The Quiet Achiever

Oddly, the premium ANC headphone category is not nearly as overpopulated as the earbud section is. Whether this is because the few truly established brands are so established, no-one else can get a look-in or whether there just isn't the same market for over-ear headsets these days, I'm not sure. All I know is, most people probably wouldn't consider EPOS as their first choice if they wanted some.

But how about Sennheiser? There's a name that probably rings a bell...

If you've worked on reception or at a call centre, you might be more familiar with the EPOS brand. This is because its Danish parent company, Demant has been developing various forms of hearing technology for over 115 years and EPOS is now a go-to name for things like hands-free phone systems and conference room audio solutions.

In fact, EPOS used to be known as Sennheiser Communications. As the brand has evolved, the result is a range of EPOS headsets that incorporates both business and personal requirements. 

The ADAPT 660 is the pinnacle - a stylish yet classy ANC headset that offers just as many features to enhance your next online meeting as it does while you're listening to your favourite play-list on the bus ride home.

There are a lot of things EPOS does slightly differently with the ADAPT 660, starting with the size and shape. Often a full featured headset like this means an oversized headset too but this doesn’t look or feel too big at all. In fact, the earcups are a sort of upside-down egg shape, not oval as is more common. This doesn’t impact the fit and yet saves size and weight. The ADAPT 660 feels very light and nicely balanced. I’ve been wearing it at work to monitor my radio show and although that means hours of nonstop use at a time, I don’t find this set of cans gets uncomfortable, heavy or sweaty.

Despite its lightweight feel, there’s no doubting the durability and build quality of this device. For example, there's just the right amount of flex in the headband while still maintaining a secure fit. The earcups extend out plenty far enough to accommodate my massive skull. And everything folds away in a conveniently flat arrangement to fit back into the supplied case.

Sticking with the theme of doing things slightly differently, the semi-circular case is not hard and bulky like other cases I've come across. Those ones tend to take up rather too much space in your briefcase, handbag or backpack - especially when travelling, which is ironically when you might want to use a decent pair of ANC headphones most. The case for the ADAPT 660 still offers plenty of protection - and storage for dongle, charging and AUX cables - yet it's softer and, well... squeeze-able. I've found it is much more easily squished into bags and seat pockets, especially when empty (when you're actually wearing the headset).

The AUX cable is a hybrid mic/headphone cable, so if you want to use these headphones solely for monitoring like I do each morning on air, you'll need to find an adapter to split the mic feed off. At least a cord like this gives you the option of full soft-phone functionality, even if the battery's flat.

It'll take about three hours to fully charge the ADAPT 660. This may seem a little slow but you should get about thirty hours playback from that charge which is pretty decent. I certainly appreciate the fact ANC still works when you're plugged in via the AUX cable - very useful to help me focus in a busy radio studio. Charging once a week sees me through five shows with no problem at all.

Now there are some bizarre anomalies here I simply can't explain. For starters, the ADAPT 660 charges via a microUSB cable - that's so old-skool it's almost retro. Just as well there's a microUSB cable included in the case because I think I threw all mine out about three years ago.

Next, you can't update the ADAPT 660's firmware via the phone app, only using the PC or MAC version. Even that isn't straightforward as you have to connect the headset via its accompanying USB dongle to update it - the EPOS Connect app won't recognise it if it's only paired through bluetooth.

But perhaps the craziest thing is for the full selection of settings, you have to go back to the phone app. You simply won't find options for Noise Cancellation, voice assistant or call enhancement on the desktop version. I'm not sure if your average user has the patience for this kind of toing and froing. I'm not sure if I do.

Just as well once you've got it all set up, the ADAPT 660 really delivers.

John Mayer's rendition of Hendrix's "Bold as Love" features cascading lead guitar and bass licks, tumbling over and around constant drum fills like a mountain rapid. Rather than offering EQ adjustments, the EPOS Connect app lets you choose from a selection of "Acoustic Modes" - creating more of an atmosphere than controlling various frequencies. In fact, Director Mode lets you adjust spatial effects, reverb and loudness - quite different to just boosting bass, mid or treble. My customised setting gives Mayer and co. all the space they need for their babbling, "Bold as Love" brook to do its thing.

“Back to Ground” by Jamie Cullum transitions from just vocal and keyboard to full band and back again. No matter how crowded the soundstage, the ADAPT 660’s ANC keeps outside noise to an absolute minimum, without having a noticeable impact on sound quality. Again, the control for this is quite unique; a dedicated three-point slider on the right-hand ear-cup for no ANC, a bit of both or full silence.

P!nk really rocks out to the guitar-based, "For Now." While this is generally a much fuller track, packed with several guitars, big drums and plenty of other tweaks in the background, there's not much muddy-ness here and you can wind it up loud and enjoy every instrument in its individual glory.

And it's not just about the music. EPOS always has a keen eye (and ear) on the business case for any of its devices and that's just as true for the ADAPT 660. The Active Noise Cancellation comes to the fore when on a call or video chat too - benefitting both you and whoever you're talking with. I just took a call at the library - always a tricky moment, so important to keep your voice down lest you suffer the ire of a passing, shooshing librarian. Thankfully, the EPOS Connect app lets you adjust your side-tone (the level of your own voice you hear in your conversations). This meant I barely had to speak much above a whisper and my caller was still able to hear me loud and clear.

The point is, in-ear audio is not for everyone. Many people find earbuds invasive, isolating, uncomfortable or just can't get the right fit. That's where the EPOS/Sennheiser ADAPT 660 really comes into its own. Decent battery life, very good noise cancellation and excellent sound reproduction - but above all else, a light, comfortable fit you can easily wear for hours on end every day. And I do.

Just don't ask about the price. It's kind of eye-watering. Best to make a really good business case to your finance department and let them take care of it. Phrases like, "Enhanced focus," "Improved productivity" and "More effective connectivity" might come in useful. If you can get the purchase order across the line, you certainly won't regret it. This is the headset you've never heard of that truly ticks all the boxes.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the EPOS/Sennheiser ADAPT 660.