Comprehensive ANC Headphone Test

Our ambitious project began, of course, with a grand plan. The goal was to comb through all the ANC headphones in the world, thoroughly evaluate them, and compare them to each other like an acoustic gladiator battle in the Colosseum, inspired by the TV series "Those About to Die" (by the way, it's a great show, worth watching).  

We spent nights pondering where to begin: should we test the headphones in the forest first, where the fundamental question is: “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”. Or on a plane, where the effectiveness of the noise cancellation is measured in relation to Dom Perignon consumption?

The vision was clear, but as often happens, reality (i.e., our investor Markus) came in, tie askew, and reminded us that the budget was something different from megalomaniacal visions. So, we had to save somewhere, and we decided to save where it was easiest for us. Meaning, we didn't buy any of the other headphones. No need to use our small budget to benefit the competition.

Since there are hundreds of different headphones on the market, ignoring all the other headphones left us with a pretty decent testing budget. So, instead of a comprehensive comparison, it became “compare these two,” but that's okay because, in our opinion, these are the only headphones that matter.

VMK25 – The Luxury Choice from Snowdrift to Sahara

The first test was conducted where few ANC headphones have dared to be tested: in a snowdrift. We left the headphones hanging on a tree branch and went inside to drink mint cocoa.

About two glasses later, we concluded that the VMK25 held up for at least a couple of mint cocoas worth of cold and still felt as comfortable on the ears as wool socks in the middle of a winter storm, once warmed up inside first.

The sound quality remained so stable that even a lone polar bear might have stopped to listen, if we weren't in Puolanka, where only ordinary brown bears live. And they usually sleep in the winter.

However, battery life presumably diminished in the snow, although we couldn't test it as the cold began to frustrate the testers about a day before the battery ran out.

Since we decided to test the headphones in extreme conditions, it was natural to move next to the heat of the Sahara desert. The VMK25 handled this challenge with honor. Surrounded by sand and relentless sun, the VMK25 performed its task flawlessly. The sound quality was so clear that it even drowned out the mating cries of camels, which is also a risk, since getting stuck under an amorous camel while listening to music is a pretty realistic scenario.

The only downside was that, although the headphones were still working perfectly, everything was full of sand. Not just the headphones, but also my underwear. It was time to go home.

Headphones on a Private Jet - Towards Luxury

After visiting the Sahara desert, we still had a little testing budget left. We thought that since the VMK25 model is the more expensive of our two headphones, it naturally should be tested for its suitability for high-flying life – not in economy class, but in a private jet, where champagne flows and the environment is suitably noisy. 

So, off to Scanwings for a Praetor 600 and from Oulu to the Croatian coast. On the same trip, we also got to visit a partner's yacht, which naturally makes the travel expenses tax-deductible. As long as a loss-making company even pays taxes. We brought along the new Megadeth model for this test, as it is the most expensive version of the VMK25.

The memories of the trip are somewhat hazy, and there are certainly no pictures from the yacht, but it was fun. The VMK25 is proven to work excellently on a private jet (and on a luxury yacht), even though the champagne glass nearly tipped over in the turbulence.

VMK20 – Mandatory Animal Testing

Since the previous testing was in extreme conditions, and the VMK20 is the more affordable model, we decided to test it in more ordinary environments.

We began with traditional but very scientific animal testing, which we had forgotten during our travels with the VMK25. The headphones looked surprisingly stylish on the dog's head, but usability left something to be desired, especially since the ears are in a completely different location compared to a human. The cats were not willing to participate in the test, and Jani's cat slipped into the bushes as if it had seen a tax auditor.

After testing on furry animals, we also tested on hairless animals – children.

The result of the testing showed that, although the headphones looked cute on the children's heads, they were unnecessarily large for 0- to 3-year-olds.

Testing among the children brought up an interesting observation: ANC causes anti-noise cancellation – the dampening effect of the headphones makes the child produce noise that exceeds the normal decibel limit. If the user of the headphones is under school age, be prepared for a noise level competing with a rock concert.

The test was enlightening, but we quickly realized we wanted something more peaceful.

The Common Man's Travel Test

Tired of the cacophony caused by children, we decided to move the test to a more adult environment: Spain, the place where Finnish pensioners and financial criminals migrate when the homeland feels too small and cold. To ensure a perfect test, we deviated from our normal standards and flew in economy class. Although corona restrictions haven't been a problem for a long time, I still wore a mask so that no one I know would recognize me in economy class.

The cramped atmosphere on the plane, the battle for the armrest with the passenger next to me, and the screaming children provided perfect conditions for a real test of the VMK20. Although the in-flight catering caused mainly second-hand embarrassment, the VMK20 did its job well. The ANC muted most of the commotion, and the headphones remained comfortable throughout the flight.

In Spain, where the sun scorches the pale Finnish skin in a flash, and the guitarist in the next restaurant thinks he is a big star, we conducted the real relaxation test of the headphones: lounging in a sun chair.

By the pool of a hotel full of tourists, the white VMK20 was the perfect choice. The white model did not retain heat and did not become hot on my ears. Additionally, the white model matches perfectly with the complexion of a pale Finn. Most importantly, I got to listen to an audiobook in peace, even though the hotel was filled with all sorts of distractions, like my own wife.

The Pasi Test

Finally, the VMK20 ended up in the Pasi Test. In this test, the headphones were given to Pasi without instructions, and his task was to try them out freely. The result was – let’s say – disappointing. Pasi put the headphones on the wrong way around and wondered why the sound quality was poor. This confirmed that, although the VMK20 is user-friendly, a small introduction might still be necessary if Pasi is testing them.

Summary

Our tests showed that both the VMK25 and the VMK20 are excellent ANC headphones in their respective categories. The VMK25 shone in extreme conditions, from snowdrifts to the scorching heat of the Sahara and the luxury of private jets, offering top-notch sound quality and ANC. The VMK20, on the other hand, was the everyday hero, surviving both the noise of economy class and the relaxation test under the Spanish sun.

Both headphones are the best you can afford, but if you're Pasi, we recommend contacting our customer service for guidance on how to use them.