Being part of the first headphone/headset line released by Oblanc we can expect to see many things that could be improved, or have they outdone themselves, take a look to find out.
Here’s the spec:
- Closed-type Yes
- Wearing style Circum-Aural
- 30mm & 40mm drivers in each cup
- Inbuilt pre-amp including 450mAh battery
- In-line smartphone compatible mic
- Speaker impedance 32Ω
- Speaker sensitivity 116dB @ 1KHz
- Frequency response 20Hz -20KHz
- Microphone size 4.0x1.5mm
- Microphone sensitivity -58dB
Design:
 | Unfortunately part of my job is to point out everything good AND bad about a product even if it’s not a big deal in the real world. The pair of headphones as shown in the spec, feature an in-line microphone which IS compatible with smartphones due to the 4 point connection on the 3.5mm jack, I really like this feature as it opens the headset to a larger market.  |
The small compartment holding the mic also holds a hidden button to use for voice control and such on your smartphone, for a ‘gaming’ headset this is seeming even more of an adaptable everyday use headset which I like.
Here’s a few niggles for you though. With the 3.5mm jack needing to be split into mic and headphones for a computer when gaming,video calling etc. it comes with an adaptor which seems good quality but just stands out like a sore thumb. The NC2-2’s have a custom moulded connector but the adaptor is a generic adaptor with no branding or anything, I would have liked to see this custom as well, maybe a sort of ‘lock and key’ style adaptor that fits perfectly with the shape of the headset jack.
I have the same issue with the charging connector for the battery, no custom styling either and it feels very thin and stiff comparatively.
Here’s a few niggles for you though. With the 3.5mm jack needing to be split into mic and headphones for a computer when gaming,video calling etc. it comes with an adaptor which seems good quality but just stands out like a sore thumb. The NC2-2’s have a custom moulded connector but the adaptor is a generic adaptor with no branding or anything, I would have liked to see this custom as well, maybe a sort of ‘lock and key’ style adaptor that fits perfectly with the shape of the headset jack.
I have the same issue with the charging connector for the battery, no custom styling either and it feels very thin and stiff comparatively.
| Focusing back on the headset now we have the 1.2m cable. The 3.5mm jack, cable and headset connection all feel sturdy and secure giving me no reason for concern at all. The cable leads into the left ear cup which houses the controls for the power, volume and bass. For those who aren’t already aware these headphones feature 2 speakers in each cup (Bass & Treble) and have a pre-amp to amplify the bass. The power button has a nice click to it and you don’t see any lag to turn them off or on. The volume and bass controls while being a nice feature I feel that the controls themselves and the cuts in the plastic have a cheap feel to them, this is just aesthetics though and not a functional issue. |   |
From this point on most of my thoughts on this product are nothing but good which in this case is impressive so props to Oblanc on that.
Part of the cups on the NC2-2’s is glossy and can come in various colours (see the Oblanc website for options) giving me an idea that as they have various different versions for the same chassis, maybe they could release some special editions colours or some colours limited to the higher up versions.
Being designed around the ‘UFO’ they have a few metal grill sections which on the left side hides the LED which lights up blue when on, Red when charging or purple when mixed through doing both. Being metal grills this going back to what I said before could be an idea for special editions or for those modders out there an opportunity to paint and customise yourself.
Part of the cups on the NC2-2’s is glossy and can come in various colours (see the Oblanc website for options) giving me an idea that as they have various different versions for the same chassis, maybe they could release some special editions colours or some colours limited to the higher up versions.
Being designed around the ‘UFO’ they have a few metal grill sections which on the left side hides the LED which lights up blue when on, Red when charging or purple when mixed through doing both. Being metal grills this going back to what I said before could be an idea for special editions or for those modders out there an opportunity to paint and customise yourself.
Where the headband connects to the cup it is similar in design to the HA-S4X and has a nice range of movement giving a good fit but staying strong at the same time.
The Oblanc logo is just about everywhere on these headphones yet they have managed to pull it off and make it look good which I like.
The Oblanc logo is just about everywhere on these headphones yet they have managed to pull it off and make it look good which I like.
Metal is yet again featured in the sliders on this headset which could also maybe be painted. I like seeing metal in these kinds of products but it also makes me question the strength of the plastic and why or if metal was actually necessary
The top of the headband and cups feature a leatherette style padding, making them comfortable to wear however for me they feel a little tight and over long periods of time I do need to take a rest from wearing them.
On the right side we have the micro usb charging port for the internal battery.
On the right side we have the micro usb charging port for the internal battery.
Performance:
This is where most companies fail when it comes to entering a new market, Oblanc definitely have not failed here. they sound as good as the more well known competition and better in a lot of cases. Most companies when implementing more than one driver in each cup have issues with making them sound balanced, Not these.
When the pre-amp isn’t in use by turning the bass down to its lowest we have a pair of headphones perfect for use during phone calls, listening to music, video editing and such, then when we turn up the bass and activate the pre-amp we have a pair of headphones perfect for games, movies, music where we want that extra bit of ‘oomph’.
With the bass turned up full I actually feel my head and ear lobes shaking like crazy and get scared I’m going to damage my hearing even more than it already is.
Active noise cancelling isn’t a feature with these headphones but I don’t feel that it’s necessary because with the headphones turned up I can’t hear anything from the outside. Noise isolation is a problem though. Even though these headphones are stated to be closed-back the noise isolation is about as good as an open pair…. so not very good.
When the pre-amp isn’t in use by turning the bass down to its lowest we have a pair of headphones perfect for use during phone calls, listening to music, video editing and such, then when we turn up the bass and activate the pre-amp we have a pair of headphones perfect for games, movies, music where we want that extra bit of ‘oomph’.
With the bass turned up full I actually feel my head and ear lobes shaking like crazy and get scared I’m going to damage my hearing even more than it already is.
Active noise cancelling isn’t a feature with these headphones but I don’t feel that it’s necessary because with the headphones turned up I can’t hear anything from the outside. Noise isolation is a problem though. Even though these headphones are stated to be closed-back the noise isolation is about as good as an open pair…. so not very good.
Conclusion:
For a companies first range of headphones these are very impressive, they remind me very much of Fractal Designs Define series, They released a good product that caught everyone’s attention and although it had they few problems and possible improvements they were good cases. The issues here are just little niggles I had that companies only really improve upon through experience in the market. The headphones are very impressive and have a long list of features making them a great choice for just about everyone no matter what area of the market your looking at.
Sound quality is excellent and the bass control is just an added bonus to the whole experience.
Sound quality is excellent and the bass control is just an added bonus to the whole experience.
Verdict:
Rating- 8.5/10
Value- 9/10
Value- 9/10
