First noise-cancelling earphones from Bose may spark a quiet revolution

Noise-cancelling headphones have been around for a while. The higher-quality ones have always been over-the-ear versions, but Bose has created an in-ear version that blows the competition out of the water.
The QuietComfort 20 acoustic noise-cancelling headphones bring musical tranquility to lovers of good sounds, but at the hefty price tag of HK$2,580.
They are the first in-ear noise-cancelling earphone set from Bose, and feature microphones that detect noise on the outside and inside of your ears. The control module then digitally filters out ambient noise by comparing the sound difference between the two.
Helping to increase the musical experience are the Bose ear tips, which comfortably and gently seal the ears, and help to block external ambient noise.
The control module, which does all the work, is a dongle that looks like a luxury lighter - rectangular and very slim. It has a built-in battery that can be recharged in two hours via a micro-USB cable, and delivers about 16 hours of play time.
The remote control for the headphones has, of course, the standard three buttons: play, volume up and down. But it also features a fourth to turn off the digital noise-cancelling for when you're walking along busy streets and need to be more aware of your surroundings.
Real-world tests of the QuietComfort 20 were impressive: busy streets in Tsim Sha Tsui became very quiet, cancelling out those annoying street marketers.