[zybar]

With me traveling more and more these days, I am looking to get a good pair of noise-canceling headphones.

I tried a pair of Bose QuietComfort3's today and they were pretty comfortable and definitely blocked out the environment.  They are pricey ($349 list and I am not having much luck finding them discounted) and I was wondering if anybody has has any thoughts on possible competitors (hopefully at a lower price).

I will be primarily using the headphones with my iPod, but might also get a Headroom headphone amp to try and improve things.

Thanks for your help.

George

[sabes]

i've been travelling a crazy amount over the last year, including 15hr international flights, so felt justified in investing in a real good set of noise-cancelling phones and portable headamp rig. i use the red wine audio imod with ALO ipod docking cable, and a corda meier "move" headamp (and an iBasso T2 as a backup!), through sennheiser pxc-450's. the 'phones are comfortable and get performance that rivals my hd-650's. the noise-cancelling feature is nice and has a "talk-through" feature where you toggle a button in order to hear what the flight attendant is trying to tell you. good stuff.

[Freo-1]

i've been travelling a crazy amount over the last year, including 15hr international flights, so felt justified in investing in a real good set of noise-cancelling phones and portable headamp rig. i use the red wine audio imod with ALO ipod docking cable, and a corda meier "move" headamp (and an iBasso T2 as a backup!), through sennheiser pxc-450's. the 'phones are comfortable and get performance that rivals my hd-650's. the noise-cancelling feature is nice and has a "talk-through" feature where you toggle a button in order to hear what the flight attendant is trying to tell you. good stuff.

I would strongly recommend the Shure SCL5. They work better for noise suppression than any active noise canceling units. I use them with my IAudio I7, and have been very pleased. They can be had for around 250.00 or so on EBay.

Here is a link for more information: http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/PersonalMonitorSystems/us_pro_SCL5_content 

[a1p1]

If you don't object to earphones as opposed to headphones, I'd look into Etymotic earphones which have high noise isolation due to their snug fit in the ear canal as opposed to phase cancellation which I believe Bose uses.  Physically isolating the music from ambient noise as opposed to phase cancelling the noise would seem a truer or cleaner method.  The high noise isolation of the Etymotic earphones should allow for listening at lower levels; less likely to have to listen at potentially harmful levels.  I wish I could offer first hand experience but I have not heard the Ety's.  I plan to pick up a pair of ER6i earphones to use while flying or in the bus with my iPod.  They can be had at discount on eBay for around $90. I can say that Mead Killion, owner/founder of Etymotic is very well respected in audiology and acoustics circles. 

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/epcomp.aspx

[zybar]

I haven't tried in the ear canal headphones...are there are comfort issues (especially when using them for long periods of time)?

Whatever I get, I need to be able to use them on long flights (I fly from the East Coast to Bangalore, India or Sydney, Australia multiple times a year).

Thanks,

George

[sabes]

i have the etymotic er-4's and have not found them particularly effective at noise-cancellation and definitely not as effective as the sennheiser pxc-450 active's. also, and this may just be personal preference, i find over the ear phones to be more comfortable for the long haul than in-ear. downside: the senn's are definitely bulkier.

[Freo-1]

I haven't tried in the ear canal headphones...are there are comfort issues (especially when using them for long periods of time)?

Whatever I get, I need to be able to use them on long flights (I fly from the East Coast to Bangalore, India or Sydney, Australia multiple times a year).

Thanks,

George

If you get the right type of ear device, definitely.  I fly to Perth a couple time of year from Boston, and these have been the best solution to date. If you really want to get the best fit, your audiologist can custom make you a set.

The sound from these is better than any over/on the ear type I've heard.

A large number of musicians use these.

[a1p1]

The ER6/i use a flanged silicone tip.  The higher end Ety's use a similar tip or compressible foam; both very similar to flanged or foam earplugs if you've ever worn those before.  I'm not concerned with the potential for discomfort as I can wear earplugs for extended periods without problems.  I've read some complaints from people with small ear canals having trouble getting a good and/or comfortable fit. There are smaller sizes of foam tips available for the ER4 series; not sure if different sizes are available for the ER6 series.  Website is pretty thorough. Should be in there somewhere. Custom earpieces are another option but will realistically add about $100 to the Ety's or Shure earphones.

[JDUBS]

Would definitely NOT recommend noise cancelling....screws up the music.

I've got Shure SLC5's, Sleek SA6's, and just got UE Triple.fi 10 Pro's.  All IEMs and all block noise.

Would highly recommend isolation vs. cancellation.

-Jim

[DanWiggins]

I purchased a pair of Sennheiser PXC250s a year ago.. .  I travel a LOT (last year I had 94 flights), and often for long durations (15-18 hour trips).  The Senns sound decent, are very good at blocking the noise, small, lightweight, fold to a tiny size, the storage bag also holds my 8G media player, a few spare batteries, and my USB cable. 

Are they the final word in resolution?  No, but they sound pretty darn good.  They are comfortable for long durations, very small and light, and low cost enough that if I lose them I won't be too upset.  Put my Senns on, crack open a long book, and I'm set for 12 hours without a hitch.

[Russell Dawkins]

I also recommend against noise cancelling cans and check this out as an alternative to Headroom amps:

http://www.practicaldevices.com/index.htm

[TheChairGuy]

I haven't tried in the ear canal headphones...are there are comfort issues (especially when using them for long periods of time)?

Whatever I get, I need to be able to use them on long flights (I fly from the East Coast to Bangalore, India or Sydney, Australia multiple times a year).

Thanks,

George

George,

I travel the world with my Westone UM-2's (I think I paid $250 for them a few years ago).  I have zero comfort issues with them from take off to landing...but that's very individualized process, of course.

Westone makes earphones for Pro Audio and musicians, primarily, and make hearing aids, too.  They can custom fit ear tips perfectly to your canals for the most perfect fit possible....but they charge a lot more for the procedure.  Again, I have found the stock UM-2's to be quite comfortable 

Personally, I find I need to remove them from my ear during the last 20 to 30-or-so minutes of descent down from cruising altitude as my ear is filled with pressure from the rapid descent downward....it is only during these times that a over-the-year headphone may be preferred.  I DO have oddball right ear anomalies that may be the reason for this particularly to me, however, and not endemic of in-the-ear designs.  But, it's worth noting.

I even use them as my SKYPE earphones (where sealing out noise is important) with a separate lapel microphone.....the pair work splendidly together for my calls back home while away internationally.

http://www.onheadphones.com/product-reviews/in-ear-headphones/westone-um2.html

They are so efficient that using a headphone amp is unneeded.....I find saving bulk in my laptop bag is a great thing on trips. My 15.4" laptop is already a hog in space and weight so the savings are great with the light/small Westone's. 

For all I know their may be as good or better out there in the world of in-the-ear headphones, but I can heartily recommend these for travel use.

Bon voyage, John

[boead]

With me traveling more and more these days, I am looking to get a good pair of noise-canceling headphones.

I tried a pair of Bose QuietComfort3's today and they were pretty comfortable and definitely blocked out the environment.  They are pricey ($349 list and I am not having much luck finding them discounted) and I was wondering if anybody has has any thoughts on possible competitors (hopefully at a lower price).

I will be primarily using the headphones with my iPod, but might also get a Headroom headphone amp to try and improve things.

Thanks for your help.

George

I have the Audio-Technica’s QuietPoint’s. Took them on vacation recently along with stock iPod ear buds and an iPod touch. The AT’s noise canceling headphones are excellent. Great soundstage and they are very comfortable and light. Nice bass, deep and tight with controlled top end, not bright or hard and nicely detailed. On the plane they were a necessity! I find them good in the car too, really cancels out road noise.
All reviews I’ve read say they easily outperform the Bose and they are half the price.

[boead]

Would definitely NOT recommend noise cancelling....screws up the music.

I've got Shure SLC5's, Sleek SA6's, and just got UE Triple.fi 10 Pro's.  All IEMs and all block noise.

Would highly recommend isolation vs. cancellation.

-Jim

Not my experience. I found the AT;’s to not ‘screw’ with the music at all and I was expecting it too. Compared them directly with a pair of Senn 200’s with cable mod and I believed it out performed them in many ways.  I would also compare them favorably to a pair of Grado SR225’s I had for some time.
AT did noise canceling well, there is nothing but an off and on switch and you have to use them turned on. So it is what it is and it’s done right in my opinion.

I hate IEM’s.  Makes my ears hurt after a short time. 

[zybar]

Everybody,

Thanks for the great comments and recommendations.

It looks like the Bose QC3's will be going back.   

Haven't yet decided on whether I go with noise-canceling on ear or in the ear canal headphones.

Keep your thoughts coming.   

George

[avahifi]

I got a set of PlaneQuiet NC-7 noise cancelling headphones this spring for an air trip to the Caribberan and back.

http://www.protravelgear.com/store/headsets_and_earphones/plane_quiet_nc7_noise_cancelling_headphones.cfm

They were $80, they work.

The are light, comfortable, are decent musically, cut the airplane cabin noise back to a livable level.  Unlike the Bose, they still work for music playback even with a dead battery.  On my return flights on Northworst, there was no music available in the plane, but I used the phones anyway just to drop the roar down a whole lot.  They come with all the adaptor plugs you could need, and fold down into a small travel pouch.

Recommended.

Frank Van Alstine

[Philistine]

I have both Etymotic's 4's and Sennheiser noise canceling.
If you can live with in ear types they offer a much higher noise reduction performance and with less musical artifacts.  Fit and comfort is  they key issue, the only way to find out is try a pair.
I have passed the Senn's to my kids for listening to DVD's when driving, and use the Ety's exclusively and can even fall asleep with them in on long haul flights - the traditional noise canceling headphones are more cumbersome from this perspective.
The in ear type reduce sound across the frequency range, while noise canceling still leave some low frequency drone that you can still hear.  Again the caveat is that there is a technique to using in ear types to get a good noise reduction performance, which means a very tight fit and comes back to potential issues with comfort.

 

[modwright]

Hi guys, while not 'Audiophpile', my wife bought me a pair of Philips over-ear noise-cancellation headphones and I find them very comfortable, extremely musical - connected straight to my Macbook player 24/48 wave files ripped with no compression.  One night I didn't want to wake the wife late at night and just sat back in my listening chair and enjoyed a TRULY enjoyable listening session.  I tested the noise-cancellation aspect by playing music on the speakers at the same time and switch the NC off and on.  I found that they largely filter out the LF sounds, but the result was a very enjoyable and 'private' listening session.

Just my $0.02.  I don't know that it is necessary to spend a fortune on these.  I plan to take them with me on my int'l travels this year on long flights.  I can share my impressions once I fly with them.

Good product in theory. My guess is that the Bose is over-rated and over-priced.  There are a number of mainstream mfrs. that offer good products.  I would say that comfort is key.  The in-ear types aren't the most comfortable for me...must be my big ears .  Custom-made in-ears would be ideal, but $$$.

Hope this helps.

Dan

[Russell Dawkins]

I use the ER4S for this type of use. I think most people find the depth of insertion necessary for the proper performance of these to be uncomfortable at first, but I got used to it quickly.

I had custom ear molds made but consider that a waste of money - not only did they now become even more awkward to insert/remove, but there was no advantage, which I had been led to expect, in the bass. When I queried a tech at Etymotic later he said they had found the same down there and wondered why  people were doing it.

You need to keep your ears clean - I use Q-Tips carefully down the ear canal, although all the warnings say not to, and I moisten the nylon flanges, which are my tip of choice, with a little saliva before inserting.

There are roll up type foam tips included which improve the bass but I find them too inconvenient.

I have been using mine so much, mainly for recording, that I had to replace them in 2006 as the connector became intermittent at one of the earpieces. I bought them in 1996 and have yet to hear another ear/headphone that has anywhere near the detail quality and dynamic range through the mids/highs - even the bass, although in the 4S model there is a subjective slow roll off from maybe 150Hz down, so it sounds maybe 10dB down at 20 Hz. That said, though, there still is bass at 20Hz, which is more than I can say for most, plus the subjective quality and extension are both outstanding.

For me in recording, the huge advantage, and one reason for choosing them in the first place, is that they are so small I can wear them under my shooters' ear protectors which you might also want to know about if you are talking real isolation. With these I get a total of around 60 dB of isolation. I use this to advantage when fine tuning microphone position in a noisy environment, like the middle of an orchestra while they are playing.

The cost only $19 and I can't recommend them highly enough. They fold, too! They look a little bigger than regular headphones, but do you have any idea what 60 dB sounds like?!  http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/EAR099-66752-968.html

[zybar]

Hi guys, while not 'Audiophpile', my wife bought me a pair of Philips over-ear noise-cancellation headphones and I find them very comfortable, extremely musical - connected straight to my Macbook player 24/48 wave files ripped with no compression.  One night I didn't want to wake the wife late at night and just sat back in my listening chair and enjoyed a TRULY enjoyable listening session.  I tested the noise-cancellation aspect by playing music on the speakers at the same time and switch the NC off and on.  I found that they largely filter out the LF sounds, but the result was a very enjoyable and 'private' listening session.

Just my $0.02.  I don't know that it is necessary to spend a fortune on these.  I plan to take them with me on my int'l travels this year on long flights.  I can share my impressions once I fly with them.

Good product in theory. My guess is that the Bose is over-rated and over-priced.  There are a number of mainstream mfrs. that offer good products.  I would say that comfort is key.  The in-ear types aren't the most comfortable for me...must be my big ears .  Custom-made in-ears would be ideal, but $$$.

Hope this helps.

Dan

Dan,

Were these the SHN 9500 model (with a claimed 85% reduction in external noise)?

My wife picked these up from work (she works for Costco) and I just used them on my flight from Boston to Shannon, Ireland. 

While they definitely were much better than a standard pair of headphones, there were a couple of things that make me want to go with a different model:

--  They did a pretty good job of reducing noise, still would like to block out more of the airplane noise.

--  They don't provide a ton of detail and aren't very well balanced at the extremes (high's seemed rolled off and bass was boomy).

--  They made my ears get warm if on for an extended period of time

Don't get me wrong...for the $60 they cost, they are damn good - I am just looking for something better.

George