Introduction –
Advanced Sound are a relative newcomer in the audio scene but one who have surprising presence and range given their age. Their products are wildly varied yet all that I’ve had experience with have been pleasantly surprising; well integrating smart features and well-executing innovations that we’ve seen pioneered elsewhere but fully realised here. To clarify this statement, the most outstanding aspect of Adv is their pricing, almost all of their models lying under $100 USD.
So far, I’ve tested a few ANC in-ears around this price. However, though a select few such as the OVC H15 have left me impressed with their noise cancelling abilities, most were mediocre at best when it came to listening experience. The 747 is Adv’s first active noise cancelling product and one that hopes to remedy this, utilising mammoth 13mm dynamic drivers and a noise cancelling module that doubles as an amplifier. And, with an asking price of just $60 USD, the 747 is immensely attainable. Let’s see whether Adv’s latest is their greatest yet.
[amazon asin=B076PSG6G1&template=add to cart]
Disclaimer –
I would like to thank Hannah from Advanced Sound very much for her quick communication and for providing me with the 747 for the purpose of review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.
Accessories –
The 747 has an unboxing similar to their other in-ears like the Model 3 with punchy renders set to a clean white background.
Adv also provide a frequency response graph in addition to specifications and features on the rear. Inside is a large zippered hard case that stores the entire accessory set.
The 747 has quite a comprehensive tip selection with 3 pairs of silicone tips, 3 pairs of dual flange tips and 3 pairs of more isolating foam tips. Adv provide 3 types of tips that offer varying isolation and practicality.
They also come with a micro-usb charging cable and a nice aeroplane adapter. In use, the tips are well-moulded and comfortable and the case is protective with room to spare for a small player. The 747 is outfit with everything the user might need on the road.
Design –
Despite housing advanced ambient noise microphones in addition to large 13mm dynamic drivers, the 747’s are surprisingly orthodox in both design and fit. You won’t find unwieldy housings here nor do they protrude significantly from the ear. Instead, the 747 is compact and streamlined with great structural solidity. They also sport a traditional design and fit that will be familiar to any earphone user, where some competing models have a learning curve.
The housings themselves are especially compact for a noise cancelling in-ear and smoothly tapered in design. The seams are well-matched and no comfort-compromising edges are present. They employ a tactile sandblasted aluminium finish with soft-touch plastic on their inner faces. In this instance, Adv’s use of plastic does not diminish the feel of the earphones, rather helping to keep weight manageable and reduce that cool sensation when the earphones are first inserted into the ear.
The nozzles are of average length and bore size, fitting the vast majority of tips such as Sony Hybrids and Spinfits in addition to Comply Foams. They produce a shallower fit geared for long-term comfort over vacuum-like seal but the 747’s actually isolate quite well even when ANC isn’t enabled. They are also a very comfortable earphone, forming no hotspots even after hours of listening.
Advanced have outfit the 747 with a very nice cable, it isn’t removable but has a sturdy thickness that avoids becoming cumbersome during portable use. They also have an inline mic with multi-function button for convenience. But what most impresses is their incredibly compact noise cancelling module. Similar to in-ears like the H15 and QC20, the module lies near the 3.5mm plug, intended to stack behind the source device. However, Adv’s implementation is super sleek and compact with solid metal housings, a tactile textured ANC switch and non-obtrusive power LED. At the rear is the micro-usb charging port with a protective cover and, despite the unit’s small size, battery life is a respectable 10hrs.
In real-world use, I managed to meet that claim and occasionally exceed it by an hour or so. This is a little shorter than competitors but they can be used like a regular in-ear when their battery is depleted and they can function whilst charging without introducing additional whine or other noise. In addition, Adv offer an optional $20 carry case called the Power Pouch that integrates an 800mah power bank with micro-usb cable. It only outputs at 500mAh so it won’t do much for a modern smartphone, but Adv claim it will top up their wireless and noise cancelling in-ear 7 times; I went through 5 cycles with charge to spare. It’s a nice little accessory that makes using battery powered earphones just a little less worrisome.
Next Page: ANC Performance & Sound
