Reviews
Top 10 Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Published
4 years agoon
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to noise-canceling headphones nowadays. Choosing the right one with the right features AND fits your budget can be a challenge. We’ve done the scouting for you and put together a list of the best noise-canceling headphones for every budget and needs.
Top 10 Noise-Cancelling Headphones
To make our list comprehensive, we chose noise-canceling headphones priced at least $100 and have all the necessary bells and whistles of a modern noise-canceling headphone. We won’t be listing out all their features, as there are many overlaps, and if you’re interested in a more in-depth review, check out our independent reviews of each one.
1. Sony WH-1000XM3
Sony needs no introductions. If you want outstanding noise-canceling headphones packed with features and versatile for both classroom and living room use, then the Sony WH-1000XM3 is a safe bet. Its active noise-cancellation technology is among the best in the industry.
The design is clean, minimalistic, and functional. The earcups are generously big and comfortable enough to use all day without feeling ear-fatigue. The headset offers a precise sound that’s a step above anything you’ve ever used before. It also features touch controls on the side so you can swipe to skip songs.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 has a clever design that lets you listen to your surrounding just by covering one of the earcups with your hand. Gone are the days when you have to pause your music and take your head off to listen to oncoming traffic.
Battery life is also outstanding and manages to squeeze 36+ hours of use before needing to recharge. With that kind of battery life, you’ll be able to sit through an entire trans-Atlantic flight without plugging in.
Price: $348 | BUY IT HERE
2. Bose 700
This list wouldn’t be complete without at Bose headset would it? Some hail the Bose 700 as the perfect noise-canceling headphones. While I’m not bold enough to make that claim, I absolutely agree that it’s one of the best noise-canceling headphones of 2020.
Similar to the Sony WH-1000XM3, the Bose 700 features intuitive touch controls, aluminum constructions, and a whole list of features to elevate your listening experience. What separates the Bose 700 from everything else on the list is its augmented reality audio technology that promises the best listening experience.
At $399, it’s not an affordable option, however a worthwhile investment for enthusiasts and audiophiles.
Price: $399 | BUY IT HERE
3. Skullcandy Venue
Marketed towards students and aspiring artists, the Skullcandy Venue gives you exceptional noise-canceling performance at less than half the cost of rivaling headphones on this list. The budget-friendly gadget features ANC (active noise cancellation) technology that works reasonably well for the price.
It can last up to 40 hours on a single charge and features quick-charge that can give you 2 hours of listening for every 10 minutes of charging. One of Skullcandy’s best features is the Tile integration. Never worry about losing your headphones again with the integrated Tile chip. You’ll need to download and install the Tile app separately, but it’s a nifty little feature that gives added security.
Price: $129 | BUY IT HERE
4. Beats Solo Pro
Beats Solo Pro is a headphone made for people who are always on the run. It offers exceptional ANC technology that’s on par with more expensive headsets. The Beats Pro also comes with Bluetooth 5.0 built-in for fast and reliable connections.
The “Fast-fuel” charging also lets you enjoy 3 hours of music for just 10 minutes of charge, similar to the Skullcandy Venue. The sound quality is still heavy on bass. But that’s already expected from a Beats product. The Beats Pro will play nicely with all your Apple devices if you’re married to Apple’s ecosystem. The downside is that it doesn’t come with a Mic, so you won’t be able to make any calls with this headset.
Price: $299 | BUY IT HERE
5. Bose SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphones II
We did try to keep Bose from having more than one product on this list, but we couldn’t help it. The Bose SoundLink is a fantastic value proposition from Bose. Think of this as their “budget” headphone.
The headphone offers bose-quality ANC and delivers crystal clear audio playback. The sound packs quite a bit of punch considering its size. It’s perfect for smooth sounds but not the ideal for hip-hop or bass-intensive playlists.
Its battery life is recorded at only 15 hours, so it’s nothing to write home about. It regularly charges via USB without any quick-charge tech. It can be used as a regular headphone if the batteries run out. However, the sound quality is greatly diminished, and ANC won’t work as well running from 3.5mm jack.
Price: $229 | BUY IT HERE
6. Lindy BNX-60
You’ve probably never heard of Lindy before, and that’s for a good reason. The company doesn’t have a strong presence in the United States, but they do make excellent quality ANC-enabled headphones at an affordable price. Probably one of the cheapest headphones you can get with a decent ANC.
Price: $59 | BUY IT HERE
7. AKG N700NC
There is so much to love about AKG N700NC. It has a smart design that can fold completely flat for secure storage. Build quality is impressive, especially at this price range. The sound quality and ANC are also no slouch, either. And unlike some headphones twice its price, the AKG comes with a decent set of mics for you to make calls with if you ever need to.
Price: $99 | BUY IT HERE
8. JBL Live 650 BTNC
Looking for a quality pair of headphones that you can comfortably wear all day? The JBL Live 650 BTNC offers comfort, sound quality, features, AND build quality of premium headphones at half the price. It offers good ANC. The generously sized earcups deliver punchy and dynamic audio, perfect for tracks with a lot of bass.
It’s also an excellent looking headphone that looks more expensive than it is. At $199, you’re getting a lot more bang for your bucks than competing brands.
Price: $199 | BUY IT HERE
9. Bowers & Wilkins PX Active
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Active is an expensive headphone that offers decent performance. It features adaptive noise cancelation instead of active and has a handful of useful features. If you lift the earcups up to listen to someone talk, the headphone will automatically pause your music and instantly resume when you put the earcup back.
What makes the Bowers & Wilkins PX Active stand out is its design. It’s a gorgeous pair of headphone that looks and feels premium. Expect to turn heads when wearing this on your next trip.
Price: $219 | BUY IT HERE
10. Audio-Technica ATH-ANC9 QuietPoint
The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC9 has a ridiculous name that’s impossible to remember. But it makes up for it by being comfortable, spacious, and well built. It’s not the sexiest thing on the market, but it’s a pair that will last you. It comes with every feature you’d expect, including a mic. The one function that’s missing is a rechargeable battery. I’m not quite sure why the engineers at Audio-Technica opted for AAA batteries instead of lithium ions, but it’s a technical choice that might not sit well with younger audiences.
Despite the flaw, it’s still a solid set headphone that made the list because you can easily get this $199 headphone for about $70 – $100 on a sale.
Price: $199 | BUY IT HERE
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99Designs is one of the go-to graphic design services online. It’s a platform full of professional designers that will make branding easier for you. Here’s an honest 99Designs review of the service from a non-designer.
99Designs: Overview
99Designs is a graphic design service that helps clients connect with various web and graphic designers worldwide. The platform offers the following design services:
- Logos
- Websites
- Stationary
- Business Cards
- Postcards
- Posters
- Clothing
- Brochures
How Does it Work
#1 Brief Your Requirements
First, you need to create a simple design brief to help graphic designers visualize your requirements.
#2 Connect with a Designer
Second, you need to choose how you’ll connect with a designer. In99Designs, you have two options:
- Work Directly
You can choose to work with a graphic designer directly.99Designs will help you find the designer that matches your preferred design style. This option allows you to review the portfolio and request the designer’s quotes.
- Start a Contest
For this option, you’ll open your design brief to the99Designs community. After that, designers will submit ideas to you, providing you multiple styles to choose from.
#3 Collaborate
Lastly, after choosing your preferred design process, you’ll collaborate with your graphic designer. Once satisfied with the output, you can release the payment securely to the designer. Take note that all copyright and ownership entirely belongs to you.
99Designs Review: The Pros and Cons
Pros of99Designs
- Built-in design process
It guides the non-designers to organize their design requirements. The platform provides questions that help clients define their requirements to help designers visualize what is needed. So if you also have a hard time translating the creative path you want your designer to take,99Designs’ platform will help.
- 100% Money-back warranty
99Designs offers a 100% guarantee within 60 days of payment. The warranty is available for all types of contests. However, it does not apply to contests with a guaranteed prize. When we say “guaranteed prize,” it means that the contest already proceeded to the final round.
- Estimated quantity of submissions
As you pick a package for your design requirement,99Designs will provide an estimated quantity based on the budget. Each bid will have a fixed amount of price. So, it’s safe to say there are no hidden fees.
- Large Marketplace
99Designs is one of the best graphic design services on the internet. Its popularity is evident by the number of bids a client receives on a single project. Although it’s a disadvantage for the designers, as the client, you have more gains.
Cons of99Designs
- Limited Options
As you scroll through several design proposals for your contest, you can’t research more about the designers. It’s impossible to dig deeper about the designer’s portfolio, resume or feedback from previous customers.
- Misleading Pricing
According to99Designs, “you can set your price.” However, there are minimum prices for each design category. Although the minimum fee is reasonable, the claim of setting your rate as a client is somewhat misleading.
- Newbie Designers
There are a handful of people who believe newbie designers often join design contests. For some, this claim is valid, but seniority is not an issue as long as they produce quality works.
- Unpaid Efforts
This is the advantage for designers when joining contests. Of course, designers are aware of this downside. However, they often take it as a learning experience.
99Designs Review: Monthly Plans
The following are the fixed pricing for contest packages. Using the contest option in99Designs, you’ll receive creative concepts from multiple designers around the world.
Logo Design
- Bronze, 30 designs at $299
- Silver, 60 designs at $499
- Gold, 90 designs at $899
- Platinum, 60 designs at $1,299 (Top-level designer entry requirement)
Web Page Design
- Bronze, 15 designs at $599
- Silver, 25 designs at $899
- Gold, 35 designs at $1,599
- Platinum, 25 designs at $2,499 (Top-level designer entry requirement)
Other Pricing Includes:
- 3D
- Album cover
- App design
- Banner ad
- Book cover
- Business card
- Car, truck, or van wrap
- Character or mascot
- Landing page design
- Merchandise design
- Graphic illustrations
- Other Branding assets
Maximizing Your Experience with 99Designs
Here are several expert tips to help you utilize 99Designs effectively:
- Define Your Vision Clearly: Begin with a comprehensive and clear design brief. The more details you provide about your vision, the better designers can align with your expectations.
- Choose the Right Engagement Model: Decide whether direct collaboration with a designer or launching a contest fits your project better. Each has its benefits, with direct hires offering personalized engagement and contests providing diverse creative options.
- Engage Actively with Designers: Whether you opt for a direct hire or a contest, actively engaging with the designers is crucial. Provide feedback promptly to refine designs closer to your vision.
Final Note
In the end, this99Designs review proved that the platform is one of the best graphic design services on the internet. If you’re still contemplating if you need their service, you can explore the99Designs website. However, if you’re searching for a design service that’s perfect for non-design,99Designs is worth considering.
Business
Graphics Zoo Review: Is this unlimited graphic design service worth it?
Published
1 month agoon
March 14, 2024Due to the increased demand for affordable graphic design, various unlimited graphic design services has been popping up online. The graphic design industry expanded, offering more options to clients.
We can say that the scene is more competitive now than ever. However, let’s focus on Graphics Zoo for this article. We weigh in on if their services can keep up with the fierce competition in the “unlimited” section of the industry.
What is Graphics Zoo?
Graphics Zoo is an unlimited graphic design service that allows users to request designs on a monthly subscription. All clients have to do is create a submission with full specifications of their design requirements.
It’s also best to attach references to help designers take the creative path towards the client’s preferences. The great thing about an online graphic design service is its flat monthly rate, with no added fees for revisions.
Graphics Zoo Business Model
Unlimited graphic design is a type of business model which allows clients to submit numerous requests per account. After presenting the design preference, expect a 24-hour turnaround or more before you can receive your output. If you receive a design output that’s far from expectations, you can point out the changes you want to make for the revision. Graphics Zoo has a flat monthly rate with no contracts involved. It means you can cancel your subscription anytime without having any legal worries.
You might also like: Design Pickle VS Penji Review
Graphics Zoo’s Market
The design service is excellent for startups, bloggers, and entrepreneurs. As long as the business needs a continuous supply of custom graphic design, Graphics Zoo is worth a shot. Here are a few examples of companies that worked with Graphics Zoo:
- Enicode
- Bread of Life Inc.
- Western Rockies Federal Credit Union
- Perfect Imprints
- Green Guard
According to their website, Graphics Zoo has more than 750 satisfied customers with at least 50,000 approved projects. It’s also highly rated by their customers, earning whopping 4.9-star reviews.
Pros and Cons of Graphics Zoo
Graphics Zoo Pros
- PROOF management system
Graphics Zoo offers a robust system that provides a collaborative space for designers and clients. It streamlines the whole submission and revision process. Using the tool, the clients can click on any submitted designs to pinpoint areas that need revision. It also allows users to leave a comment to provide more instructions to the designer.
- Graphics Zoo offers a stellar project management system that allows efficient communication between both parties.
- Brand profile features add accuracy and efficiency per design project. It quickly provides the design’s purpose to designers.
- Graphics Zoo offers a comprehensive design selection across various graphic design categories.
- The ability to share one account among multiple users is helpful for most businesses.
- Excellent customer support and design project management system
- A team of versatile designers that can provide designs for any business types
Graphics Zoo Cons
- It’s possible to encounter ill-paired designers that are not fit for other project requirements. It might consume time because of countless revisions.
- You can only have one ongoing project per day. So if you’re a business with a high design output demand, you should opt for a plan with more designers.
- Graphics Zoo’s system only allows you to chat with the designers. If you’re more inclined to video calls, it might be a problem for you.
Graphics Zoo’s Pricing Plan
Graphics Zoo offers three monthly plans with robust features:
Business Plan
- $349 per month
- All basic features
- One dedicated designer
- Additional $349 for additional designer
- Five brand profiles
- Three users
- 14-day guarantee
Business Unlimited Plan
- $449 per month
- Everything included in the business plan
- Unlimited brand profiles
- Unlimited users
- White-label platforms
- Customized web design service
- 14-day guarantee
Agency Plan
- $849 per month
- Everything included in previous plans
- Two dedicated designer
- 30-day guarantee
- When starting a project with GraphicsZoo, making the most of their streamlined and user-friendly platform is crucial. Here are some key strategies for a successful collaboration:
- Use Slack for direct communication with your designer. This allows for instant feedback and praise, ensuring clear and efficient revisions or approvals.
- Prioritize clear and detailed communication. Never assume your designer has implicit understanding of your needs. Be explicit in your project briefs, and don’t hesitate to share comprehensive information about your brand and objectives.
- Remember, effective communication is as vital with your design team as it is in any other part of your business. The clarity and detail of your interactions can significantly influence whether the final design meets your expectations or falls short.
- By following these guidelines, you can foster a more productive and satisfying partnership with GraphicsZoo, leading to designs that perfectly embody your vision.
Tips for GraphicsZoo Users
When starting a project with GraphicsZoo, making the most of their streamlined and user-friendly platform is crucial. Here are some key strategies for a successful collaboration:
- Use Slack for direct communication with your designer. This allows for instant feedback, ensuring clear and efficient revisions.
- Prioritize clear and detailed communication. Never assume your designer has implicit understanding of your needs. Be explicit in your project briefs, and don’t hesitate to share comprehensive information about your brand and objectives.
Other Unlimited Graphic Design Companies
If you’re looking for more options with a similar business model as Graphics Zoo, we did the work for you. Here is our full list of unlimited graphic design services.
Reviews
Writesonic Review: Is this the Best Content Writing Tool in 2023?
Published
8 months agoon
September 4, 2023AI-assisted content writing is becoming popular. However, many wonder how to use it and if it sounds authentic. Writesonic is one of the many AI writing assistants transforming content creation. This article will help you understand Writesonic better, along with its features. Continue reading to learn more.
Overview of Writesonic
Writesonic is an AI-powered writing software that can help anyone generate an article or social media post. Writesonic uses GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and the new GPT-4 32K. In addition to these powerhouse large language models (LLMs), it’s like having a freelance writer on call 24 hours a day. Input some keywords, product descriptions, or phrases to work with, and it will return computer-generated results.
Why even use this writing app? It can help you with the so-called writer’s block and solve problems with structured writing, such as headlines, meta descriptions, etc. It’s so good that it sits near the top of our list of best AI content generators for 2023.
Key Features of Writesonic
Many people come to Writesonic because of its AI writing tool. But as Writesonic evolves, it creates other opportunities for users to apply advanced AI tools to different areas of their
tasks. Below are the three remarkable features of Writesonic.
1. AI Article and Blog Writer
Writesonic’s flagship product is its AI writer. It allows you to create long-form content using a simple four-step process.
- You’ll start with a topic; the AI will generate several titles/article ideas.
- After choosing a title, you’ll be given a few introduction options.
- Next, you’ll get outline options.
- Once you have selected a title, introduction, and outline, the program will generate your content.
A portion of the AI article generated with the title “How to Earn from TikTok Advertising
Writesonic’s AI article and blog writer is helpful for content creators, marketers, and businesses that need to produce content regularly. The tool supports content generation in 25 languages. It also allows users to set the tone of the content, ranging from exciting and professional to funny and dramatic. Writesonic can also mix different types of content creation within a single document so that you can easily create highly tailored pieces of content.
The tool can also rephrase content, expand sentences, and condense lengthy paragraphs, making it invaluable for enhancing and refining content.
2. Chatsonic AI Chat Assistant
Writesonic’s AI chat assistant mimics human-like conversation, providing users with a more interactive and engaging experience. It’s one of the better ChatGPT alternatives out there. Chatsonic brings multiple different skills to the table within the chat interface. It natively has access to the internet and current, live data to get you the most accurate responses. It can also handle requests to generate AI art and images.
3. Botsonic AI Conversational Chatbot
This feature increases customer interaction by providing personalized and interactive conversations. Developed to understand and respond to user inputs conversationally, it makes interactions more natural and engaging. It achieves this by building off OpenAI’s API and appending prompt instructions with user chat messages.
Businesses can leverage this feature to automate customer interactions, provide personalized recommendations, and engage users in interactive conversations. For instance, a travel agency can use Botsonic to provide customized travel recommendations based on a user’s preferences and previous interactions.
Any business can “train” the AI chatbot on their data by uploading knowledgebase articles or providing specific URLs from which the bot should get information. This allows users to benefit from GPT-4 with their in-house data explicitly written for a single business.
Pricing Plans
Writesonic offers various pricing plans to cater to different needs, from individual users to businesses and teams. The Pro plan is the plan most will get because it gives access to all the features.
Free Plan
The free plan allows you to try out all the features of Writesonic. It includes 10,000 words per month with a one-user limit. Some features include the following:
- a ChatGPT-like chatbot
- an AI chatbot builder
- 100+ AI templates
- browser extensions,
- one-click WordPress export
- support for 25+ languages.
It’s important to note that this is a “free plan” and not a “free trial.” Use it every month if you like; it does not expire.
Business Plan
Businesses and agencies needing a set amount of generated words per month will typically opt for this plan.
It costs $19 per month and includes 200,000 words. It offers all the features from the free plan, plus:
- access to GPT-4 and GPT-4 32K
- a factual and personalized article writer
- an unlimited no-code AI chatbot builder
- an article paraphrase/rewriter
- Writesonic API
- Surfer integration
- access to priority support.
Unlimited
The unlimited plan is best for individuals and freelancers.
It costs $20 per month for an unlimited number of words. This plan is subject to Writesonic’s Fair Use Policy. Some of the inclusions of the unlimited plan are:
Chatsonic: ChatGPT-like chatbot
- 100+ AI Templates
- AI Article Writer
- Browser Extensions
- 1-Click WordPress Export
- Zapier Integration
- Landing Page Generator
- Sonic Editor (Google Docs like Editor)
- Complete Article Rewriter
- Brand Voice
- Factual and Personalized Article Writer (AI Article Writer 5.0; Uses GPT-4 32K)
- API Access
Enterprise Plan
This plan is best for content teams and whole businesses. It offers custom packages, AI model development, onboarding, and better customer support.
Choosing this requires contacting sales for custom pricing.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Suitable for all different types of content
- Generates plagiarism-free content
- User-friendly dashboard
- Write engaging social media content
- Create perfectly optimized ad copy
- Works on all essential platforms
- Includes an AI art generator
Cons:
- Sometimes, the quality of content is not good enough
- Makes content mistakes that need to be fixed
Conclusion
Writesonic is a powerful tool to use for producing your written content. While many platforms offer content generation options, Writesonic can assist with almost anything you need to write. It has features tailored for specific types of content instead of just one tool to write all content.
However, Writesonic does not claim that its AI can create perfect content independently. Instead, it aims to be a tool where humans can leverage AI to speed up content generation while still producing quality outputs.