Travel Technology - Just got my Bose QC2s

One thing I've got to say to anyone contemplating the purchase of a noise cancelling headset. Spend the freakin' $300 to get the Bose Quiet Comfort 2's. These are the best headphones I have ever tried. I had bought a pair of Phillips noise cancellers about 18 months ago when I didn't have the cash for the Bose. The Phillips were about $69, and were OK, but I still had to turn the volume up high to really hear the music. The Bose headphones have better noise insulation and acoustic noise cancelling than the Phillips. Even moreso, though, the sound quality in the Bose QC2's is amazing. I was listening to some iTunes and heard bass riffs that I didn't know existed in one of my songs. The highs are higher and the lows are lower. Awesome...

(Oh yeah, and thanks to my sweetie for getting them for my birthday! :D )

Glad you're enjoying them. It's been some time since I got the QC2s myself, but have enjoyed every moment with them.

Glad you're enjoying them. It's been some time since I got the QC2s myself, but have enjoyed every moment with them.

I will second that! I don't leave home without mine! :D

The sound quality and noise cancelling are ok, but the big thing for me is the comfort -- I can wear them for an entire trans-cont. or trans-atlantic (my first trans-pacific is later this month) without pain.

(Though when you do take them off after a long time, you really notice the plane noise.

They're pricey, but I swear by them. Couple with an iPod or other portable music player, or a load of movies or MP3's on a laptop, and you're set for even the longest flights ...

If you use the AMEX Membership Rewards program, this may be a good way to pick these up without the cash outlay.

Forget noise cancelling headphones, and get noise isolating.

NC's tend to be big bulkie things that you wrap around your head.

Since there is a lot of leakage around the ear seal, you still hear the outside world, creating the only good thing about them. The good thing about them is You can still hear the FA ask you for a drink. However, You can also hear high pitched conversations, and crying children. They are noise reducing, not noise cancelling. They have very good fidelity.

They are unconfortably hot(ears are great radiatiors), and it is very hard to sleep

With noise isolating(Shure or Eytomotics[sp]), you do not hear the FA. No drinks for you. No kids, no conversations at all. I would not be surprised but that AZ outlaws them. Since they are very small, they do not make hot, and one can sleep wearing them.

They come in super hifi $300 versions, but an ipod only needs a $100-150 version(see Shure E3C's)

Forget noise cancelling headphones, and get noise isolating.

NC's tend to be big bulkie things that you wrap around your head.

Since there is a lot of leakage around the ear seal, you still hear the outside world, creating the only good thing about them. The good thing about them is You can still hear the FA ask you for a drink. However, You can also hear high pitched conversations, and crying children. They are noise reducing, not noise cancelling. They have very good fidelity.

They are unconfortably hot(ears are great radiatiors), and it is very hard to sleep

With noise isolating(Shure or Eytomotics[sp]), you do not hear the FA. No drinks for you. No kids, no conversations at all. I would not be surprised but that AZ outlaws them. Since they are very small, they do not make hot, and one can sleep wearing them.

They come in super hifi $300 versions, but an ipod only needs a $100-150 version(see Shure E3C's)


Some good points here, but personally I prefer the QC2s. I have a problem stuffing something down my ear-canal! Don't even like the ear-bud type normal 'phones that come with things like the ipod. Just a comfort thing for me. Agree that isolating 'phones are better at cutting out all noise rather than just a select band of frequencies.

FWIW I have no problem sleeping with the QC2s on at all.

... but personally I prefer the QC2s. I have a problem stuffing something down my ear-canal!

Exactly! I just don't like the "wet willy" feeling. It's just not natural, and feels like you're wearing a hearing aid.

I'll just chime in here and say how great the QC2s are. I bought mine in March and have used them on about dozen flights sincethen and I just marvel at how well they work and how comfortable they are. Starting to see more and more of them on flights (especially in FC).

Some good points here, but personally I prefer the QC2s. I have a problem stuffing something down my ear-canal! Don't even like the ear-bud type normal 'phones that come with things like the ipod. Just a comfort thing for me. Agree that isolating 'phones are better at cutting out all noise rather than just a select band of frequencies.

FWIW I have no problem sleeping with the QC2s on at all.

Same ^ If you get the pillow in the right place the cup of the earphone doesn't rest on the seat.

I've got in-ear phones for non-aircraft use though as I prefer not to look like a DJ on the move with bulky headphones!

I've got in-ear phones for non-aircraft use though as I prefer not to look like a DJ on the move with bulky headphones!

Yeah, that's a fair point. Don't really use the ipod apart from onboard so not an issue for me (the Total Bithead I use makes the ipod pretty bulky anyway). Used the QC2s on the chopper back from Macau last week - as tough a test as possible! They performed admirably.

Same ^ If you get the pillow in the right place the cup of the earphone doesn't rest on the seat.

I've got in-ear phones for non-aircraft use though as I prefer not to look like a DJ on the move with bulky headphones!
My comfort over how they look ... QC2s for me ;)

I plug in the QC2 for Channel 9 on UA and use one iPod ear piece when I fly. This way I get to listen to ATC with some nice background music. Love it :)

My comfort over how they look ... QC2s for me ;)

I plug in the QC2 for Channel 9 on UA and use one iPod ear piece when I fly. This way I get to listen to ATC with some nice background music. Love it :)

No fear of going schizo? :D

Yeah love my QC2. Have you been getting the FA asking you to turn them off during takeoff and landing?

Have you been getting the FA asking you to turn them off during takeoff and landing?

Mixed.. some do, some don't. (hint, sit with LED away from aisle ;) )

Yeah love my QC2. Have you been getting the FA asking you to turn them off during takeoff and landing?[/QUOTE]

Some do, some don't. Would still like to know if these are safe during takeoff/landing. When I prev asked this question people told me I

(1) should do what the FA says, agree 100% there,
(2) should follow the rules, also agree 100%--but what IS the rule here? and
(3) should be able to hear the FA in case of emergency--agree again.

Great but still begs the question. Are they safe electronically.

One thing I've got to say to anyone contemplating the purchase of a noise cancelling headset. Spend the freakin' $300 to get the Bose Quiet Comfort 2's.

I have the beyerdynamic DT770 PRO. I'm in love with them. However, they are built for being studio headphones so don't fold away neatly for packing. Guess they'll have to stay at home. Did try them on a flight and I heard none of the plane noise. Have a pair of Philips NC headphones which I'm so-so happy with. Have a friend who has the Bose v1. They are amasing.

Eventually I'll pick a set of QC2 up on ebay....

Unless Beyerdynamic comes up with a NC headphone. If they do I know what I'm going for.

Great but still begs the question. Are they safe electronically.

Pilots have been using NC headphones for years -- they are totally safe electronically.

I think you were right, that you need to be able to hear directions from FA.

(Though frankly, I can probably hear FAs better with them turned on than turned off. The NC mainly blocks out the background noises.)

Why not make people remove headphones entirely rather than just turn them off if that is the reason?

Why not make people remove headphones entirely rather than just turn them off if that is the reason?
On UAX flights, they make me take them off completely not just turn them off. For mainline international flights - esp in C - you can keep them on without issue but on domestic mainline flights, it will depend on the crew. YMMV

No fear of going schizo? :D

Going? :o :D

On UAX flights, they make me take them off completely not just turn them off. For mainline international flights - esp in C - you can keep them on without issue but on domestic mainline flights, it will depend on the crew. YMMV

Not long ago I was able to keep them on UX from SFO to MRY...

I agree with you about international C, but half the time they don't even put the head rests down.. :D

One night, while trolling on eBay, I came across a pair of Aiwa HP-CN6 headphones for a very small price. Well, on eBay sometimes you get what you pay for, but I received a very pleasant surprise. These headphones have a crisp, high quality sound and when you turn on the noise cancellation feature, they really work great. I am not saying they are in the same league as the Boise headphones, but they are fantastic for a fraction of the price.

Yeah love my QC2. Have you been getting the FA asking you to turn them off during takeoff and landing?

Mixed for me too. And sitting with the LED away from the aisle doesn't work. I guess they think if I have headphones on I am listening to music.

Have had our QC2s for couple months now, and love them. But, and this is a very subjective thing, how much noise reduction do you estimate you get with these things? I estimate 60% reduction with ours, and am happy with that. Is 60% reduction good or poor?