Can anyone unseat the king of noise cancellation — Bose? Probably not in the immediate future, but Creative is offering the technology housed in a pair of headphones at half the cost. The Aurvana ANC could be your noise cancellation on a budget.

This over-the-ear headset is made to be very light and is not built too badly even though there is a lot of plastic involved. There is a reflective titanium-like material on the oval earcups which are well cushioned and sturdy and the headband is a mix of hard plastic and softer cushioned segments. The band may not fit well on small heads but is otherwise adjustable in the usual way.

Press to cancel noise

On the left earcup (and these are thoughtfully marked) you find the minimal controls. This is not a Bluetooth set so there are no buttons to pair. Just a single button that turns the active noise cancellation on or off — that is where the ANC comes from. A strong braided cable links to the device's 3.5mm headphone slot and on it is a small controller to switch on and off and move across tracks or take calls. That is all there is to it except for the fact that the right cup twists open to allow a AAA battery to be put in and that is what gives some 40 hours of noise cancellation.

Music leaks

While not of the caliber of Bose, the Aurvana ANC definitely manages to neutralise the consistent noise from around — such as a fan or air conditioner, for example. With the passive cancellation kicking in from the cushioning and the music, you can avoid much of the noise around. I failed to hear the beeps of my microwave oven but could hear voices around me. Sadly, the sound of the music also leaked out to them so you cannot hope to listen to loud music without disturbing someone in the next seat on a flight.

The sound quality is surprisingly good though it could have been a bit more open and allowed higher and mid range sounds to shine more. The bass is deep without being abrasive and prominent. The average listener (read non-audiophile) will be pleased enough.

Price: ₹10,999

Love: Noise cancellation,

sounds good

Hate: No Bluetooth,

music leaks out.