We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a do-everything headphone with true active noise cancelling, a detachable boom mic and a foldable on-ear design for commutes and video calls, choose Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC; if you need an open-ear, sweat-resistant sport headphone with LED safety lights, app control and a charging case, choose Philips A6709.
• Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC — biggest strength: true active noise cancelling plus a detachable microphone, a combination that turns one pair of on-ear headphones into both a commute companion and a work-from-home headset.
• Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC — biggest trade-off: it's the bulkier, more old-school option (on-ear fit, 14.56 ounces, foldable arms) and its ANC is tuned for blocking outside noise rather than for sport or open-air awareness.
• Philips A6709 — biggest strength: an open-ear air-conduction design built for movement, with LED safety lights, an IP55 rating and app-controlled sound and gestures.
• Philips A6709 — biggest trade-off: no noise cancelling at all, and the spec sheet lists a 7-hour average battery life with a 2-hour charge time — modest numbers for a wearable aimed at long sessions.
• Pick Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC if you want one pair for calls, commutes and focused listening at a desk.
• Pick Philips A6709 if you want something that stays put while you run, ride or train, and you'd rather hear your surroundings than block them out.
The Nanophones ANC is a traditional on-ear headphone with a twist: the microphone comes off. That detachable mic is the detail that defines the product. With it plugged in, you can step from music into a virtual meeting or a phone call without swapping hardware. Pull it out, and you're back to a normal pair of Bluetooth headphones. In my opinion, that single feature is what makes this model worth a look for anyone whose day is split between listening and talking — students on video classes, people on back-to-back calls, or anyone who wants one device instead of a headset plus earbuds.
Who should skip it? If you want headphones for running, lifting or cycling, this isn't the design. It's on-ear, fairly heavy at 14.56 ounces, and built around faux leather and plastic rather than sweat resistance. It's also a headphone you have to store — the foldable arms and swiveling cups make that compact, but there's no charging case here. And if you specifically want to stay aware of traffic or your surroundings while you listen, active noise cancelling is the opposite of what you're after.
Philips A6709: Who It's For
The Philips A6709 takes the other road entirely. It's an open-ear, air-conduction design with an over-ear hook, rubber and silicone materials, and a black finish. Nothing goes inside your ear canal, and nothing seals over it either, so you keep a sense of what's happening around you. That's the whole point of this category, and Philips leans into it: the sheet lists an IP55 rating and LED safety lights, which tells you this product was designed with outdoor movement in mind — running before dark, cycling, walking the dog, gym sessions.
Battery is rated at 7 hours of average life with a 2-hour charge time, and the description mentions a charging case plus true wireless stereo, meaning you can use one earbud while the other stores and charges. App control lets you adjust sound effects and gestures to suit different scenarios, and multipoint connectivity means you can stay linked to two devices at once — a laptop and a phone, for example. The spec sheet lists Bluetooth 4.2 in the product information and Bluetooth 5.3 in the marketing description; either way, it's a wireless-only design with no headphone jack.
Who should skip it? Anyone who wants noise cancelling, because there is none — the noise control field is literally "None." If your priority is shutting out a loud train carriage or an office, this is the wrong tool, and the open-ear fit means you'll hear everything. The 7-hour average battery life is also on the short side for all-day listening, so this is better thought of as a session headphone you top up in its case rather than something you wear from morning to night. And if you need a boom mic for calls, look elsewhere — this relies on its built-in clear-call setup.
• Best for noise cancelling → Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC. It's the only one of the two with active noise cancelling, and it has a dedicated button for it.
• Best for calls and video meetings → Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC. The detachable microphone is designed exactly for joining meetings and calls with clear vocal audio.
• Best for running, cycling and the gym → Philips A6709. Open-ear fit, over-ear hooks, IP55 and LED safety lights are all sport-oriented design choices.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → Philips A6709. Air conduction leaves your ears open; ANC does the reverse.
• Best for longer single-charge listening → Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC. 12 hours rated versus 7 hours average on the Philips.
• Best for charging convenience → Philips A6709. A 2-hour charge time and a charging case make top-ups quick, versus 12 hours on the Altec Lansing.
• Best for app-based customization and two-device pairing → Philips A6709. App control for sound and gestures, plus multipoint connectivity.
• Best for compact storage in a bag → Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC. Foldable arms and swiveling ear cups collapse into a small shape. If price matters to you, compare the current prices on Amazon before deciding — that's the one variable I can't help with.
If I had to buy one, I'd take the Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC — not because it's better at everything, but because it covers more of what most people actually do with headphones: commute, work, take calls, listen. The detachable mic and the ANC button are two features I'd genuinely use, and 12 hours of rated battery beats 7. The Philips A6709 is the smarter pick if your life happens outdoors and you want to hear the world while you move, but its lack of noise cancelling and shorter battery life make it a specialist. In my opinion, the Altec Lansing is the safer all-rounder for a first or only pair.
Not universally. The Altec Lansing wins on noise cancelling, call features and rated battery life (12 vs 7 hours). The Philips wins on open-ear comfort, water resistance, safety lights and app control. It depends on whether you want to block sound or stay aware of it.
No. The specification lists noise control as "None," and the open-ear air-conduction design intentionally lets outside sound in. If blocking noise is a must, the Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC is the one with true active noise cancelling.
The Altec Lansing Nanophones ANC, in my opinion. The detachable microphone is made for joining meetings and calls, and the on-ear, noise-cancelling design helps in a noisy house. The Philips A6709 relies on its built-in clear-call setup and keeps you aware of the room instead.
The Philips A6709. It's built around sport: open-ear fit, over-ear hooks, rubber and silicone materials, an IP55 rating and LED safety lights. The Altec Lansing is an on-ear headphone weighing 14.56 ounces — fine for a commute, not designed for a workout. As for value, check the current price on Amazon for each before you commit.
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See also: Altec Lansing Nanobuds ANC 2.0 vs Gabba Goods Over-Ear Headphones, ONANOFF Made vs Niderson Mini ANC Sleep: Best Selling, SOAR Collegiate Active vs Xmenha ANC: Active Noise