Mpow H5 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Review

The Bose QuietComfort headphones are known for their noise cancellation, but we’re seeing Active Noise Cancellation technology come to some lower cost headphones like the Mpow H5s. How does it compare?

Design

The Mpow H5 headphones have a foldable design that is common with many headphones this size. This makes the headphones convenient for travel, but it’s important to note that these headphones do come with a hard case like the Bose QuietComfort. It comes with a cloth bag for storing the headphones, so be sure to pack it near the top of your bag so the headphones do not become crushed from the weight of your other items.

A glossy exterior exists on the outside of each ear cup, which easily attracts fingerprints but is easy enough to wipe off. The headphones fit snug on my head. The bottom of each cup seems to apply more pressure than the rest of the cup which I found slightly uncomfortable at first, but quickly got used to it and it doesn’t seem to really bother me after a few uses.

On left ear cup, you’ll find the power button and volume controls. On the right ear cup, you’ll find the noise cancellation switch. It’s important to note that the LED light for the noise cancellation features stays on even when the headphones are turned off, so make to switch the noise cancelling feature off when not in use to save your battery.

Sound Quality

Music quality does not quite match the likes of Bose, but that doesn’t mean these Mpow headphones are bad. The Mpow’s feature great bass and good mids with clear highs. Bass can be a little overpowering at times, but overall the sound quality does not disappoint.

Even in a quiet room, I notice an improved “boost” to the volume and the quality of the music when the Active Noise Cancellation feature is activated, so I find myself using the feature even when it is not needed.

Noise Cancelling

I’ve been using this headphones while mowing the grass and while they do not completely make the sound of the mower disappear, they do a decent job of reducing the sound of it and allowing my music to come through. I still need to set the volume of the music fairly high, but definitely not as high as when the Active Noise Cancellation feature is off.

The Active Noise Cancellation features isn’t as strong as Bose QuietComfort 35 II, but it is enough to reduce the general “hum” of an airplane. However, if you’re a frequent flyer, the increased ANC ability of the Bose QuietComforts may be worth the investment. The Mpow’s won’t completely drown out the outside world, but are fine for the occasional plane or train ride.

Features

The Mpow H5 headphones do not have a “built-in” virtual assistant like the Bose QuietComfort 35 IIs. However, you can access your phone’s assistant by double-tapping the Play button on the headphones and speaking your request.

You can answer phone calls using the headphones by tapping the Play button once when your phone is ringing. Microphone performance is mediocre and can pick up a lot of background noise, so these headphones are better suited for short conversations.

The headphones are not waterproof and, in fact, the charging port is not covered, so be careful to not expose the headphones to liquids or excessive sweat. Speaking of which, I did experience a bit of the “ear sweats” while wearing these, so if you plan to use these for lifting weight, you may need to remove the headphones frequently to give your ears a chance to breath.

Battery Life

The Mpow H5 headphones deliver about 10-12 hours of battery life when using Bluetooth with the Active Noise Cancelling feature turned on, and up to 18 hours if using an Aux cable without the Active Noise Cancelling feature.

The headphones take about 2 hours to recharge using the included Micro USB cable.

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