Reviews

Review: Edifier W860NB over-ear headphones

A solid entry in the affordable, over-ear headphone market.

by
Josiah Motley
March 26, 2019

Image: Josiah Motley / KnowTechie

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I’m very picky when it comes to over-ear headphones. Quite frankly, I’m not a huge fan of them. The pressure build-up from keeping something over my head is a big turn-off and something I dislike about many of the sets I’ve had in the past. I’m trying to listen to music or play a game, not get a headache.

When I set out to review the Edifier W860NB over-ears, I knew that was going to be an issue. Surprisingly, however, the comfort level was high on these and I was able to go for multi-hour sessions without too many issues. The ear cups are a bit shallow though, so if your ears are on the larger size, you may have some issues on that front.

Obviously, mileage will vary as far as comfort is concerned, but if you deal with similar issues as I mentioned above, these were great for me.

How is the noise-canceling?

One of the big selling points of the headset is its noise-canceling capabilities. In this aspect, the Edifier model does a great job.

Noisy neighbors and near-by televisions are no problem for them and it was a welcome change from some of the other supposed noise canceling headphones I’ve used in the past.

They aren’t perfect, and I’ve tested some that definitely do it better, but not in this price range (~$160). In crowded areas, external sound was still coming through, but it was muted enough to not be a glaring issue.

The noise-canceling also isn’t tied directly to the headset, so if you’re just looking to cancel some noise on a plane or bus without listening to music, a quick toggle of the ANC button will make that happen.

Controlling the Edifier W860NB headphones

Touch controls on headphones can be iffy, but surprisingly, these do a great job at it and it never feels like a challenge to make changes to what you’re doing.

Located on the right earcup, you can control the volume of the music with simple swipes up and down and change the track by swiping left or right. Holding down when swiping will also make Double tapping the center of the cup will pause the music or answer/end calls.

The most important aspect – the sound

Everything above is great, but what about how the Edifier over-ears actually sound? Luckily, they produce some quality sound, and while they aren’t perfect, will make most people happy.

They are definitely bass heavy, so if you like those deep notes and long basslines, you can feel extremely confident with your purchase. Highs also rang out nicely, but things become somewhat muddled in the mid-section. It is almost like the speakers’ forward and back motions can’t keep up with the music and it makes some sections sound a bit sloppy when listening.

With options for Bluetooth connectivity or wired, the Edifier W860NB headphones give users options for how they want to play their music. Are they perfect? Definitely not, but for the price and features, they are definitely worth a listen.

A sample unit was provided for the purpose of this review.