For the most part, the Targus Travel-Ease Noise Cancellation Headphones look and feel like cheap imitations of the Bose headphones. That's not to say they're constructed poorly, but the plastic is just a bit cheaper, and the padding on the earcups and headband isn't covered by leather (or even faux leather), and looks as if it could tear or get scuffed up more easily.
The headphones sound decent enough, but they aren't great. They'd be fine for watching a movie on a plane and some casual music listening, but because the bass isn't all that tight, we did experience some listening fatigue. Perhaps it's because this reviewer is used to listening to his iPod music with higher-quality headphones, but if you're at all critical, you may find yourself wanting to take a break after 15 or 20 minutes of listening--or less, depending on just how picky you are. On basic pop fare such as Ziggy Marley's "Drive," Coldplay's "Clocks," and the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," the Targus headphones just lacked that extra edge of detail that even some midrange headphones exhibit. That said, the noise cancellation did a decent job muffling sound, but you do have to have that function engaged to listen to music.
In the end, we came away feeling that you more or less get what you pay for. There are definitely some good qualities to these headphones, including the push-to-hear feature, the fold-flat design, and the long, sturdy headphone phone cord. The sound is easily better than most basic headphones in the $30 range; so as long you aren't expecting incredible sound, you should be pretty satisfied. Translation: the Targus Travel-Ease Noise Cancellation Headphones aren't a steal, but they are a reasonable value.
What You'll Pay
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