Hearing the Difference with Able Planet Active Noise Canceling Headphones

As I sit at my desk writing this review, the rich sounds of acoustic guitar reverberate through the Able Planet True Fidelity Active Noise Canceling Headphones (NC300W) that I’m wearing. The headphones are plugged into my MAC which is tuned to my favorite Pandora channel. The noise canceling switch is turned on, improving the musical quality while dulling outside sounds with white noise. I can hardly hear the annoying leaf blower that a gardener is using right outside my office window. The best part? The volume control attached to the connection wire is barely turned up, allowing beautiful sound without damaging my hearing. That’s important to this baby boomer.

True Fidelity Active Noise Canceling Headphones are produced by Able Planet, a company that designs innovative products for the hearing impaired. According to their website, “Able Planet embeds patent-pending LINX AUDIO™ into audio and communication devices to enhance sound quality and speech clarity for all levels of hearing.” The system enhances sound for those who need to hear better while providing quality sound to able-bodied listeners like me, allowing us to preserve our hearing by turning the sound down.

The headphones arrived in a protective case that included one AAA battery, 1/4 home stereo adaptor, a 3.5 mm plug with in-line volume control and an airline adapter. The sturdy adjustable headphones feature padded earpieces that completely cover your ears. I usually find these types of headphones uncomfortable but the True Fidelity headphones are quite comfortable.

If you’re a baby boomer traveler who’s coveted high-priced noise canceling headphones, the Able Planet True Fidelity Active Noise Canceling Headphones could be your answer. Offered at a price point of $129.99 (I found them on Amazon for $76.00), they provide good value for the price. The only downside is the room that the case will take up in your carry-on, which might be a challenge for some of us over-packers.

Since I’m not a big techie, I consulted my friend Google to find a few reviews for those of you who want to learn more about the technical aspects:

The Gadgeteer writes about her experience using True Fidelity Active Noise Canceling Headphones on a plane.
Tnerd focuses on the technical aspects of True Fidelity Active Noise Canceling Headphones.

Now for my favorite part. The folks at Able Planet are offering the True Fidelity Active Noise Canceling Headphones to one of my readers. So, post a comment to tell me what you’ll be listening to on the headphones as you travel to your next baby boomer adventure. Please include your email address for contact purposes. Contest ends on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 11:00 p.m. Arizona Mountain Standard Time. Winner will be announced as soon as possible. Remember, according to my general contest rules, the winner must be a U.S. resident and respond within 48 hours of receiving the notification email; or I chose another winner.

Able Planet provided the True Fidelity Active Noise Canceling Headphones for my review. The Amazon link that I’ve included is for your convenience. However My Itchy Travel Feet does receive a small percentage for purchases made at Amazon.com.

UPDATE: February 10, 2010. This contest has expired. As soon as the winner acknowledges receipt of my email, I’ll make the announcement.

Tagged as: Able Planet, Baby boomer travel, baby boomers, headphones, hearing, Linx Audio, music, noise cancelling, noise cancelling headphones, stereo sound, travel