IFA 2011: Sony Even Has the MDR-NC200D Headphones

Sony brought out all the guns at the 2011 edition of the IFA show, down to small headphone and even the not-so-small MDR-NC200D headset, which our colleagues were able to take a close look at.

Most companies had a booth, big or small, at this year's IFA trade show, which took place in Berlin, Germany.

Sony, however, had a whole pavilion, one that it filled to the brim with devices spanning more or less the entire IT market.

It is quite telling that, even now after our colleagues who attended the event have returned, we still haven't finished writing about all the things on show there.

The product which has this once fallen under our scrutiny is the MDR-NC200D set of headphones.

Exhibited alongside the NC100D, which we covered in a different hands-on article, it is based on the Sony S-Master Full Digital amplifier.

Audio quality is, naturally, what this amplifier is there for, the goal achieved with the assistance of the Sony Digital Noise Cancelling (DNC) technology.

Basically, the technology performs both ambient noise sampling and anti-phasing, implementing a noise-canceling algorithm that is flexible and responsive to different environments.

Users will even have a direct say in just what noise to block out, as a press of a button summons the Artificial Intelligence Noise Cancelling (AINC) capability, which samples ambient noise and proceeds to selecting the best mode.

As for the actual design of the MDR-NC200D, there are two, full-size 40mm driver units and pressure-relieving urethane cushions in the ear pads.

Nonetheless, the overall build is lightweight and, thanks to the ability of the housing to fold up below the headband, easy to pack away as well.

Unfortunately, Sony gave no information on when sales start or at what price, though this holds true for most other IFA gadgets.



Note: Fellow editors Cosmin Vasile and Sorin Nitawere  on the floor at the 2011 IFA Show and kept us posted with pictures and live reports on the latest product previews and launches.