Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i: Gorgeous headphones with great active noise cancellation
The high-end Danish speaker maker Bang & Olufsen, affectionately known by its initials B&O, has long been known for building audio and video components sporting stylish, striking designs that command very high prices.
Hit hard by the 2008 economic crisis, B&O has since refocused on its traditional strengths, including building a solid line of headphones. The B&O Beoplay H9i reviewed here are the company’s flagship over-the-ear, active noise-cancelling cans.
STYLING AND FEATURES
The Beoplay H9i are simply gorgeous. These are stylish, eye-catching headphones that scream premium quality and first-class construction. They come in two colors: Traditional black and natural. The latter was the color of my review pair.
The headband’s arms are made from brushed aluminum anodized to match the headphones’ color. The aluminum arms slide in and out in a perfectly smooth, infinitely adjustable motion. This is no clunky, click-adjustable headband. Best of all, once you set the headphone’s arm positions, they don’t slide or move.
You’ll find similar high-quality materials throughout this product. The top of the headband is genuine cowhide, for example, while the ear pads consist of ultra comfortable memory form enveloped in soft lambskin. Should you ever need to, you can replace the entire ear pads for $70.
The ear cups are adjustable and fold flat. You’ll need to look hard to see the fine line at
