Noise-Cancelling Headphones - Any reccs?

[Captain Awesome]

I searched, and didn't see much within the last 2-3 years (and I'm putting this in Padded Room, as as to leave Tech Talk to ski tech).

I am thinking I might like to pick up a pair of NC headphones to make long plane trips less annoying. When I was a kid, my dad had a pair of the original Bose Quiet Comforts, and they seemed pretty effective. I was on a trip a few weeks back with my boss who had some Bose QC15s with him, and he was raving about them. It seems to me that Bose is a bit overpriced for the (sound) quality, and I'm wondering if there are better options.

There are good reviews of the Audio-Tecnica ATH-ANC7b, and the price is a lot friendlier. I know that headphones can be a pretty individualized preference sort of thing, and I've never actually worn a pair of the ATs. For the time-being, I'm sniping a bunch of auctions on Ebay without even knowing if I'd like them or not, since I've got a trip to Europe coming up in a few weeks.

Is there anything else I should be looking at?

[PassTheDutchie]

I got the Bose QCII as a gift and love 'em. As for sound quality... Meh, if you are listening on an Ipod or to Mp3s, I can't imagine it much matters.

[bagtagley]

I've got some Etymotic Research ear buds. They insert into your ear canal like an ear plug. I've been really happy with the sound quality, and I can't hear shit besides music when I have them in. My wife has a pair of the Bose noise canceling head phones, and they do work well, but they don't isolate as well as my ear buds.

[Woodsy]

do those run right into your hoody?

[Snow Dog]

I have Shure ear buds. They work like an ear plug. I use them when mowing the lawn and other noisy boring endevours. They came with 3 plug sizes, an airplane adaptor and a case. If you want to be a rock star you can get a custom silicone insert (like DB Blockers) made for them. (That applies to any of the better ear bud drivers.)

[Yukonrider]

this seems relevant...

http://www.caged.in/var/albums/Techn...g?m=1296422008

[hutash]

There is at least one big thread here from a couple years ago. Some really good info from some sound tech mags who know fuck loads more then me. Bottom line; good ears buds are way better then noise canceling head phones. Less sound gets in and the sound quality is vastly superior. The downside is you can't hear shit like voices, but that is also a plus in that you can't hear your boss, or the fat lady in 13A four rows behind you bellowing to be heard over the engine noise like you can with NC head phones. Both brands above are good. Expect to pay $100+ and close to $200 for good to excellent ear buds. Still cheaper then Boise I believe.

I use mine all the time, on several transatlantic flights, mowing the lawn, driving (illegal,'but low profile) et cetra, and you can sleep with them, a plus in noisy hotels.

[rmackd]

What's your price range? Sennheiser makes a great NC Headphone for around $150 (half of what you pay for Bose)

[Bite Me]

Friends don't let friends do Blose. Obscenely overpriced for the performance.

As mentioned above, earbuds are way more effective (I also have Shure's), but I secretly do love my Sennheiser noise canceling headphones. About $200 on sale, and kick the crap out of Blose.

[Mott the Hoople]

I've got some Etymotic Research ear buds. They insert into your ear canal like an ear plug. I've been really happy with the sound quality, and I can't hear shit besides music when I have them in. My wife has a pair of the Bose noise canceling head phones, and they do work well, but they don't isolate as well as my ear buds.

What model do you like and how is the fit?

[Shredhead]

I purchased an external boom mike to turn my Bose QC2'S into an aviation headset.

http://www.uflymike.com/

Bose also has a program to exchange any old headphones for new ones for $100?

[farmer]

I'm cheap, and break headphones constantly (like, rip the chord in half or drop something on them that smashes the earbud) so I tend to buy ~5 sets at a time for as cheap as possible. Any earbud with a soft tip that fits snug inside your ear will cancel out noise. They might not work as good as $200 earbuds, but for my purposes (shutting out annoying cunts and children on airplanes, concentrating while doing hw, etc) they work great. I try to spend ~$5 on a pair.

[Game Over]

i find that the best method for stuff like lawnmowers and tractors is ear protection muffs over ear buds.

[andylsun]

Picked up a Sony MDR-NC50 off ebay a couple of years ago for under $50. Works OK, but the headphone does tend to pick up lots of sound from the headband/pads when noise cancelling is on, and don't even try to use them when eating something. I have used them on flights and they did a pretty good job of blocking out most of the plane noise. Wouldn't pay $170 for them though.

Sennheiser PX-200 closed back headphones (not active noise cancelling) do block out a surprising amount of noise and are light and small for travel.

[HankScorpio]

The Bose over the ear noise canceling ones are top notch. I don't have the best ear for sound quality but they really keep ambient noise out nicely.

[rideit]

There are ~ 20 threads on this, but THIS covers it all:

http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.ed...hguide_art.htm

[The Suit]

Bottom line; good ears buds are way better then noise canceling head phones. Less sound gets in and the sound quality is vastly superior. The downside is you can't hear shit like voices ...

Etymotic has an iOS app called Awareness that uses the built-in microphone in their earbuds to feed back in ambient sounds above background. I have no personal experience with it, but from what I read it sure looks cool.

[Tye 1on]

There is at least one big thread here from a couple years ago.

Might be this thread.

[Captain Awesome]

Might be this thread.

I saw that one, but noted that it was 3 years old, and wondered if there was "new" info that would be good to know.

FWIW, I'm more interested in the noise-abatement properties than sound quality, for the most part. Like someone else pointed out, I'll be listening to MP3s on an iPod, or standard in-flight entertainment - not exactly "golden ears" source material. The main object is to make it easier to sleep, and drown out the drone of the engines, and while I'm at it, maybe listen to some music or watch a movie (I don't sleep well with music playing - I'm not good with using music as "background" for the most part, and it tends to keep me awake). Will the in-ear options do that effectively?

YukonRider- that's a helpful resource. I notice they're not much on the Active NC stuff, but I'll check out pricing on some of the other recommended options.

[hutash]

Will the in-ear options do that

Yes, I could not imagine sleeping with headphones while sleeping with earbuds works well.

[Max Archer]

I'm cheap, and break headphones constantly (like, rip the chord in half or drop something on them that smashes the earbud) so I tend to buy ~5 sets at a time for as cheap as possible. Any earbud with a soft tip that fits snug inside your ear will cancel out noise. They might not work as good as $200 earbuds, but for my purposes (shutting out annoying cunts and children on airplanes, concentrating while doing hw, etc) they work great. I try to spend ~$5 on a pair.

If you're gonna do that, try and get the JVC Gumys or Marshmallows, the sound quality is way above anything else in the price range.

[StormRider]

I've got some Etymotic Research ear buds. They insert into your ear canal like an ear plug. I've been really happy with the sound quality, and I can't hear shit besides music when I have them in. My wife has a pair of the Bose noise canceling head phones, and they do work well, but they don't isolate as well as my ear buds.

Ditto, except my wife has Sennheiser headphones. I went with Etymotic ER-6i and love 'em. They come with multiple rubber tips and a pair of foam tips (I think) so you can get a best fit.

[Tippster]

I'm using a pair of these at the moment: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-MK-.../dp/B001EZYMF4

Work great at attenuating the exhaust noise of my motorcycle, yet let me play music at a very comfortable level. On the plane they are basically the mute button for the world. I hear nothing when they're in, and as has been said you can sleep on your cheek with them on.

[Tye 1on]

I'm using a pair of these at the moment: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-MK-.../dp/B001EZYMF4

Work great at attenuating the exhaust noise of my motorcycle, yet let me play music at a very comfortable level. On the plane they are basically the mute button for the world. I hear nothing when they're in, and as has been said you can sleep on your cheek with them on.

wow, and on sale for under $30. Thanks Tipp.

[BigHerm]

I use Shure buds with the ear plug rollie ends. Had the in-ear Sony ones from a few years back but the rubber disintegrated. The wires on the Shures are a good deal thicker and tougher than those. FWIW, I upgraded to a 3 driver Shure bud after my first pair of 2 driver ones and the 3's stick out of my ears more making sleeping on my side less comfortable.

On a plane you can't hear anything even with music off. They use identical foam to the ear plugs I use when using power tools. And the music sounds killer too. Check Amazon for deals.