Denon has announced two pairs of wireless earbuds in the AH-C500W and AH-C840NCW, the former lets sound in for awareness, while the latter blocks out sound.
These new earbuds join the PerL range that we reviewed in early 2024, but at a much more affordable price. The AH-C500W and AH-C840NCW are priced at $99 / £99 / €99 and $159 / £159 / €159 respectively.
Premium features for a less than premium price
And what do you get for that money? Starting with the AH-C500W, it’s an open design which means that it lets sound in so you can be aware of what’s around you. It’s designed for all day wear, the open-design would make it a great option for those who don’t love the feelinof in-ear tips. An IPX4 rating means they’re resistant against splashes of water and sweat, so you could use them for exercise too.
It’s backed up by a battery life that with the charging case can last up to 24 hours. If you run out of battery at any time, there’s the option of wireless charging or a 10-minute refuel that gives the earbuds an extra hour of listening.
Sound is filtered through Denon’s 12mm FreeEdge drivers that it says delivers “immersive audio quality”. There are two microphones per earbud for crystal-clear call quality.
There’s Bluetooth multipoint for connecting to two devices at the same time, and you can switch between those devices as you need too. Bluetooth Auracast is another way of connecting to devices in public spaces, while Bluetooth LE Audio connection offers higher quality audio but uses less of the buds’ battery life so you don’t have to worry about running out of juice.
The AH-C840NCW has most of the same features, including the 12mm FreeEdge drivers, but differs in that it offers longer battery life (35 hours), a choice of silicone ear-tips for the best fit, and it comes with Adaptive Hybrid ANC and transparency modes.
You have the choice to either block out sound if things get too noisy or let sounds in when you need to be aware of what’s nearby.
Both new earbuds go on sale from April 15th through the Denon website and major online retailers.
