AKG N200NC neckband wireless earbuds

Over recent months I've found myself using IEMs as my preferred tool for listening to music. I still have several over ear headphones and my speaker set-up but I now use Sony IER M9 or Etymotic ER4SR earphones most of the time. I don't honestly know why, there is an immediacy and clarity that comes with IEMs but that is also true of headphones. Just another personal preference I guess. Anyway, for all I love my M9 it is an expensive IEM and not something I'd throw around in my jacket pocket or lap top bag as a daily use office and commute IEM (and I really don't need what it offers as a daily use office and commuting earphone). Although the ER4SR is much cheaper it is still not exactly cheap, and although the noise isolation makes it ideal for use on aircraft and trains the deep insertion fit and absence of any sort of pass through mode makes it a pain (quite literally) if it is needed to keep removing to speak to people. So although I use it for flying (I find the passive noise isolation more effective than ANC headphones) it's not really a daily use office model. Also, both of these are wired, and at the risk of being dismissed as a heathen I do think wireless has a place and that for some applications convenience is at least as important as sound quality so long as the SQ is OK. I'd been using some Taotronics Soundsurge 55 ANC headphones as my train and office knockabout but fancied switching to IEMs both because I've found myself preferring IEMs and also the smaller size for carrying around. However, I wasn't so enthusiastic about truly wireless, call me a wuss or an idiot but I was a bit worried about the things falling out. So I wanted a neckband or corded wireless IEM which was cheap(-ish) so as not to cause anxiety at the thought of leaving behind on a train or getting wrecked in the rough and tumble of heavy daily use outside the home and which sounded decent. I ended up buying the AKG N200NC, it was only £80 in a clearance outlet, new and sealed and for the price it seemed worth a go.

My impressions are that sound is fine. No, it's not in the same class as the IER M9 or ER4SR (nor should it be, otherwise there'd be something wrong with Sony and Etymotic pricing to be polite about it), but it is very listenable and with a pretty balanced sound profile with a bit of a bass boost. It seems to be typical Harman-ish tuning and is delivered pretty well. I'd describe it as a very pleasant and enjoyable listen. It has ANC, the ANC does reduce noise but it is nothing like as effective as the ANC you can get on Bose or Sony models. Wireless connectivity is stable and battery life pretty good (typically 12 hours, which is what AKG claim). And build quality is remarkably good for the price, with nice feeling materials and good fit and finish. And they come with a very nice AKG travel bag. Overall while this may all sound very lukewarm, I'd stress it has to be seen in context. I didn't buy them as critical listening hi-fi or monitoring earphones but a daily use commute and office earphone, I wanted a decent sounding wireless neckband or corded model that wouldn't cost that much and these are exactly that. I can listen to music and enjoy it without feeling that I'm losing anything, it's comfortable and does everything I want it to do. Sometimes it's not so much about sound quality as it is about fitting a product to a particular use case.

For anybody else looking for a commute and office "beater" then I'd suggest checking price and availability. I believe these were £220 when at UK SRP, at that price I am not sure I'd buy but in terms of build and sound I wouldn't describe them as over priced at the SRP. For £80 they're a bargain and an absolute steal.

 

Best bud or neck band bluetooth I've heard ..

Ever

 

I have to say, these represent the best £80 I've ever spent on audio equipment, they really are a well made, good sounding and user friendly product. I can listen to anything on them and it sounds good, and you can't complain if a headphone or IEM achieves that.

Unfortunately AKG under Harman/Samsung ownership seem to have very short product life cycles. I don't know whether it is just the UK importers or a wider policy but headphones and IEMs are released and just as quickly seem to leave the range. OK, maybe the old AKG (and Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser) habit of making the same models for decades was never going to be appropriate for wireless products but even so AKG products these days often seem to be "blink and you miss".

 

Hello, I want to buy earbuds online but I don't know which is the best for me because I did not have earbuds before

 

I have bought AKG N200NC neckband wireless earbuds and it has really great sound quality and also they are comfortable to wear.