AKG N60 Wireless review – Can these noise-cancelling headphones really silence its rivals?

AKG’s original N60 headphones are some of the best noise-cancelling cans you can buy.

Now these headphones have cut the cord with the launch of the all-new AKG N60 wireless.

These latest headphones from the Austrian audio firm still offer superior sound and neat design but now they pump music to your ears via Bluetooth.

Out of the box you’re instantly struck by just how portable they are with the whole headphone folding like origami to fit inside a neat carry pouch.

AKG says they’ve made the N60 Wireless for people who like to travel and, with their lightweight design, they certainly won’t cause any issues inside your hand luggage.

The N60 wireless obviously don’t have a cable to connect them to your music device so they need to be charged before you can begin enjoying the audio experience.

Filling these cans with power is very straight forward with a USB port easily accessible on the base of the headphone cup.

Once packed with power you’ll get around 15 hours of continuous use with the noise cancellation activated – switch this off and the battery life increases to around 30 hours.

However, you’ll probably want to leave noise-cancelling on as this is the best way to listen to these cans – and there’s no doubting they sound very good indeed.

Audio is incredibly crisp and clear with no distortion even when the volume is turned up to 11.

Bass is also powerful but without being over the top and it adds a huge amount of depth to your favourite tracks.

Unlike some Bluetooth headphones we’ve also notice that they don’t struggle with any interference.

This is often an issue at busy train stations but walking through London’s Waterloo during rush hour left us with a clear and uninterrupted experience.

Other nice features include easy controls on the side of the headphones which control volume and skip tracks plus you can take calls via the in-built mic.

So all sounds good for the AKG N60 wireless but before you spend your money there are some niggles.

AKG has designed these headphones to sit on your ear rather than cupping them.

Although this stops your skin getting hot and sweaty it does mean they don’t offer quite as an immersive experience as some of the competition.

We also found that they get a little uncomfortable after long periods of wear especially if you need glasses.

This is quite surprising considering AKG use premium materials such as leather and memory foam to create, what should be, a very comfy pair of headphones.

If you don’t wear glasses you might not feel the pinch as much as we did but it’s worth trying them on before you buy.

To own AKG’s latest music makers you’re also going to need to spend big as they will set you back £249.99.

That’s no problem as good headphones cost more money but this means they are priced almost as much as Sony’s award-winning MDR-1000X (currently £299) and Bose’s exquisite QC35s (currently £319).

And, if we had a choice, we might be tempted to opt for either of these cans over AKG’s N60 Wireless.

VERDICT

If you want the ultimate noise cancelling headphones for your travels you find much better that the N60 Wireless.

These cans are light, portable and fold flat – making them prefect for popping in your hand luggage.

They also sound incredibly impressive with crisp, clear audio and plenty of bass.

Noise cancellation adds to the enjoyment helping to offer an uninterrupted music experience.

Sadly, for all we love about the N60 Wireless there are some niggles, including the fact they don’t cup the entire ear and can be slightly uncomfortable if you wear them for long periods.

They are also pretty expensive and you can buy superior headphones without spending that much extra.

However, these rivals are much bigger and don’t offer the same level of portability.

AKG has created a top pair of Bluetooth cans and, despite our niggles, you really won’t be disappointed if you decide to treat yourself to the N60 Wireless.