Zildjian’s wireless headphones have a special ANC mode for drums

Zildjian, the company that’s been making cymbals and other drum accessories for hundreds of years, has announced a new pair of wireless headphones. In addition to the company’s iconic logo on each ear cup, the Alchem-E Perfect Tune Headphones offer a more “personalized listening experience” and a special ANC mode the company claims lets musicians tune out everything except their drum kits.

Being able to customize the sound profile through an equalizer in an accompanying app is a feature that’s common in wireless headphones that cost as much as the $399.95 Alchem-E Perfect Tune Headphones. What Zildjian is doing differently is allowing for custom EQ settings for each ear, which could appeal to discerning musicians.

Active noise cancellation has two modes. Users can choose to fully block out unwanted sounds around them or select the “Play-Along” mode, which is tuned to allow the sounds of a drum kit to get through, although dampened by about 50 percent. That mode is designed to be useful for drummers playing along to music in their headphones who still want to hear their own instruments, but in all likelihood, the Alchem-E’s standard ANC mode isn’t going to completely silence a drum kit sitting right in front of you.

The headphones also feature 40-millimeter drivers and can be connected to devices wirelessly using Bluetooth 5.3 or with an included six-foot-long analog audio cable. When going the wireless route, battery life is promised to be 45 hours, even with ANC turned on. The Alchem-E come with a silicone carrying case and user-replaceable padding, and they allow for volume and playback to be controlled using a dial located on the right side of the headphones.