When I heard that Mercedes products were going for review, I was almost ready to drive. After all, it was headphones with the Mercedes Benz brand. My enthusiasm turned into curiosity. Until then, I was completely unaware of such a product and couldn’t stop wondering what it would look like. I took the headphones off and it sank. This is my experience.

Mercedes-Benz Noise Cancelling Headphones – Build and design:

Given the brand name, I didn’t doubt the quality or design of the build, and I wasn’t disappointed. Mercedes-Benz headphones are constructed from high-quality plastic that combines the features of a glossy black body and metallic gray. The chassis is very sturdy and the headphones look elegant. But it’s not the lightest thing I’ve come across, and weighs nearly 400 grams. This is more than 1.5 times the weight of the Sony WH-1000XM4

The ear-cups have a leather-like material and are nicely cushioned. The right ear-cup is where the action is with touch controls, power on/off switch, and toggles for ANC (active noise cancellation) and 3D surround sound. You also get a USB Type-C connector there for charging the headphones, along with a 3.5mm jack to plug in the aux cable in case the headphones run out of battery, or if you plan to use them with a non-Bluetooth device. A USB-A to type-C cable and an Aux cable is bundled in the package along with a stylish carry pouch.

The respected Mercedes logo is on the back of each earcup, and the left and right markings are placed on the fabric inside the cup. A smart design choice. Like many Sony headphones, the earcups can be rotated and bent 90 degrees. You can fold it, put it in the included bag, and take it out neatly.

Mercedes-Benz Noise Cancelling Headphones – Comfort:

These headphones fit well in ear cups large enough to cover your ears. Thanks to the quality of the cushion, you will not feel much discomfort around your ears. The soft cushion absorbs a lot of pressure and leaves the head with the right amount of force to keep the earphones in place. However, after using it for a short period of time, I feel its presence and weight. This Mercedes-Benz pair is not something you can wear for hours on the go. I had to remove it every hour or so and take a short break before putting it back in.

Mercedes-Benz Noise Cancelling Headphones – Performance

These headphones support Qualcomm’s aptX codec and AAC and SBC. However, if you choose to pair your Bluetooth 5.0 compatible headphones with your Apple device, you’ll only get AAC as an option. The headphones support active noise cancellation and have a dedicated button to turn them on and off. You can double-click it to turn transparency on / off to allow or block the flow of ambient sound. We do not recommend turning on transparency mode unless absolutely necessary. When turned on, the audio playback volume will be significantly reduced and the sound will be distorted.

The ANC here isn’t functional, but it’s far from perfect. It’s not close to what I saw on the Sony WH-1000XM4. It definitely reduces ambient noise and provides better isolation, but many high and low-frequency sound penetrate from it. This is what Sony has succeeded in avoiding more effectively. There is a 3D model that seeks to expand the sound range and provide a wide range of audio experiences. It does not necessarily improve the experience, it is a matter of personal preference.

As mentioned earlier, the right earcup has touch control and it works fine. With a single click, the voice is paused or resumed, and you can even answer the call. You can end the call with a long touch and reject the call by double-clicking on the touch area. You need to slide your finger from the bottom to the top of the mug to increase the volume and from the top to the bottom to decrease the volume. Similarly, you can move horizontally to move to the previous or next track. Simple, cool and effective!

Moving on to sound quality, the company tried to create a neutral audio profile, but with some success. She tried different kinds of music to measure her performance. The mids and trebles are well processed to the details of the audio. The sound is clear and the machine separation is decent. The treble is a bit sharp and the sound is a little too bright to suit my taste. Part of the reason is the bass response of the subpar. The bottoms are calm and the overall sound lacks beats.

I’m not claiming to raise the low-end frequencies, but I should have been able to handle it better. The sound stage is reasonably wide without having to turn on 3D mode. After all, the overall sound came out, and although it’s pretty decent, it’s not the best I’ve heard in a 30K sub clip. However, this is not a product for audio enthusiasts, but a product for brand fans looking for useful goods.

Mercedes-Benz Noise Cancelling Headphones – Battery life

The company claims a battery life of up to 18 hours on a full charge. I was able to get a 15-hour shadow with halftime ANC turned on. With ANC turned off, I could probably have run it for a few more hours to get closer to the company’s claims. This isn’t a bad battery life, but again, I looked good. Given the weight of headphones, it’s fair to expect something better.

Mercedes-Benz Noise Cancelling Headphones: Price and verdict

Mercedes Benz noise-cancelling headphones are available in India at a price of Rs 29,414 through the company’s website or select distributors. Implementing normal audio review standards and assessing the value it provides is a bit difficult. But if you do, that is not a product I would recommend to anyone who is budgeting 30k and looking for the best audio quality available. The Sony WH-1000XM4 mentioned above is probably my better choice. You can get better audio headphones for under 20,000 rupees.

But, as mentioned earlier, this is not a product for everyone. It’s aimed at Mercedes-Benz fans rather than audio fans. And if you are alone and have the money to buy and show a functional souvenir that reflects the elegance of your branding design, this isn’t a bad choice.