Bluetooth-enabled headphones are nothing particularly new - they have, in fact, been around for a while.

However, like all products hoping to keep selling in a competitive market, they have had to change: this has included adding microphones to make them hands-free and, for the ladies, adding crystals.

Etymotic’s ety8 headphones, however, have something more useful: noise-cancelling features.

The headphones are not what you would call pretty, and those who like their technology to look sleek and sophisticated may think that they are among the worst-looking headphones around. The rectangular design of the headphones makes them look more like individually wrapped Dairy Milk chocolates.

They can be used with a Bluetooth-enabled computer or mobile phone (although there's no microphone, so you can't talk into them), or with an iPod using the supplied adaptor. The earphones are of the in-ear kind, which means they sit inside the user's ear canal. Although they come with three different-sized earbuds, all are bigger than average, which meant we found them almost impossible to keep in.

However, during the times we were able to keep them in, the noise cancellation worked extremely well, letting in no background noise. Generally, the sound quality cannot be faulted.

The ety8s come with an adapter that plugs into the bottom of a first- and second-generation iPod Nano or a fifth-generation iPod, and once plugged in the headphones may be used straight away.

For other Bluetooth devices it's a matter of pairing the devices, following a procedure that's set out in the manual and is very easy to follow. Controls such as Play and Skip Track are all located on the right earbud, and are easy to access, but be warned: pressing the buttons too hard will have a knock-on effect on your eardrum.

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