What’s the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the words “noise canceling headphones?” I’m going to guess that the name BOSE is what you thought of. If something else popped into your mind, then great. It probably means you know that there are other brands out there that make noise canceling headphones and if you can believe it, there are some out there that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Take for instance the Mixcder Model E7 Active Noise Canceling Headphones. I’m betting you’ve never heard of Mixcder before but maybe when you read what I have to say about their Model E7, you might give them a further look.
Design
For the most part, the Mixcder Model E7 actually looks pretty good, especially for this price point. The band is heavily padded for comfort and wrapped in “vegan” leather. The ear cups are plastic in a matte black color and the hinges are also plastic, but painted in a metallic silver. There is stainless steel where the sliding extenders are however, so at least you know that part that moves around a lot is enforced with a stronger material.
On the ear cups, it’s also very nicely padded and wrapped in the same vegan leather. These are an around the ear design so the padding wraps around you ear, creating a rather nice seal that helps keep the outside sounds from invading your tunes.
In terms of buttons, they’re pretty much all present on the Model E7. The power button and volume buttons are located on the right side while the ANC (active noise canceling) switch is located on the right side. These buttons are also raised so it makes it much easier to find when just reaching for them blindly. The left side also has an audio jack on it so you can use the included cable in case your battery runs low or if you need to use your headphones with an audio source that doesn’t have Bluetooth.
Lastly, the ear cups swivel so that you can make the headphones flatter. This allows you to store them in the included case when not in use.
Other than that, the Mixcder Model E7 is a nice looking, very functional design. It’s nothing flashy, very normal looking, and overall very comfortable to wear.
Specs
By looking at the specs, you’d think the Mixcder Model E7 would cost more than it does. Most headphones at this price point don’t have ANC technology to block out noise and don’t have built in mics.
Other specs include a 400mAh battery that provides up to 20 hours of playback time. If the battery runs out, you can always use the included cable to keep listening to your music without charge. The Model E7 also has large 40mm audio drivers.
Usage
With day to day usage, you’ll probably like these. I found them to be really comfortable to wear for long periods of time and didn’t feel all sweaty from doing so either. I like that the buttons are easy to feel for and use. I’m a big fan of real buttons as it just makes doing certain things that much more simple where I don’t have to feel around for something.
When it comes to audio quality, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed either. I tried these out on a variety of music genres ranging from hip hop, rock, and even Disney soundtracks (I have kids) and they all sound really good. There’s a good amount of solid bass, very distinct highs, and smooth mids. The Active Noise Canceling even helps by canceling out the outside noises and cleans up the sound as well. There is a bit of difference when you turn ANC on and off so you’ll have to see which sounds best to you.
I also like the fact that the battery lasts pretty long per charge and I don’t need to be charging these everyday.
Final Thoughts
I honestly have never heard of Mixcder until I was sent these Model E7 headphones to check out. I’ll say that I’m pretty impressed with them. They sound good, feel good, and overall quality is pretty good as well. I’m not in love with the plastic bits, but on the plus side it does help to keep the weight down. With that said, a rather nice set of headphones with Active Noise Cancellation for the price.
