NAMM 2020: KORG NC-Q1 monitor headphones with active noise-cancelling
Ahead of next week’s annual NAMM show, KORG is on a steady roll of announcements. Adding to an exciting keyboard line-up, the manufacturer introduced its NC-Q1 wireless monitor headphones with active noise-cancelling.
Suitable for anyone listening or mixing in a loud environment (think DJs, FOH engineers and the like), the comfy-looking cans combine feed-forward and feed-back microphones to filter both outside audio and audio generated by your own body resonance. They adjust themselves automatically according to the ambience and offer noise attenuation, several EQ presets, and other nifty features – such as listening to monitor audio in one ear and the ambience in the other. The goal is to be able to hear what’s going on around you without your focus or hearing being disturbed.
KORG promises distortion-free noise canceling with powerful attenuation, tuned specifically for extremely loud environments. The isolation aspect is further aided by memory foam pads and a special frame structure which prevents the headband from transmitting sounds into your ear canals. Looks like a hefty amount of acoustics and engineering went into making these headphones!
Korg NC-Q1
Control over the functionality is established by a multi-purpose switch that lets you play, pause and skip tracks. Tapping or holding your finger on the cans activates or disables monitoring. Taking off the headphones, the music atuomatically stops and comes back when you put them on. There’s also voice control by virtue of Google Assistant and Siri integration.
The wireless functionality is facilitated by compatibility with most major Bluetooth codecs (SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX-xLLC, APTx-HD), while wired connection is possible via dedicated L/R inputs for connecting to pretty much any piece of audio equipment. A stereo minijack cable and a 3.5mm to 6.35mm converter plug come included with the USD 350 headphones, which can last up to 36 hours on a single charge. KORG will start selling them this February, with a VOX-branded VH-Q1 edition also making the rounds for USD 400.
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