trains, buses and cars. It is also ideal for outdoor use when you are gardening or on a noisy street. Its noise canceling circuit actually senses outside noise with built-in microphones and sends an equal-but-opposite canceling signal to the headphones; cancels noise from 50Hz to 1, 000Hz, with a maximum of 10dB noise cancellation in the critical range from 100 to 400 Hz - where the human ear is super-sensitive. Enjoy its closed headphone design that gives you greater isolation from outside sound. Its folding headband and pivoting earpads make for easy storage in a backpack, briefcase or purse improving their portability.
Amazon.com
Retreat to a world of music, sleep on airplanes, or focus all your attention on study materials with Sony's stereo Noise-Canceling Headphones. They fit comfortably and have soft, high-quality speakers that completely cover your ears for an all-encompassing listening experience. Unlike lower-end models, these speakers don't pinch, leak sound, or cause pain with an in-ear insert. The noise-canceling feature blocks out 70 percent of all low-frequency sound. You'll still be able to hear someone speaking directly to you, but ambient noise--papers being ruffled, the rumble of an engine--disappears almost completely. Headphones plug into a Sony Discman, Walkman, and most other portable stereos or receivers. A mini jack allows you to plug the headphones into the standard jacks in airplane armrests, which will give you much better sound than the $5 disposables will for in-flight music services and movies. Sony's Noise-Canceling Headphones fold up for easy packing in a briefcase or carry-on luggage. One AAA battery is required to operate the noise-canceling function. --Cristina Vaamonde
Amazon.com Product Description
If you are looking for a pair of headphones to use in loud areas, these headphones will fit the bill. The MDR-NC20 headphones are a nice companion for the airplane, the bus ride or a loud dorm building. The noise canceling system reduces outside noise by seventy percent (10dB), allowing you to hear the music accurately. To help reduce the amount of outside noise entering the ear, Sony has made these earphones with a closed type design. The headphones are lightweight and comfortable, delivering quality sound. Sony has installed several technical features to the headphones to ensure a quality listening experience. The thirty millimeter drive units deliver deep bass, low distortion and a wide frequency response range (16 - 22,000 Hz). Neodymium magnets give the headphones maximum energy at a minimal size and weight. These magnets also produce ample sound output with 99 dB sensitivity (NC on.) The detachable input cord allows you to connect directly to an audio source. The headphones fold up for compact storage. The pivoting earpads are both comfortable and storable. To turn on the noise canceling system, simply flip the on/off switch. A red power LED light illuminates when powered-on. The headphones run on one AAA battery, which will run for up to forty-five hours (alkaline). What's in the Box
Sony MDR-NC20 headphones, separate input cord and user's manual.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 32 more reviews...
 (two stars!) Mechanical creaking and pressure on ear lobes, not so cool. June 14, 2006
15 out of 16 found this review helpful
After having used this headphone for a little over a year it has become virtually unusable. The plastic parts started creaking very soon. What seemed to be tolerable in the beginning has become ridiculous now. It is triggered by the slightest movement of the head, the jaw or even by taking a deep breath and sounds like an old ski-boot right on your ear.
The shells do not encompass the ears but rather sit on the outer rim of the earlobes. And no, I don't have extremely big ears. That's simply how this headset was designed. Watching an entire film on a plane leaves you with hurting ears. The noise reduction is very good but I'd rather go nuts from the engine noise than wear the Sony MDR-NC20 for the duration of a transatlantic flight.
The sound quality with noise canceling switched off is feeble and thin. However with the noise canceling on very satisfactory.
Update: Now the cable has come apart and one side of the headphones has gone mute. After careful usage for a little over one year the MDR-NC20 is officially broken. I really wanted to love this thing and I treated it with more careful respect than anyone who actually takes their headphones on the road all the time. I will check out the Bose noise cancelers next...
 (2 STARS) Sound good - Noise Canceling Poor January 4, 2006
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
Sound quality of the headset (noise canceling off) is good. I'm not an expert, but I'm satisfied with the way music sounds.
As for the noise canceling, I'm not satisfied. If you've never owned the Bose Quiet Comfort then you may (I repeat may) think this is what noise canceling is all about. Unfortunately I was once blessed with the opportunity to use a set of the Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones (First Generation) and the noise canceling feature on the MDR-NC20 is weak.
With or without music, there is a lot of static. This may sound odd (to have a headset on with no music) but one of the great features of noise canceling headsets is to completely block out all the noise around you and allow you to feel isolated from a loud or crowded area. This is great for working, studying or just relaxing. However, my MDR-NC20's have annoying static that completely prevents me from having this ability. You can improve that by unplugging the main portion of the headset from the extended portion of the cord, that plugs into the headphone jack, but it's only an improvement. This doesn't help, if you want to cancel out background noise and listen to music, which to me would be the whole point of wanting noise canceling headphones.
For the price, Sony has allowed the average bear to see what noice canceling is like, to some that may be enough. I personally wish I had taken the money for the MDR-NC20 and put it towards a set of the Bose.
PS: I wanted to give it two stars. I accidentally had 3 stars selected and when I went back to edit it, I could not change the rating.
 Good sound, but problems and too expensive November 9, 2005
14 out of 17 found this review helpful
When I first ordered the headphones, I recieved them in the mail and they did not work, the wires or connections were messed up, I could only hear music out of one of the earphones. So I returned in in the mail. They sent me a new pair and the new one worked, it sounded really good. The only complaint, it put a lot of pressure on my ears and it bothered me if I listened to music for longer than an hour. Then after having the headphones for a year, I had the same problem that I had with the first pair. I could only hear music out of one earphone. I take care of my headphones and don't see how this could happen again unless these are not made very well. These are expensive headphones, you expect them to last a long time, but they didn't. Right now I'm trying to find out if I can replace part of the Headphone and see if it works.
 MDR-NC20's are great. MDR-NC50's are LOUSY October 3, 2005
16 out of 19 found this review helpful
The SONY-NC20 Noise cancelling headphones are great. Unfortunately, they have been discontinued.
I was able to find them listed on Amazon.com, and ordered them. However, the vendor sent MDR-NC50's, evidently the replacement model, and far inferior from an audio standpoint.
The vendor agreed to return them, but I was responsible for shipping them back.
Wearing the MDR-NC50 headphones yeilds an unpleasant "negative pressure" sensation on the eardrums. The sound, when using NC feature, also suffers, and is very "canned".
Great product June 5, 2005
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
I have used the headphones for 2 years -- they offer a material reduction in the "droning" noise on airplanes.
Even when I am ready to sleep and I turn my music off, I leave the headphones on and it reduces the ambient noise.
I think you arrive much less fatigued.
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