PIONEER SE-MS9BN WIRELESS NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES

Sometimes I know the price of equipment I am reviewing and sometimes I don’t. I sometimes check it before I start, so I can judge the product in its context, but occasionally, just for the fun of guessing, I do much of my listening in the dark as to pricing.

I had used Pioneer’s SE-MS9BN wireless noise-cancelling headphones for several days before I got around to checking the price, and was surprised to find they were only $279.95, significantly below the sweet-spot for wireless noise-cancellers, which has settled around $399–$499 (and, of course, upwards).

THE EQUIPMENT

So a potential bargain then. But where has Pioneer saved the money? It does not seem to have been on construction, as these are substantial and well-built headphones, using aluminium for the housings, a comfortable and deep leatherette for the earcups, and a wide and thick polyurethane cushion across the full headband, which is connected and adjusted using aviator-style metal sliding rods rather than internal stainless steel.

This solid construction method prevents them from