Shure AONIC 50: The best sound quality in a Bluetooth ANC headset?

Shure is the most important brand of microphones since it appeared in 1925. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Beatles or Elvis Presley always used their products for recording. In this century they started to launch consumer equipment and their headphones occupy a special place.

The Shure AONIC 50 is the company's best noise-cancelling headphone and competes at the top of the market. They don't offer as many features as the competition, but the sound quality is really incredible. In this article we tell you all its pros, cons and features.

Design and construction quality

At first glance, the Shure AONIC 50 looks like a stylish and expensive Bluetooth headset. Large cups featureremovable memory foam pads with leather trim. The over-ear cups are attached to a leather-covered aluminum headband and can be rotated through 90 degrees for easy portability.

These are attractive, modern and sober noise-cancelling headphones. As decoration, they only present the brand logos on both cups. They are a little heavy (334 gr), but feel comfortable due to the quality of the materials. Likewise, the headband distributes the pressure well around the head.

Inside each cup are 50mm dynamic drivers. The Shure AOONIC 50s work with a frequency response of 20Hz to 22kHz, an impedance of 39 ohms and a sensitivity of 98 dB. They integrate microphones that work flawlessly (something to be expected in a Shure product) to make calls or perform voice commands to Google Assistant.

They come with a hard case, something we appreciate since they do not have a folding structure. The Shure AONIC 50 earphones package also comes with a 2.5mm-3.5mm audio cable and USB-C for charging.

Controls, functions and connectivity

On the left cup is the audio port for wired use when you don't want to waste battery power. On the right cup is the USB-C port and a button for power and Bluetooth synchronization.

Two additional sets of controls are located on the right cup of the Shure AONIC 50. With the first one you can manage the volume, playback, change songs, answer calls or activate the Google Assistant.

With the second set of controls you activate the active noise cancellation or the ambient mode. This last function amplifies external sounds so that you can have a conversation without removing your headphones.

They work with Bluetooth 5 and support the best codecs: aptX HD; aptX Low Latency or LDAC, among others. They allow you to play high-definition files, such as MQA Tidal Master files. Wireless connectivity works flawlessly and operates over a wide range.

Through the ShurePlus PLAY application you can adjust the levels of noise cancellation and ambient mode. The ambient mode has up to 10 levels and the maximum level allows you to hear a very loud clap. The ANC is also very effective in any type of environment and enhances the power of the Shure AONIC 50.

The application of the Shure AONIC 50 is very easy to use. It basically works as a digital music player and supports any file type and resolutions up to 24bit/352kHz for FLAC or WAV formats. You can organize your music into playlists and access different equalizer settings.

Battery life

In terms of autonomy, it reaches 20 hours of continuous playback at medium volumes with the ANC. It is not the best capacity on the market and leaves much to be desired when compared to the Sennheiser Momentum 4 (60 hours). However, it is sufficient for most users. In addition, they charge very quickly via the USB-C port.

Sound quality

Overall, the Shure AONIC 50 earphones sound great. The audio is perceived as balanced, with energy and subtle details in all frequencies. They are not aggressive and all shades stand out in their own space.

They allow you to enjoy any mix as the creators intended. They sound faithful, natural and expressive. The bass is deep, textured and lively. The details of the instruments surprised us, as did the absolute control of all the tonalities. The treble also stands out for its finesse and the vocals sound with a lot of character.

They have no problems with abrupt dynamic changes and the rhythms sound impeccable. The most complex arrangements sound unified and consistent. The sound spatiality of the Shure AONIC 50 is also remarkable for a closed headset. In the sound department, the AONIC 50s stand out from the competition.

Why do we like the Shure AONIC 50?

The sound quality is incredible. In the most important department, the following stand out. They are also attractive, comfortable and the build quality is top notch.

Why don't we like them?

They are expensive and do not offer extra features like the Bowers&Wilkins PX7 S2, Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort 45. Active noise cancellation is solid, but also doesn't match that of the best ANC headsets. In addition, battery life leaves something to be desired.

Shure AONIC 50 Conclusion

They are expensive, but rank at the top of the market in terms of performance. The sound quality is brilliant and remarkable, the ANC solid and the build quality excellent. They don't offer extra features, but if you're looking for noise cancelling headphones for your audio they're a great choice. Interested? Find the best price on this link.

Shure AONIC 50 reviews

This model has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Overall, the vast majority of people agree that they offer great sound, although they feel that the NCA leaves something to be desired. Below are some of the various reviews highlighted on the shopping portal.

• Paul: “I'm not an audiophile, but I do know what sounds good. They offer good detail, neutrality, spatiality. I have several headphones and these are the best for listening to music in high resolution formats.”
• Pablo F: “Excellent sound quality, the best I've tried in a Bluetooth headset. However, they are heavy and the noise cancellation is not as good as the Sony WH1000.”
• jose geek: “The sound quality is very high, which is typical of Shure. However, the company has not yet mastered active noise cancellation well.”