Buying a practical and functional set headphones for Android devices that'll won't be a bank breaker is no easy task. But Etymotic has done just that with its in-ear noise cancelling MC2 headphones. For only £75, you get what you pay for so dont expect a chorus of angels, but the MC2s are a feature heavy set of inner space Android headphones.

Etymotic MC2 Android headphones: Build quality

The headphones are well-built and come with a host of extras to make your outlay worthwhile. Etymotic bundles large 3-tier replacement ear-inserts, foam-padding versions, and ominously-monikered 'slide' tips, as well as a massively fiddly tool to remove filer tips from the audio tip. That's all done without making you feel like a dirty Grebo by the diplomatically judicious removal of words like earwax and aural secretions on the ad-blurb. Sweet. There’s also an eminently forgettable wee zip bag but it is better quality than many we've seen in the T3 labs.

Etymotic MC2 Android headphones: Style

Not exactly a paean to the Gods of style, Etymotic MC2 Android headphones have a kinked, banana style jack plug thus arriving at a cunning compromise between retro bent (handy for jeans pockets) and straight (jackets). While these aren’t likely to appeal to sophisticates or pretentious urbanites, they are good enough to wear. To be honest, most of the headphone is shoved half way down your earhole, delivering mostly decent audio and making them relatively unobtrusive.

Etymotic MC2 Android headphones: In use

We didn’t like the weird positioning of the faffy controls and headset, which would’ve been much easier to use if Etymotic put it in the middle. However, the single button is great, and configurable through Android apps such as PowerAMP. Still disappointing not to have volume though the button multi-press works flawlessly and kills off thousands of those phone-out-to-skip-a-track moments. The quality of audio is good if a bit flat and easily distorted. That’s possibly the result of cheaper drivers but they are a considerable improvement over many overly-bassy cans and the noise cancelling is fantastic.

Etymotic MC2 Android headphones: Verdict

Overall, a massive improvement over iPhone-specific earphones for Android, BlackBerry and wp7 users. However, these aren't the cutting-edge model, and the drivers reflect this. However, at £75, these are priced about right.

Etymotic MC2 Android headphones avalability: Out now

Etymotic MC2 Android headphones price: £75