Noise Cancelling Headphones

[TheRiddler]

Thinking of buying a pair for my forthcoming trip back to the mother country. Ideally looking for an over ear pair that wont give me too much grief on the flight but can also serve me well at home. Budget prob around the $300 mark but knowing me I'll end up spending more!

Welcome any suggestions as to what is the best buy. Bose? Senheisser?

 

[Baldric]

I bought a pair of cheaper phones, cant remember the make. They worked really well. They were a bit uncomfortable because the cups were small and they squashed your ears a bit. I then plashed out on a pair of Bose Quietcomfort 15. They are the best thing since the last best thing. They fit over the ear and are really soft and comfy. The noise cancelling is unbelievable. When not listening to music or movies on the plane keep them on to cut out extraneous noise. I am partially deaf and struggle to hear with the standard crap headphones and these are brilliant. I use them to listen to my whale noises after another Springbok defeat too. They also come in a really nice carry case. Expensive, but worth every cent. I bought mine in the US so got them a heap cheaper that advertised here. maybe look over in the mother country and see how much they are there.

 

[Ignoto]

I just returned from a trip to the States and I did some research into this and I ended up buying a pair of Audio-Tehcnica's ATH-ANC7B from http://www.themp3outletstore.com.au/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/473 (Yeah dodgy looking website, but he came through and I had my headphones within 3 days after ordering), plus that was by far the cheapest place I could find them from.

Anyway, I looked hard and long at the Bose range, but I wasn't too happy with parting so much cash that Bose were wanting and it wasn't until I read this review that really convinced me to go with the Audio Tech's - http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/re...uietpoint-active-noise-cancelling-headphones/

He also compared the Bose version - http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/re...15-qc15-acoustic-noise-cancelling-headphones/

During my flights they worked a charm, were a great fit over my ears and whilst I was flying, I couldn't even tell I was up in the air (bar the sore legs). I even ended up leaving the noise cancelling on whilst I was sleeping as it drowned out that much sound.

I even caught my girlfriend trying to steal them whilst I slept so she didn't have the shitty Qantas headphones.

But even after my raving you're not convinced, I would recommend heading over to http://headphones.com.au/ and having a snoop at what they recommend.

 

[Blue]

Thinking of buying a pair for my forthcoming trip back to the mother country. Ideally looking for an over ear pair that wont give me too much grief on the flight but can also serve me well at home. Budget prob around the $300 mark but knowing me I'll end up spending more!

Welcome any suggestions as to what is the best buy. Bose? Senheisser?

I got a pair of Sennheisers - basically cheapest ones I tjink were about 150 in Hong Kong Duty Free.

Work beautifully.

 

[cyclopath]

I had a great pair of Sennheisers I bought 4 yrs ago - not over the ear completely, but very comfortable, folding, nice little case that also fitted an iPod for convenience, batteries in the noise cancelling bit lasted well. Some lowlife stole them after screw-drivering the lock out of my car door and ransacking it!! About $300 duty free at the time and I would say very good value.
Just bought some cheaper ones recently which don't noise-cancel but are pretty nice.

 

[Scorz]

Big fan of Sennheisers, but even bigger fan of the top range Ultimate Ears. I have ridiculously sensitive hearing, I'm one of those audio geeks who used to hang out in recording studios, mixing. Get the Ultimate Ears. Sennheiser are playing catch up to them imho.

 

[Scarfman]

So, they work on planes beautifully, but what about at home: sound of parties, dogs barking, drunk idiots throwing up on the lawn, break and enter stealing laptops, etc.

 

[Baldric]

So, they work on planes beautifully, but what about at home: sound of parties, dogs barking, drunk idiots throwing up on the lawn, break and enter stealing laptops, etc.

These thngs work in two ways.
1. They create an opposite sound to the noise that you hear. Hard to explain this, but if you imagine a constant noise like in a plane you have a constant background noise which you probably dont really notice. That constant background noise is removed electronically.
2. The earphones fit fairly tightly over the ears and themselves act as ear muffs. So other sounds, such as people talking to you will be muffled. For this to be effective the fit needs to be tight. This is why comfort is important.

I use mine to listen to my ipod etc because the sound is great.

 

[Scarfman]

I guess I meant - does it cope with more sudden noises? Or only constant drones?

 

[MrTimms]

I guess I meant - does it cope with more sudden noises? Or only constant drones?

I have a set of Panasonic ones, that are in ear, so don't work so well with the over ear muffling. They are rated to 85% noise reduction though.

Wouldn't fly without them.

However, to answer your question Scarfy, They cope OK, sometimes the air hostesses need to tap me to get my attention, but the bumps and knocks still get through, not nearly as loud though.

 

[TheRiddler]

Thanks for all the feedback. I went with a pair of the Audio Technicas. Will report back on their performance when I land in the UK next week.

 

[da_grubster]

scarfman - high pitched noised are harder to mask than the drone of an airplane.

Bose QC15 are the best. they have a microphone on the outside and inside to block noises. fantastic headphones

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Thanks for all the feedback. I went with a pair of the Audio Technicas. Will report back on their performance when I land in the UK next week.

I see that you are back from Pomgolia.

Any report on the headphones? Keen to hear user feedback.

 

[TheRiddler]

Served their purpose very well - thanks to @Ignoto for the recommendation. I was amazed at the difference they made and how light and comfortable they were. If only I could have slept in them I might have actually got some sleep As it turned out, BA provide NC headphones in Prem Economy but they werent of the 'Active' variety, i.e. didnt have an external power supply.

 

[Ignoto]

Glad everything worked out for you!

I tried sleeping in mine with them still on just to make it a bit quieter (forget earplugs) and it worked somewhat!

They're amazing with the iPod, iPhone or whatever when just listening to music around the house and even during the daily commute!

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Disgust myself sometimes with my hifi audio wanker addiction.

When The Sound goes wrong, or I'm deprived of my fix, it scrambles my brain like a goddamn drug leaving me miserable and disoriented.

Case in point, last week when my beloved Denon DL110 cartridge finally ran out of diamond.

Its 2,000 hour lifetime had come to a motherfucking end.

Suddenly the world had gone dark and silent. The birdies had stopped singing. As had the Sonab's Peerless tweeters.

R.I.P. ​

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Iron Horse. ​

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Iron Will.

Jumped onto amazon and fuck me but the DL110 price is no longer $130. They now start at $200 yen. For a very finite 2,000-hour life span. Fuck that, I thought. I can't justify that outlay. I'm no audiophile prick, I can live without the little motherfucker. So read around and decided on a $30 yen audio technica cart. Good reviews, this'll do me.​

Installed it and it sounded like shit.

Of course, must be the break-in period. A few hours of play and, by some miracle of sound in motion, the sounds changes almost completely. From borderline sibillance to a smooth motherfucker. How, god only knows. Moving coil copper wires parsing with the semiotic universe or such shit.

Then, just one day into the break-in period and I'm like a miserable fucking myopic drug addict being deprived of MY needle for 10 fucking seconds.

Back on the internet i go, my life seemingly falling apart at the seams, my brain a tearful dark anechoic mess, and within seconds i'd splurged the 20,000 yen on the precious DL 110.

Fix ACQUIRED.

The "break-in period" can go get fucked.

We are Back in Business, drug addiction style.

Actually, after the Audio Technica break-in period (the clouds parted after aboot 3 days to reveal a munty enough sound) the Audio Technica, sounded fine enough... I thought I was in the clear..... but then I put the Supremes LP on.... you know the one. Japanese mastering + Spector's Wall of Sound, the one that sounds FUCKING AWESOME through the Denon.

NO.

The Audio Technica couldnt do it.

It's a 6 out of 10.

Need my 10 back.

Should be here in a few days from amazon dot crackho
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