Philips SHC1300

Lightweight and infra-red enabled, these wireless Philips SHC1300 over-ear headphones come with their own transmitter. 3 AAA batteries are also included so users can start listening immediately.

The Philips SHC1300s are a midrange product with a smart polished appearance. They are finished in matt black plastic and have Philips' signature branding on each side. The ear cups are padded for comfort and the overhead bar is adjustable to suit a range of users. The box includes an infra-red transmitter, a set of three AAA batteries and a cable to power the transmitter. The plug attached is a two-pin version, so users in the UK will have to buy a 3-pin adaptor. The battery life runs to around 20-30 hours of use and these headphones are compatible with rechargeable batteries. The transmitter has four illuminated LED tabs, and these glow a subtle red colour when it is switched on. The transmitter can be used in combination with more than one headphones set, so a number of users can watch TV or game together. The infra-red feature also boosts the transmitter’s security, as the signal cannot pass through solid walls, meaning that no one outside of the room can listen in.

As they are designed for watching television, working on a PC or playing video games, the sound quality of the Philips SHC1300 headphones is good and clear, but not excellent. At higher volumes they can have a tendency to become slightly tinny, but for general audio output like listening to people speaking, ambient noise and background music, the headphones are capable of picking up many nuances of a soundtrack which may be missed otherwise.

For users to control the headphones conveniently there is an on/off switch on one ear and the other houses the volume control. After ten minutes of silence, the transmitter will automatically switch itself off. This is an energy efficient feature, but may not suit every user because if the headphones are still switched on, they will produce a hissing noise.

These headphones have been produced to be comfortable enough for prolonged use and deliver a more than adequate performance around the home for casual listeners. They are also simple to set up and one transmitter will serve multiple headphones. However, for more demanding audiophiles who would possibly prefer a more punchy set of wireless enabled headphones, the Phillips SHD8600/10 Digital Wireless Headphones may be worth considering.