These new hi-res noise-canceling headphones go for just $180

Edifier rolled out a new wireless over-ear set of headphones Tuesday — the WH950NB headset — providing another affordable alternative to high-end cans like Apple’s AirPods Max and products from the likes of Sony and Sennheiser.

Featuring active noise cancellation (ANC) and hi-res audio, Edifier’s premium headphones go for $180, a pretty low price for the feature set.

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Edifier WH950NB ANC wireless headphones

The company said its new WH950NB headphone set is equipped with intelligent ANC algorithms that remove surrounding noise. Alternative settings for allow for ambient sound and wind noise reduction.

The headset, containing the LDAC codec, is certified for the “Hi-Res Audio” and “Hi-Res Audio Wireless” standards, providing studio-grade sound, Edifier said.

Sony’s proprietary LDAC codec enables high-resolution audio streamed over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 24 bit/96 kHz. The headset’s frequency response is 20Hz – 40kHz and it connects to devices wirelessly via the latest Bluetooth version, 5.3.

If you use Android devices, you can take advantage of the headset’s Google fast pairing. And devices equipped with LDAC will also make the most of the headphones’ premium sound, though of course the headset will work with any Bluetooth device, like an iPhone, MacBook or iPad.

Balanced audio and clear calls

The headset's 40mm dynamic drivers should provide primo sound quality. — The headset’s 40mm dynamic drivers should provide primo sound quality.
Photo: Edifier

“The headset has a 40mm composite titanium film driver that delivers exceptional sound,” Edifier noted. “It accurately presents natural and balanced audio for all music genres.”

WH950NB take advantage of four microphones for clear voice calls, the company added. The microphones integrate with an audio signal processor to reduce background noise and suppress wind noise, enhancing clarity.

Music, game and theater modes

The headset features music, game and theater modes for different uses.

Music mode suits your favorite playlists. Game Mode offers ultra-low latency of 80ms for fast and smooth gameplay. And theater mode provides a combination of surround-sound features and an equalizer for watching movies, Edifier said.

Long battery life and fast charging

The headphones offer up to 55 hours of battery life.
Photo: Edifier

The company noted the WH950NB headset fully charges in 1.5 hours, which provides up to 55 hours of audio playback with ANC turned off or 34 hours with it turned on. And regarding fast-charging capability, 10 minutes of charging gives you 7 hours of playback.

“This is better than most comparable headphones in this product range in the market,” Edifier said.

And that 55-hour mark, if accurate, tops other recent contenders who reached the 50-hour mark.

Brushed stainless steel headband

The headset sports a brushed stainless-steel headband with PVD and leather, which the company said makes them “hard wearing yet very comfortable to wear.” The earpads have memory foam pads to ensure a pleasurable listening experience. The WH950NB is foldable and can easily be carried in a backpack or briefcase.

You can pick up the Edifier WH950NB headset in black for $179.99 on Amazon. A white version is coming soon, the company said.

These new hi-res noise-canceling headphones go for just $180