A long-standing argument among audiophiles centres on the poor quality of MP3s when compared to the information stored on CDs.
They bemoan the compression used to squeeze (out) so much information to be able to fit all those albums onto a little portable player, and will never release from their dinosaur-like grasp their large collection of silvery plastic discs.
Perhaps, that is, until now.
Creative has brought to the market a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, at a very affordable price, which claim to improve the sonic quality and dynamic range of MP3 files.
Not only that, strap a pair of Aurvana X-Fi's to your head and with the press of a button on the right headphone and, so the manufacturer claims, these 'cans' can reproduce the surround-sound of a movie soundtrack and pump it right into your head.
Aurvana – see what they've done there? – are an over-the-ear type set of headphones, so they are not exactly compact. But, while some similar – and more expensive models – are uncomfortable to wear, these snuggle round the largest of lobes, and seal away annoying distractions with the aid of a memory foam-like seal. And the sound they produce is incomparable to in-ear plug, so popular with the MP3 generation.
Included in the semi-hardshell zippered holding case is a 1/4in stereo adapter, dual plug aeroplane adapter – brilliant! – and a 5ft extension cable, all the fixtures and fittings needed for travel or even an evening sat next to the stereo/computer listening to, well, whatever your heart feels like.
Back to the headphones, and on the right earpiece there are three buttons, each of which activates the movie-soundtrack, noise-cancelling and MP3-correction technology, which illuminate in blue when activated.
There is also a (pointless?) on/off switch. Each headphone has a microphone built in, which is used to mute extraneous outside noise, but goodness knows how.
The Aurvana X-Fi is a great product that accomplishes its intended purpose. The noise-cancelling technology works well, and the X-Fi processing improves most recordings I listened to – everything from The Beatles to Beethoven.
They are big, so for day-to-day use or a bit of cross-training at the gym, they're probably far from ideal. But just as people of a certain generation claim CDs are not as good as the vinyl forebearer of music, there will always be those who claims too much detail is lost in the compression of music into MP3.
Yes, there is an argument to be made. But wear a pair of oh-so-clever noise-cancelling headphones, and the last thing you will hear is people moaning.
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