Sound Investment

JVC’s surprisingly great new headphones

August 13, 2007—You may remember JVC as the maker of the Hyper-Bass-equipped boom box you had back in the late eighties, but the formerly mid-market electronics brand has been on a tear lately. It already makes some of the best high-def TVs and camcorders around, and now it's releasing a pair of noise-canceling headphones that rival anything from Bose or Sennheiser—for a significantly lower price. In addition to 85-percent noise reduction, the HA-NC250s monitor ambient noise levels to adjust the cancellation, and also have a patent-pending "double housing structure," which basically provides an extra layer of old-fashioned insulation in case the battery dies. (Not that that'll happen much: A single AAA battery lasts around 50 hours.) Comfort, meanwhile, is enhanced by memory-foam ear pads. And at 5.3 ounces, the folding 'phones are lighter than comparable Bose models, and these also come with a detachable four-foot cord and dual-plug adapter for use on airplanes. Hyper-Bass, unfortunately, is not included, though with the eighties making such a strong comeback everywhere else, it's only a matter of time.

JVC HA-NC250 headphones, $199.95, www.jvc.com