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Philips Noise Cancelling Headphones SHN4600

01 Feb 2011

These in-ear noise cancelling headphones actively reduce irritating external noises by up to 85%, and come with 3 cap sizes to ensure a perfect seal and comfortable fit. Ideal for planes and trains.

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			<h2 class="header-green">Philips SHN4600 Noise-Cancelling Headphones</h2>
		<span class="byline">Reviewed by Andy Sim on Tuesday, 24 May 2011</span>
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		 		<h2 class="page-title">Philips SHN4600 Noise-Cancelling Headphones</h2>
		 		<p><em><strong>This article first appeared in HWM May 2011.</strong></em></p>
<h3 class="page_title rteleft">A Bassy &amp;&nbsp;Affordable Fix</h3>
<p class="rtecenter"><img width="500" height="455" alt="" src="/files/images/Philips_SHN4600_review.jpg" /></p>
<p>Neither Grado nor Westone, this latest pair of in-ears from Philips was designed to woo music lovers looking for an affordable noise-cancelling solution. Released three months ago, the Dutch electronics firm continues their foray into the active noise-cancelling space with two new in-ear monitors, the SHN2600 and SHN4600, the latter of which is on test this issue.</p>
<p>Effectively, the SHN4600 is touted to block off up to 16dB or 85% of external noise. According to Philips, the SHN4600 is ranked above the entry-level and cheaper SHN2600, with the SHN4600 offering ten per cent more in terms of noise reduction qualities.</p>
<p>The audio package arrives in a comprehensive bundle, which includes a black zippered pouch, three silicon buds, 6.3mm adapter, aircraft plug, and a single AAA battery. Dressed mainly in black, the SHN4600&rsquo;s wires offer a versatile neck-strap configuration which can be worn in front, or draped behind the head. We&rsquo;d recommend the latter since the headphones are susceptible to cable thumps, and also to offset the weight of the cumbersome noise-reduction unit.</p>
<p>We found the best fit with the mid-sized earbud, but users with larger ear canals might have to opt for the largest-size silicon tip. When tried, passive noise isolation alone was good enough to block out a fraction of the ambient clamour. Unfortunately, the SHN4600&rsquo;s so-called active noise cancelling attribute failed to obliterate external noise, mid and higher frequencies also managed to creep through.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the Talk Mode feature proved useful when engaging in conversations or eavesdropping with the in-ears on. To enable it, simply press and hold the Talk Mode button located on the noise-reduction unit.</p>
<p>More power is required to drive the in-ears due to its higher impedance, compared to the stock Creative EP-830 which accompanies the Creative ZEN X-Fi, for example. And the same phenomenon was experienced when we plugged the SHN4600 into a desktop computer&rsquo;s headphone outlet. As such, you might need to pump up the volume to attain decent output from the SHN4600.</p>
<p>Acoustically, Philips&rsquo; in-ear monitors delivered higher bass levels than most others we&rsquo;ve sampled. Mids were ample, accompanied by rather synthetic highs, such as Bonham&rsquo;s hissy-sounding cymbals on Led Zeppelin&rsquo;s Kashmir. Overall, we&rsquo;d say the SHN4600 provides a passable soundstage with adequate warmth, although its passive noise isolation clearly works better than its active component.</p>
<p class="rtecenter"><img width="300" height="239" src="/files/images/Philips_SHN4600_rating.jpg" alt="" /></p>			</div>
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Philips Noise Cancelling Headphones SHN4600

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