Rhythms are expressed organically – even rhythms as gimpy as those on display during this recording. The dynamics of the tune – the broad pile-ons and the finer harmonic variations – are given proper articulation, too. The Denon manage to create a wide, deep soundstage and position individual instruments on it with absolute certainty, and do so without making any element of the recording sound remote or estranged. There’s convincing unity to the way the Denon present the song, a harmoniousness that’s by no means a given in wireless earbuds at any price. Denon didn't hit it out of the park with the AH-C830NCW, but it certainly didn't come out with a dud, either. These are solid earbuds that do a key fundamental well, which is sound quality. The fit is hard to measure because of how subjective it may be, but if you can get that right, you will like the combination. It's just a shame there is no real customization involved from an app perspective. Here’s the problem, and it’s a weird one. Normally, I will be spending some time telling you about the additional features and customization potential granted by a companion app. But Denon does not have a companion app for its AH-C830NCWs. Most of my streaming was done through Apple Music and Spotify, and to get this type of sound quality over Bluetooth 5.0 via AAC is impressive. SBC is the other supported codec, while aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC are unsupported for enabling the best audio quality over Bluetooth. What you don't get is any way to change or customize how they work. No equalizer to adjust sound, no way to change the touch-sensitive controls, nor any way to personalize them. What you see and hear is what you get. For those reasons alone, sound quality has to make a statement, and in that regard, the AH-C830NCW come out sounding great. I'm not talking a stunning fidelity, I'm referring to a crisp and defined audio profile coming from the 11mm drivers that you can appreciate out of the box. Mind you, they won't blow away the competition, where the best wireless earbuds stand out for a variety of reasons. They sound as good, or better than a lot of comparable pairs, and most importantly, are easily on par with the AirPods Pro.

The biggest difference between these 830s and their more affordable relatives is the appearance of active noise-cancellation. It’s a three-stage system, cycling through ‘on’, ‘off’ and ‘ambient’ (which gives a little boost to external sounds). There are a couple of mics in each earbud to assist the noise-cancelling processing, while a further three take care of call clarity. Mid-bass is nice and fat, while the mids are perfectly balanced. You couldn’t want for more, in all honesty, and I think that’s high praise indeed. No EQ adjustment means dealing with the sound Denon has dealt, which may not seem ideal to any number of prospective owners. Those who hear the AT-C830NCW in action, though, will realise it’s not the deal-breaker it might have been. Denon has voiced these earbuds expertly. My final test comes in the form of Mac Miller’s “2009.” This is a sonically diverse composition that relies on tiny details and deep, sharp bass. Many earbuds struggle with these. Denon’s tuning has absolutely nailed it — highlighting tiny details like the reverb on Mac’s voice while keeping potential composition-spoiling sections like the 808 bass from distorting the entire thing. You’ll be able to discern instruments on orchestral masterpieces like Quincy Jones’“Soul Bossa Nova,” where brass arrangements and percussive elements like the striking congas are reproduced perfectly. My greatest joy came from indulging in jazz records. The melodic touch on Ahmad Jamal Trio’s “Dolphin Dance” was certainly felt, delivering double bass with such delicacy and steady hi-hats that tap gently on the eardrum.

Rated to IPX4 standard, these earphones are tough enough to cope with a sweaty workout or being caught in a rain shower. Although tough, the AH-C830NCW’s are also comfortable. Light, compact and supplied with three sizes of silicone eartips, they easily fit most.

In terms of features and specifications, the Denon AH-C830NCW seems to deliver good value for frequent travelers. However, most people who are interested in in-earbuds will probably find alternatives in view of the too silverish and not very groovy sound, the clumsy handling and the not always secure fit. First and foremost, the cheaper JBL Tune 230NC TWS, which offers less resolution, but otherwise can actually do everything better than the Denon. Those who want more audiophile tuning and more isolating noise-canceling will probably be happy to pay the small premium for the Panasonic RZ-S500W. Specifications Denon AH-C830NCW Transparency mode is almost as good — it lets a lot of ambient noise in, but doesn’t quite erase the feeling of wearing earbuds the way the AirPods Pro can do. My only complaint, as I mentioned earlier, is the inability to toggle between ANC and transparency directly. Call quality Simon Cohen / Digital Trends In terms of battery life, you'll get up to six hours on a single charge and up to 24 hours total (Denon Noise Cancelling Earbuds), or up to four-and-a-half hours of music on a single charge and up to 18 hours total (Denon Wireless Earbuds) using juice provided by each model's charging case, which is supplied via USB-C. Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless: A more secure fit, tons of app-based customizations, volume control, plus sound and ANC quality that matches the Denons. The AH-C830NCW express dynamic variations well too (the big shifts and the more minor harmonic variations as well), and do really good work with soundstages too. Laying out a symphony orchestra in a rational manner isn’t all that easy for even the most expensive earbuds, but there’s no mistaking where everyone’s sitting when the Denon buds describe it.The digital assistant was the only function that gave me trouble. Firing up Google Assistant became frustrating at times due to the assigned input gesture not always working. When it did pop up, certain words were misinterpreted and minor inquiries like “what is my next event” lead to different actions (why it pulled up my alarm screen was baffling). Siri was more difficult to activate, and it stopped working on my MacBook Pro after one try. Given that there’s no facility here to tweak EQ settings, the pressure’s on Denon to get the sound right - happily, we think the company has done very well to create a natural, tonally even, full-range and coherent listen. I was content with their active noise cancelling capabilities, too. With ANC enabled, the whoosh of passing traffic when walking beside a busy road was reduced to a quieter grumble and the ANC system did a solid job attenuating low and mid-range noise. Higher-pitched squeals made by a police siren, my washing machine and the clinking of kitchen utensils weren’t attenuated as well but that’s not unusual for earbuds at this price point. I’ve got no complaints about their Ambient mode either – it allowed me to hold conversations effectively and piped in sound from the outside world in a natural manner. Stavinsky’s The Rite of Spring as played by the Royal Liverpool Philarmonic orchestra shows a calmer, more delicate side to the little buds.