An audiophile’s dream ANC headphones

On the planet {of professional} audio – significantly music recording and efficiency – Shure is well-known for producing distinctive sound and performance from its microphones, in-ear displays and headphones. On the planet of shopper know-how, nevertheless, it doesn’t have the mainstream attraction of the likes of Apple, Beats, Sony or Bose. At the least not in terms of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

Even when that is right down to advertising demographics, much less consumer-friendly software program, or only a lack of shopper mindshare, it is actually not right down to headphone high quality and capabilities. With the Aonic 50 Gen 2, it seeks to compete with the big-name headphone makers, and please essentially the most discerning audiophile. However has it labored?

Shure AONIC 50 Gen 2

Shure will get lots proper with the Aonic 50 Gen 2. The improved battery life is incredible, as is the Bluetooth efficiency. They ship higher – however not excellent – ANC, and have nice sound. Good for the at-home music listener.

Execs

• Nice battery life
• Shure sound is pleasurable – particularly with the Spatializing function
• Hello-Res audio help – wired and wi-fi
• Comfy to put on and stable construct
• Multi-point Bluetooth

Cons

• They are not low-cost
• Noise cancelling is best, however not wonderful
• Wind-tearing noise when open air

Specs, Value and Availability

Shure’s Aonic 50 Gen 2 is that can be purchased now with costs set at round $350 within the US and £350 within the UK. They’re solely obtainable in a single color in the mean time: black.

All black all the pieces

At over 330 grams, the Aonic 50 Gen 2 aren’t the lightest pair of over-ears round. They’re significantly heavier than the Beats Studio Professional, the Bose NC 700 and the Sony WH-1000XM5, however are lighter than the AirPods Max, so at the least that is one thing.

Nonetheless, do not let that idiot you into pondering they’re an uncomfortable pair of headphones to put on. I used to be comfortably in a position to put on them for hours at a time with none discomfort. In actuality, they had been much more comfy than a few of their lighter competitors.

The design and construct – for example – is not as rattly and does not creak underneath movement just like the Beats Studio Professional, for instance. They really feel safer and fitted to the pinnacle, with none feeling of stress.

They did generally really feel as if – after I moved my head somewhat too enthusiastically – that they could slip somewhat out of place. I believe that is maybe an anticipated trade-off when you’ve got a pair of headphones that is not so cosy to your head, and it is a trade-off I would take over a pair being clamped in place however extra uncomfortable.

I additionally did not expertise any excessive emotions of sweat or warming construct up in my ears whereas sporting them.

There is a respectable quantity of area contained in the cushions to your ears to suit, and the cushioning may be very beneficiant and tender. That applies to the cushioning on the underside of the headscarf as effectively, which all helps to provide a comparatively heavy pair of headphones, an immensely comfy and light-weight on-head really feel.

The adjustable arms are formed from stable aluminium and – regardless of that includes a ratchet-style clicking mechanism for adjustment – they really feel effectively put collectively. It is a premium pair of cans.

As for buttons, controls and port placement, the Aonic 50 Gen 2 is nigh-on an identical to the primary technology. Every part you want is down the surface fringe of the best ear cup. You get the three-button cluster for play/pause and quantity up/down. They’re straightforward to search out blind too, as a result of the center button has a raised knob within the center.

Aesthetically, they’re just about the identical as the primary technology mannequin too, besides that we now have an all-black color. The silver aluminium arms have been painted black to provide it a stealthy, traditional look. And – on the time of writing – that is the one color choice.

Audiophile ambition

Studying by way of the spec listing of the Aonic 50 is like studying by way of a dream check-list of supported audio codecs. Like Shure determined it wished all the highest quality information it might handle, and made it occur.

Which means – if you happen to join wirelessly with a suitable Android cellphone – you get AptX, AptX HD and AptX Adaptive. Primarily which means, in case you have a contemporary Android system from the previous few years, you may get lag-free high-quality audio. However there’s extra. You get LDAC help too – for lossless music playback and – if you happen to join the USB-C to USB-C cable to a tool it could actually even play Hello-Res 32-bit/384kHz information with a wired connection.

These are simply numbers on a listing although, the true pleasure with Shure comes once you pair them along with your cellphone – or plug them into your system – and crank up your favorite tunes. No surprises: the sound is completely pleasurable.

It is much like what I felt with the primary pair. In its default out-of-the-box settings, you get nice sound. There’s good bass, with out it being overpowering, getting too ‘boomy’ or rattly. You get crisp, clear treble and vocals too, plus loads of mid-frequencies to make sure that even tender background instrumentation will be heard clearly, including wealthy flavour to expansive preparations.

It is the kind of high quality – as I’ve famous in a number of high quality headphone critiques – the place you need to hearken to your favorite tracks and preparations another time, simply to be served these tasty morsels of background violin plucking, rhythm egg shaking, and even respiration. Scrumptious.

It is effectively suited to every kind of music. I actually loved the best recordings on Nothing However Thieves newest album, significantly Tomorrow is Closed, the place there is a clear distinction between fairly, sparse sections of the music and the louder, fuller refrain. The influence of the drums is crisp, and cuts by way of, whereas the bass is given area to reverberate cleanly with out shedding texture.

They’re sound properties that additionally imply any singers with naturally fascinating, textured voices – whether or not it’s Paolo Nutini, Louis Armstrong, or any deep, textured voice of Dave Le’aupepe – lead singer of Gang of Youths – belting out the refrain for The Deepest Sighs, the Frankest Shadows earlier than dropping into his huskier, quieter verses. Maybe surprisingly, it was the audio configurations within the app I discovered had been the most important promoting level. The headphones have a brand new Spatializer function which modifications the way in which the music feels, or extra precisely, offers it a way of being in your area, and never simply blasting into your ears.

The Spatializer has three modes. In ‘Music’ mode, it makes the music really feel extra such as you’re in the course of a small, intimate private live performance, and it truly does make the music extra pleasurable.

Equally, there is a ‘Cinema’ mode which expands video audio to make it extra impactful and dramatic, whereas the ‘Podcast’ setting brings the motion nearer, nearly such as you’re sitting across the desk with the podcast hosts. It is surprisingly efficient, to the purpose the place I did not need to hearken to music with out the ‘Music’ mode enabled.

Plenty of that is truly fairly much like the first-generation pair of Aonic 50 headphones. The place Shure has actually improved issues is definitely within the noise cancelling efficiency and battery life. Like the primary gen, there are additionally numerous preset EQ settings you possibly can change between to raise totally different frequencies, in addition to the power to create your personal customized steadiness.

Helpful options, and the enhancements that matter

As comfy because the Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 is, and as pleasurable the sound is, it is the noise cancelling and battery life division that has made the most important distinction coming from the earlier technology headphones. At 45 hours of listening time, these will comfortably get by way of a full week’s price of commutes to the workplace, even when your commute is lengthy. In reality, they could even get you thru two weeks, and utilizing a USB-C cable to cost them, they will ship 15 hours of use from a 5-minute top-up. Actually useful.

There is a Bluetooth connection which might keep linked up to an enormous 100 metres. In fact, issues like thick brick partitions, doorways and different obstacles can have an effect on that, however – in actual life – it means with the ability to depart the streaming system in a single room when you stroll round – and the music will not reduce out.

That is not the one advantage of the Bluetooth tech within the Shure both. It is obtained multi-point help, so it may be paired to a number of gadgets and change between them when wanted.

As for the noise cancelling, it is undoubtedly higher than the final mannequin. Exterior noise like busy roofers knocking in new tiles and lead flashing on my workplace roof was fairly successfully blocked out, however not utterly. As was the sound of mills and vehicles. When the headphones get caught by a gust of wind, there’s undoubtedly a noticeable tearing sound, and with persistent wind, it does not appear sensible sufficient to utterly do away with it, so possibly not the best possible headphones for strolling open air in.

At residence, nevertheless, or within the workplace – they’re very best. You possibly can change to most consciousness mode when it’s essential hear what is going on on round you and – even higher – you possibly can arrange an automated operate within the app in order that everytime you press the pause button, it additionally prompts the utmost consciousness mode. It is excellent for when somebody’s making an attempt to speak to you, or it’s essential hear what’s occurring – like if a practice platform announcement blasts out the loudspeakers – and you do not need to take your headphones off utterly.

Verdict

Shure’s headphones will not win prizes for being the most effective noise cancelling headphones – particularly not if you happen to put on them whereas strolling exterior with the blustering wind – however, when you get into your quiet area at residence, in your workplace, and even on a practice or aircraft, the Shure cans actually come into their very own. I like the sound profile, and the power to emulate totally different areas by switching by way of the totally different Spatialize presets.

With that audio high quality married to the lengthy battery life, the power to hearken to Hello-Res codecs, and a very comfy, premium construct, the second technology Aonic 50 is a superb alternative. If you happen to’re after a substitute for the favored ANC headphones, that is actually one which lives as much as its promise.