The Basics:

Once removed from the "not a toy" bag, we see that the NC1 headphones have a very nice and protective, zippered carrying case. The case is a pseudo-hard shell but with a nylon covering - similar in size to a portable CD case. Of course, the case has a rubberized ASUS logo - which is thankfully not too large or gaudy.



After unzipping the case, we get our first look at the headphones themselves. The working part of the unit has a shiny chrome finish surrounded by a flat black plastic housing. At the top of the headset, there is a nice brushed metal insert. Due to the hinged design of the headphones, they can be securely stored for travel.



The controller for the ASUS NC1 headphones is placed at about arm's length from the headphones, or half way down the cable. This is good if you're using it with your iPod/MP3 player, but not so good if you're using it with your laptop or desktop computer as the controller may dangle during use due to its centralized location. Other headsets I used have the controller closer to the headset for easier control and to prevent "controller dangle". The front of the controller housing features a silver ASUS logo and a mute button. The side has the volume control, on/off switch for the noise reduction feature, and a red indicator light.



The back of the controller has the battery access door and a spring-loaded clip. Upon opening the door, I was pleasantly surprised to find a battery pre-installed. It always nice when companies include all the things you need for operation with their products - so you should have plenty of juice to keep your NC1s operational for quite some time.