How could Microsoft make its noise-cancelling cans more appealing? With punchier sound, a lower price, and a colour option other than death grey…

£240/ stuff.tv/Surface2Cans

Anyone familiar with the original Microsoft Surface Headphones isn’t going to find anything too startling here, but hear us out. The Surface Headphones 2 are among the more discreet and coherent noise-cancellers around, especially in this new and very welcome black finish.

[ Words Simon Lucas ]

The circular earcups now swivel through a full 180° to help them fold completely flat, and the memory-foam padding keeps them comfortable for hours. Branding is restricted to a minimal logo on each arm.

Despite a not-too-taxing 290g weight, the SH2s feel robust and ready to endure careless handling. Of course, Microsoft does provide a hard case, where it stashes a charging lead and a 3.5mm cable for when you run out of power for wireless listening.

This is a business-class offering at a ‘premium economy’ price, and one with the potential to put the willies up Bose, B&W, B&O and B… Sony. Let’s give them a listen.

Hi-res to hell

The SH2s use 40mm free-edge dynamic drivers - to all intents and purposes the same drive units as their predecessors(1). Bluetooth 4.2 isn’t the most cutting-edge of codecs either but it’s optimised for aptX, so high-resolution audio files can be streamed without alarm.

Suite seeker

The headphones pair quickly and prove tenacious in the extreme when maintaining a link to your source. Surface laptop and tablet pairing needs just a button press, and from there they gain extra Office 365 skills, including the ability to scroll through PowerPoint slides or control Outlook.

Whole lotta nosy

As with the original Surface Headphones, there are 13 stages of noise-cancellation (2). These run from amplifying external sound so much you can hear car doors being closed in the next street, to shutting out noise so completely that trains pull into stations in apparent silence.

For those about to clock on

Although they’re £90 cheaper than their predecessors, they’re every bit as talented when it comes to passive noise isolation (3). If you’re preparing to become a frequent flier or regular commuter again, they could do wonders for helping you readjust to the rat race.

High joltage

Microsoft has made the SH2s better-balanced: solid low frequencies underpin tunes without dragging at the tempo or messing up the midrange. They’re not quite so polished at the top end, but as an entire sonic entity the HS2s are a confident, accomplished listen.

GOOD MEH EVIL

Outstanding noise-cancelling

Big, controlled sound…

…but tentative treble

Design is still a bit dull

Comfy over extended periods

Extra five hours of battery life

Tech specs

Connectivity Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C, 3.5mm

Battery life Up to 20hrs (with Bluetooth & ANC)

Dimensions 204x195x48mm, 290g

Flick of the switches

You could try shouting “Let there be rock!”, but there are more effective ways of controlling these ’phones

■ The raiser’s edge

We loved the tactile control dials around the edge of each earcup on the first Surface Headphones. They’re back here… and as agreeable as ever. The left dial governs ANC, while the right is responsible for volume.

■ Live wired

Around the edge of the right cup there’s a rash of physical controls, including a pleasingly up-to-date USB-C input for charging, a ‘power/pairing’ button, a Swift Pair control for, well, swift pairing, and a 3.5mm analogue socket.

■ Hell’s quells

Each cup has a touch area for play/pause, skipping tracks and summoning your voice assistant (even Siri). They’re also blessed with extremely responsive accelerometers ready to pause your music the instant you take them off.

■ EQ shook me

It’s also possible to interact with these cans using Microsoft’s Surface Audio app. In truth it’s a good-looking but pretty restricted application, but there is a useful five-band EQ with memory for your custom presets.

Cheaper, better-sounding and not automatically dismal in colour - if it weren’t for the dozens of alternatives it’d be job done. As it stands, they’re a much better option than the headphones they replace. Audio is pleasant, the price is realistic; and if you’re keen to investigate alternatives to all the obvious candidates, you could do far worse.@OnlySimonLucas

STUFF SAYS Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Sonic improvements and a stiff price reduction make Microsoft’s new ANC cans a much more mainstream proposition