JVC HA-NC120 review

Decent sound, but there are better noise-cancelling options Tested at £70

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Decent sound, but there are better noise-cancelling options from their price rivals

Pros

  • +

    Gently defined midrange

  • +

    compact and portable

Cons

  • -

    Noise-cancelling isn’t as effective

  • -

    muffled dynamics

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

The JVC HA-NC120 headphone feature noise-cancelling, but it's is subtle; perhaps a bit too subtle.

There isn’t much difference when turning on the active noise-cancelling from passive mode, with the noise of our mobile testing room (the 08.14 to Waterloo) still very apparent.

The sound quality is OK – the midrange is relatively clear and there’s decent detail – but we had to turn the volume right up to enjoy the dynamics of the Sweeney Todd soundtrack. Just the thing for the 08.14 to Waterloo!

The JVCs are nicely portable, though, with foldable ear cups and a retractable cable – they're a safe pair of cans, but others offer better noise-cancelling.

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