Travel Technology - Noise Cancelling headphones

I am looking for ear bud recommendations as I want to use in the gym etc. I understand Bose make the best but they are pricey. So can you recommend any high quality buds, and then some standard ones that are well priced. I had the Sennheiser PXC 250-II which I liked but lost/broke.

Thanks

I have always found the Sennheiser CX300s to be good.

Shure SE215s are excellent value for money at around £80. They don't fall out when running as the cable wraps round your ear and the sound quality is very good for the price.

I am looking for ear bud recommendations as I want to use in the gym etc. I understand Bose make the best but they are pricey. So can you recommend any high quality buds, and then some standard ones that are well priced. I had the Sennheiser PXC 250-II which I liked but lost/broke.

Thanks

These (http://goo.gl/305mC) shouldn't fall off

I have always found the Sennheiser CX300s to be good.

^ Agree. Would recommend buying with the £4 warranty from HMV and they will replace them for you if they happen to conk out.

The topic (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1171143-headphones.html) comes up not infrequently - the travel technology forum seems to be where people are pointed (although I guess most are asking about earphones on the plane rather than for the gym)

I have always found the Sennheiser CX300s to be good.

Another vote for them; I am on my third pair - due to losing them, rather than them giving up the ghost!

I use Bose QC3. Not cheap, but a high quality product with great sound. I was going to get the Beats by Dre headphones but found these much better. I picked mine up in the US on a business trip where they are a fair bit cheaper than in the UK.

Shure SE215s are excellent value for money at around £80. They don't fall out when running as the cable wraps round your ear and the sound quality is very good for the price.

I also use Shure in earphones (425 in my case), and they are brilliant since they effectively block out external noise more or less completely. On a 'plane you will feel the beast vibrate, but not hear it at all. Nor the wailing child next to you (quite a strange experience if you watch it happen).

However the OP mentioned use in the gym, and depending on your régime, they may not be so good for that since if your ears get sweaty, your saline moisture can get into the very sensitive drivers and damage them.

Henkybaby made a recommendation to me recently which was very good. I won't steal his thunder.... (because I can't remember their name and I threw away the box!).

Another vote for them; I am on my third pair - due to losing them, rather than them giving up the ghost!

+1 more for the Sennheiser CX300's

Etymotic earphones are very good.

Etymotic that's the name I was trying to remember!

Etymotic earphones are very good.

My choice as well. Awesome little things...

Nothing beats Etymotic... Bose don't even come close. So, unless you really do not want in-ear phones you will want Etymotic.

Even the cheapest ones (at around GBP 70 ) outperform the Bose. You will only need the more expensive ones if you are

a) an audiophile
b) in need of headset functionality

Great customer service as well.

i bought a pair of the Bowers & Wilkens in-ear ones. the cord forms a loop that sits inside your ear, not the canal but the floppy part on the side of your head, which keeps them very stable. the sound is fantastic. i cannot compare to etymotics though.

i bought a pair of the Bowers & Wilkens in-ear ones. the cord forms a loop that sits inside your ear, not the canal but the floppy part on the side of your head, which keeps them very stable. the sound is fantastic. i cannot compare to etymotics though.

The B&W headphones have no noise cancelation or noise isolation characteristics though...

Let's move this thread into the Travel Technology forum for further discussion.

Prospero
Moderator: BAEC forum

Out of interest do any of the in ear ones have noice cancelling functionality, or are they simply noise reducing? I was under the impression that in order to cancel noise you need some sort of microphone to record and play back the noise out of phase with the original noise so they cancel each other out, hence the reason they only work with certain noises that tend to be constant.

Out of interest do any of the in ear ones have noice cancelling functionality, or are they simply noise reducing? I was under the impression that in order to cancel noise you need some sort of microphone to record and play back the noise out of phase with the original noise so they cancel each other out, hence the reason they only work with certain noises that tend to be constant.
yes, some have a little box on the cord that houses the battery and the microphone (rather than the nicer integration you get with battery and microphone in the cans)

Out of interest do any of the in ear ones have noice cancelling functionality, or are they simply noise reducing? I was under the impression that in order to cancel noise you need some sort of microphone to record and play back the noise out of phase with the original noise so they cancel each other out, hence the reason they only work with certain noises that tend to be constant.

I will echo the recommendation of Etymotic Research in-ear headphones. I think that if you tried these out you wouldn't miss the active noise canceling phones in the slightest.

I bought the Bose QC3 a long time ago and was happy with them. I think they are a bit overpriced for what you get (ask any audiophile about Bose and you'll probably get a groan), but you also get excellent service.

After a good 5 years the leather-like padding started to flake, which is apparently a common issue. After bringing the headphones to the store, I was able to "upgrade" to a brand new QC15 for ~$100. I like the QC15 even more, as the noise cancellation is even better, it has optional (included) in-line phone control and the single AAA battery lasts an incredibly long time.

I would say its hard to justify the "Bose Tax" unless you think of the extra charge as a long-term extended warranty.

sony makes :Sony MDRNC33 Noise Canceling Earbuds.

run with a single AAA. eats batterys, not as good as shures(no NC)

sony makes :Sony MDRNC33 Noise Canceling Earbuds.

run with a single AAA. eats batterys, not as good as shures(no NC)

Sony has another model the MDRNC100D, which has noise canceling. I have this pair in my bag, although I haven't used them. There are 6 ratings on Amazon.com and the product gets 4.5 stars out of 5.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRNC100D-Digital-Canceling-Earbuds/dp/B005LQ67KU

Bose = Better sound through advertising.

If money is no object Sennheiser make the best. Otherwise, JVC's NC250 set will still beat any Bose pair I've ever used with ease and cost a fraction of the price.

I cant comment on in-ear headphones/earplugs - never used them.

Bose = Better sound through advertising.

If money is no object Sennheiser make the best. Otherwise, JVC's NC250 set will still beat any Bose pair I've ever used with ease and cost a fraction of the price.

I cant comment on in-ear headphones/earplugs - never used them.

I'll second those JVC's. I use them only for flights and I love them (I can even sleep with them on). I make no claim that they are better/worse than the Bose models, but they certainly seem like better value.

In fact, I use silicone earplugs with the JVCs over the top and when I take them off I realise just how much noise (of the right frequency) they block. They're godsend in economy.

Is there such a thing as noise-cancelling bluetooth headphones/earbuds? Why deal with a cord if I don't have to...

And while I'm generating a wish list, how about a noise-cancelling app for the smartphones? Instead of putting the smarts in a dongle hanging from the earbud cord, move the algorithm into the smartphone. This way any headphone would benefit from noise cancelling.

Is there such a thing as noise-cancelling bluetooth headphones/earbuds? Why deal with a cord if I don't have to...

Sennheiser MM 550, pricey but well worth it and exactly what you're looking for (headphones)

I even came up with a solution to use it with aircraft IFE systems :-)

Does anyone have any advice on best in ear head phone?

Is there such a thing as noise-cancelling bluetooth headphones/earbuds? Why deal with a cord if I don't have to...
there are sennheisers, and some fancy (and pricey) parrot zik headphones, the parrot's have sampling mics inside the cans as well as outside, to pick up residual noise and do extra cancellation.

And while I'm generating a wish list, how about a noise-cancelling app for the smartphones? Instead of putting the smarts in a dongle hanging from the earbud cord, move the algorithm into the smartphone. This way any headphone would benefit from noise cancelling.
you're much better off (from both a speed, and a battery power POV) doing it in dedicated chips - rather than loading down a phone/tablet.

Does anyone have any advice on best in ear head phone?

I've said it before, and I've said it again, I love my Sennheiser CX 880 Noise-Isolating (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035JKJAE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=someiwritstuf-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0035JKJAE) earbuds. They sound fantastic, isolating noise really well. Currently about $89 - the best bang for your buck imo. My only complaint is that the cable gets tangled up quite often. :rolleyes:

I did have the Bose QC15s but found them much too bulky. I prefer to travel light. :)

If money is tight, the best budget in-ear headphones are probably the Sennheiser CX-300 II (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EZYMF4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001EZYMF4&linkCode=as2&tag=someiwritstuf-20) ($45).

And if you want to go all out, where price is no object but quality is, then go for these sweet babies:

Sennheiser CXC 700 active noise-canceling ear-canal headphones

I find that good earbuds, such as Etymotics, keep out the noise better than active large headphones. I use mine, unplugged, as earbuds on a flight. When I use them with IFE systems, the volume can stay very low, as you are not attempting to drown out outside noise... The only problem is that announcements are piped much loader, sometimes at full volume, which can be quite nasty...

Some in-ear types can get a bit uncomfortable with prolonged use. Also, for gym use, I don't think in-ear headphones are ideal if running on the treadmill, for example - they are sealed, and thus amplify the thud of my feet...

Sennheiser MM 550, pricey but well worth it and exactly what you're looking for (headphones)

On-line reviews are decidedly mixed. Sound great without noise-cancelling enabled, sound bad with the NC turned on, sound terrible with the NC and the faux surround sound (SRS) enabled. They say at this price point the noise cancelling ought to sound better.

you're much better off (from both a speed, and a battery power POV) doing it in dedicated chips - rather than loading down a phone/tablet.

Sure, but it's all about compromise, right? IF I can get decent (not state of the art) noise cancelling in a $2 app, and be able to use ANY favorite headphone/earbud, that might be a compromise I'm willing to make.

Another vote for Etymotics. I have the HF5 as of this time last year and been extremely satisfied. I used to have some over ear cans (Bose style), the Etymotics block out just as much noise, sound way better, and are much smaller. I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.

On-line reviews are decidedly mixed. Sound great without noise-cancelling enabled, sound bad with the NC turned on, sound terrible with the NC and the faux surround sound (SRS) enabled. They say at this price point the noise cancelling ought to sound better.

I have the M550 and was on a flight once with a friend who had the Bose QC 15. We were comparing both and we mutually agreed the 550 was slightly better at noise canceling. Which also had the benefit of being wireless AND portable/somewhat compact (for flight travel). IMHO it's a matter of compromise; for me the advantage of being wireless sways my decision toward the M550.
What would you recommend for a wireless AND travel friendly active noise canceling over the ear headphones?

I have the M550 and was on a flight once with a friend who had the Bose QC 15. We were comparing both and we mutually agreed the 550 was slightly better at noise canceling. Which also had the benefit of being wireless AND portable/somewhat compact (for flight travel). IMHO it's a matter of compromise; for me the advantage of being wireless sways my decision toward the M550.
According to your analysis, you didn't have to make any compromises, which is a good thing. The M550 sounded better with NC enabled, and has BT. A win-win. I'm glad to hear a positive review of the M550.

What would you recommend for a wireless AND travel friendly active noise canceling over the ear headphones?
I don't have a recommendation. I was just parroting what I saw based on a quick Google search.

Does noise canceling headphone works w/ every airplane / airline ? I have Panasonic RP-HC55-S , couldn't get it to work in Cathay Pacific 74A or 77W, either the voice / audio is garbled or it's gone.

Does noise canceling headphone works w/ every airplane / airline ? I have Panasonic RP-HC55-S , couldn't get it to work in Cathay Pacific 74A or 77W, either the voice / audio is garbled or it's gone.

They are independent of their surroundings - so dont need to even be on an aircraft to work let alone a specific airline. Either the headphones are dead or have you tried a new battery?

What would you recommend for a wireless AND travel friendly active noise canceling over the ear headphones?

Another request for advice, although I don't necessarily need wireless, but do need over the ear (for on a flight - for walking around or workout I might use in-ear, but for sitting for 10 hours I don't like in-ear, I prefer over the ear.

I currently have Bose 2, and as an audiophile I groan, but I don't want to spend $100s but need active noise canceling for flights.

Another request for advice, although I don't necessarily need wireless, but do need over the ear [...] I currently have Bose 2, and as an audiophile I groan, but I don't want to spend $100s but need active noise canceling for flights.

Here's a vote for the Sennheiser PXC 450; as an audiphile, you'll likely prefer them over any similarly priced over-the-ear 'phones. I bought them from Amazon less than a year ago for a steal during a Gold Box (or similar offer) for $238 :). Their price does vary a bit, check out their "Camel (http://camelcamelcamel.com/Sennheiser-PXC-450-Noise-Canceling-Headphones/product/B000R2PC2M)" history

Has anyone tried the Audio Technica ANC7B's? my wife has adopted my QC15's and I'm looking for a replacement. They seem well reviewed on Amazon.com and priced at only 120.00. Any other options I should look at? thanks!

Has anyone tried the Audio Technica ANC7B's? my wife has adopted my QC15's and I'm looking for a replacement. They seem well reviewed on Amazon.com and priced at only 120.00. Any other options I should look at? thanks!
I love my ANC7b's, they're comfortable and cancel out a good amount of noise. The only gripe is that they don't have an iPhone/iPad controller on the cable, I bought an iLuv brand adapter that has the controls on it.

They use a single AAA battery, so I make sure to keep a couple in the pocket inside the case so that I won't ever get caught short.

Nothing beats Etymotic... Bose don't even come close. So, unless you really do not want in-ear phones you will want Etymotic.

Even the cheapest ones (at around GBP 70 ) outperform the Bose. You will only need the more expensive ones if you are

a) an audiophile
b) in need of headset functionality

Great customer service as well.

Are they comfortable enough to sleep in during long flights?

If you want a NC headphone your best choice would be the Bose QC15, these are the kings in NC. I would get them in the Limited Blue edition. They are great and for a flyer are the best.

If your budget can't manage the Bose QC15 retail price and want a truly better sounding portable headphone at the expense of Noice Cancelling. Get the Sennheiser Amperiors. These are the BEST audiophile headphones in the portable segment. Wanting a better quality sounding headphone will put you in the full-size headphone segment! The Amperiors do not need amplifier,have a remote control for i devices, can take any beating you like and will beat the crap out of the QC15 in terms of quality.

http://headfonics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DSC_0280.jpg

Downside they are not Noice Cancelling but they offer Pasive Isolation instead. I.E They provide quite good isolation. MSRP is $350, but i bought a refurb pair at $160. For $160 you can't get any better sounding headphone anywhere!! These are so good, that they are just a step behind the famous Sennheiser HD600.

Now, if you want IEMs, the type of earbuds you insert in your ear. Ethymotics is the best way to go.

Thanks - I have a pair of sony headphones that I find most comfortable and do a great job of both sound isolation and noise canceling. However, I wear glasses and like to try to get some sleep and I cant use the over ear ones to sleep in. Does stymonic make noise canceling ones in eatr buds or only passive noise isolating? I haven't been able to find in ear buds that 1) I can wear comfortably and 2) really do have noise cancelling

Thanks - I have a pair of sony headphones that I find most comfortable and do a great job of both sound isolation and noise canceling. However, I wear glasses and like to try to get some sleep and I cant use the over ear ones to sleep in. Does stymonic make noise canceling ones in eatr buds or only passive noise isolating? I haven't been able to find in ear buds that 1) I can wear comfortably and 2) really do have noise cancelling

Try reading this guide:

http://www.head-fi.org/a/2012-head-fi-holiday-gift-guide-in-ear


Etymotic ER-4PT is said to have a very good noise isolation. ;)