Design and features:This Bluetooth wireless noise canceling home/studio-style over-ear model provides very good sound and excellent active noise reduction. Its closed design and electronic noise canceling feature reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music, and the audio cable can be detached to get it out of the way when the headphones are being used for noise reduction only. The headphones have low sensitivity when powered regardless of whether the noise cancellation feature turned on or off or the ambient sound monitoring feature is turned on, so while they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and higher powered portable audio devices, they may not be a good match for lower-powered portables. When powered off, they have medium high sensitivity, so they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and lower-powered portable audio devices. The Alpha has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls. Additional features include - earcups fold and swivel to flat for ease of carrying and storage. Detachable audio cable. The headphone noise cancellation control setting switches between ANC on, ANC off, and ambient sound monitor (Pass-through) modes by button control on left earphone; these settings can be customized using the Cleer+ app to select between 10 different levels of ambient sound and 2 different ANC modes (noise cancellation and smart noise cancelation). Smart noise cancelation automatically adjusts ANC level based on your environment. ANC is turned on automatically when headphones are powered on. Has controls for music player transport, call connect/disconnect, noise cancellation and ambient sound on/off, digital voice assistant activation, Dirac Virtuo spatial audio, and Bluetooth volume controls. (Dirac Virtuo spatial digital audio enhancement widens the soundstage to create a surround sound /spatial effect). Has conversation mode where headphones will lower playback volume, activated by placing hand over right earcup for two seconds. Has power on/off, battery level and Bluetooth pairing voice announcements. Supports compatible digital voice assistants when used with Bluetooth devices that have those features and that, if needed, have the appropriate apps installed. Has automatic pause feature - pauses audio when headphones are taken off; audio resumes when placed back on ears. Has quick charge feature: 10 min of earphone charging will provide 4 hrs of playtime. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. Cleer+ app download for Apple and Android mobile devices can be used to show battery level, adjust the noise cancelling mode and ambient sound monitoring levels, adjust the headphone's tonal balance, adjust the auto power off features, and update the earphone firmware. The Alpha comes with detachable 49-inch long standard audio cable, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, Airplane in flight adapter, Carrying case, User Manual. This model comes with Home/Studio-Style Bluetooth wireless noise canceling closed over-ear headphones that come with detachable 49-inch long standard audio cable, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, Airplane in flight adapter, Carrying case, and User Manual/Warranty card.
Sound quality:We found the Alpha delivers sound quality that falls in the very good range - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks and excellent active noise reduction. With the noise cancelling mode engaged (and Smart Noise Cancellation set to "off" in the Cleer Plus app), the EQ set to flat and Dirac Virtuo virtual sound set to off in the Cleer Plus app (the as received state of the headphone) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is a somewhat prominent and thuddy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is fairly even, but a bit hazy and grainy, and a touch etched (a bit more sharply outlined then it should be), and depending on the program material the bass can somewhat crowd the lower midrange. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended, but is a touch prominent and sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). While the sound has a good sense of liveliness, it is somewhat closed (sound-wise it's fairly obvious you have something plugging your ears), however does a good job of recovering room ambience unless the bass gets in the way. Warmish character. The overall sound can be summarized as somewhat bassy and a bit grainy and hazy. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. The user has to make sure the earpads seal well around the ears in order to get the best noise canceling performance from this model. A faint rushing sound is audible when music is not present at that frequency to mask it.
Comfort and Fit:We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure around the ears.
As typical of over-ear models the ear pads might feel hot and/or sticky after prolonged use.
Large
Users with larger heads might find that the headband does not have enough adjustment range to allow the earcups rest properly over the ears and/or that the headband presses uncomfortably on the top of the head.
Users with larger ears might find that the over-the-ear fit of the ear pads feel cramped, or that the ear pads sit on, rather than around their ears; in that case the less-than-ideal fit around the ears might interfere with the earpad seal and reduce the noise reduction capabilities of the headphone.
Small
Users with smaller heads may find they can't get a good earpad seal and that the bass becomes a bit subdued and the less-than-ideal earpad seal may reduce the noise reduction capabilities of the headphone.
Stability
Some users may find that when they lean far forward the headphones feel unstable and shift forward, possibly to the point of falling off. Incidental contact with the touch controls on the right earcup can cause unintentional volume changes or track skipping.
Other noise
When wearing this model while walking the muffled vibrations from each foot step can be heard slightly through the headphones regardless of whether the headphones are in noise cancelling mode.
When the audio cord is used the sound of it rubbing on clothing may be faintly heard through the earphones.
