So you've decided you want silence. Maybe your open-plan office sounds like a beehive, maybe the bloke sitting next to you on the train is on the phone like a sports commentator, or maybe you just want to listen to music without the world's noise getting in the way. Fair enough.
There's a surprising number of options in the under-€200 ANC headphone space. Some of them are good. Some of them are rubbish in a pretty box. Let's go through honestly what you get for your money – and what you don't.
What do you actually get for under €200?
In this price range you'll find the likes of Sony WH-1000XM4 (which has dropped into this bracket now that the newer model is out), Jabra Elite 85h, JBL Tune 770NC, and of course our own VMK20 and VMK25. Samsung and Huawei have their contenders too, but their sound quality is often the kind that would give Jasse a heart attack.
Roughly speaking:
- ANC performance: Sony is still king. It just is. Their noise cancellation is excellent, and there's no point arguing about it.
- Sound quality: This is where the playing field levels out. Sony's default sound is dark and bass-heavy – like listening to music through a pillow. Jasse has tuned Valco headphones so that music sounds like music, not like a swamp.
- Comfort: Depends on your head. All headphones in this price range are reasonably comfortable. The VMK25 ear cushions are user-replaceable, which is nice when after two years they start looking like a dog's been using them as chew toys.
- Price: JBL and Valco are the most affordable. Sony costs more, even on sale.
Why Valco?
Three words: repairability, sound quality, price.
Valco headphones are repaired in Kajaani. Not shipped to China, not chucked in the bin, not met with "just buy new ones." Jasse or one of the other repair guys opens up the headphones, swaps the part, and sends them back. Try calling Sony and asking for a repair. Good luck with that.
The sound has been tuned by Jasse, whose ears are insured – apparently for more than Henri's Alfa Romeo, which breaks down on a monthly basis anyway. Jasse's philosophy is simple: headphones should reproduce music the way the artist intended, not the way the marketing department would like.
As for price: the VMK20 costs well under €150. The VMK25 comes in under €200. Sony's XM4 sits in the same price range, but when it breaks, it's gone. Our headphones will outlive Henri's dream of owning a Ferrari – which, to be fair, is also remarkably persistent.
And every purchase funds the Death Star. We're currently at about 0.000003 percent. Thank you for your contribution.
When should you pick something else?
Let's be honest.
- If ANC is the single most important feature for you and eliminating aeroplane engine hum is your life's priority, the Sony WH-1000XM4 or XM5 is the better choice. Their noise cancellation is the best on the market. We're good, not the best.
- If you want seamless Apple ecosystem integration, the AirPods Max is a solid choice – if you've got spare cash burning a hole in your pocket. A lot of spare cash.
- If you want the cheapest option possible, the JBL Tune series is affordable. The sound quality reflects that, though. You get what you pay for.
We're not for everyone. And that's totally fine.
Summary
| Feature | Valco VMK25 | Sony WH-1000XM4 | JBL Tune 770NC |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC | Good | Excellent | OK |
| Sound quality | Excellent | Good | Decent |
| Repairability | Yes, in Kajaani | Not really | No |
| Price | Under €200 | €150–250 | Under €120 |
| Death Star funding | Yes | No | No |
If you want headphones that last, sound great, and can be repaired when life happens – Valco is a strong choice. If you need the absolute best noise cancellation and don't mind your headphones being essentially disposable, Sony is the familiar safe bet.
We acknowledge our competitor's strengths, because we're not some corporation that claims to be the best at everything. We're a 14-person company from Oulu that makes really good headphones and fixes them when they break. That's about it.
Order yours at [valco.fi](https://valco.fi) – and cheers for all the money. The Death Star isn't going to build itself.
