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My verdict

Noise-cancelling circuitry works by identifying particular noises which are coming from outside the headphones and creating the same sound in the opposite phase, so cancelling it out. It’s a sort of anti-noise.

The Central Line is noisy but the racket is quite complex -

• there’s a humming and ‘whooshing’ from the ventilation fans
• there’s a rumbly whine from the motors
• there’s the sound of the wheels running on the rails
• there’s a clattering when the wheels go over points and the joints between rails
• and there’s noise from the dear London populace.

All in all the ANC7’s were pretty effective, at their best when dealing with sustained continuous noise, like the motors, air and rail noise which is significantly reduced once the onboard circuitry has identifed, analysed and negated it. It has some success with sounds like clattering and people talking  and they are reduced, but not by so much as the continuous noises. If the performance is the same in aircraft then flights would be much calmer and more peaceful.

The Central Line test enabled me to listen to Glenn Miller on my iPod with fantastic clarity, and the crunch comes if you are listening to music and turn off the noise-cancelling function. The normal daily racket that we’re used to comes straight back in, and you realise how much of a difference the noise-cancelling is making.

Downsides:

• the input volume is boosted when the noise-cancelling is operating. Cure: turn the volume down
• the ear cups did fit over my ears - the cup size is fine but not gigantic
• with noise-cancelling turned off the sound is a bit bassy

Overall, well worth it if you need to listen in noisier environments, and less than half the cost of some other brands. If you don’t need to listen (or not) in noisy places then stick to ordinary ‘phones like the Beyer’s.