Travel Technology - Alternatives to Bose Headphones

Hello all. Long time lurker, first time poster. Apologies up front if I am treading on a well-worn path.

I searched the threads in this forum and overall to see if there was a substantial discussion on alternatives to the Bose QC2 & 3 headphones, with the intention of finding the best value for the price paid.

I have come across a product recently released by Helium Digital, and they seem to be reasonably priced with a newspaper coupon i saw. I am thinking of giving them a go.

Opinions? TIA

Prairie East

Seem to be quite inexpensive though i have not heard of this brand. Any others have advice?

Hello all. Long time lurker, first time poster. Apologies up front if I am treading on a well-worn path.

I searched the threads in this forum and overall to see if there was a substantial discussion on alternatives to the Bose QC2 & 3 headphones, with the intention of finding the best value for the price paid.

I have come across a product recently released by Helium Digital, and they seem to be reasonably priced with a newspaper coupon i saw. I am thinking of giving them a go.

Opinions? TIA

Prairie East

About 2 years ago, when I was looking for something for our occasional plane travel, several friends raved about the Bose QC2. I could not justify the $300 pricetag for something that would be infrequently used, nor did I like the large size. After checking some reviews on the web, I bought the Sennheiser PXC 250 for my wife and myself, and we love them. Used them for the first time on a trip to Hawaii, and was astonished at how well the noise cancelling feature worked. Music reproduction is quite good. The earmuffs are small and lightweight, and the entire thing folds up into a nice little package that is easy to store. (We can put both headphones into one Sennheiser carrying case.)

The only downside is the somewhat awkward design of the battery pack, which sits a little too close to the headphones themselves, but I don't consider this a dealbreaker.

Good place for product reviews is Cnet.com.

I think I paid around $150 each, and I believe if you do a little online searching you can find them for around $100. I would consider that a terrific deal for some high-quality headphones by an established manufacturer.

Anyone know of any ear-clip style noise canceling headphones like these:

http://www.amazon.com/Noise-Canceling-Ear-clip-Style-Headphone/dp/B0009EFFZ2

This JVC model got a few bad reviews, so I'm looking for something else. Must be an earclip like this one, and no earbuds.

Hello all. Long time lurker, first time poster. Apologies up front if I am treading on a well-worn path.

I searched the threads in this forum and overall to see if there was a substantial discussion on alternatives to the Bose QC2 & 3 headphones, with the intention of finding the best value for the price paid.

I have come across a product recently released by Helium Digital, and they seem to be reasonably priced with a newspaper coupon i saw. I am thinking of giving them a go.

Opinions? TIA

Prairie East

Check out Vupoint ... less than $50 USD I think, and every bit as good as the Bose IMO (I have tried Vupoint and Bose side by side). I think with Bose you are paying for the brand name.

Anyone know of any ear-clip style noise canceling headphones like these:

http://www.amazon.com/Noise-Canceling-Ear-clip-Style-Headphone/dp/B0009EFFZ2

This JVC model got a few bad reviews, so I'm looking for something else. Must be an earclip like this one, and no earbuds.

My wife has these JVC clip-ons and likes them very much because they don't mess up her hair. You can get them for a lot less than the amazon.com price on eBay.

...
This JVC model got a few bad reviews, ....

Im not defending this particular product (it doesnt even impress me enough to buy and try it), but I did want to mention this:

Always take review opinions related to noise canceling technology with a grain of salt. Many people have no idea what its all about, and when they put them on and it doesnt completely muffle out all frequencies of sound, they get online and review them as "junk". Also beware of compaints related to "not enough bass" which typically comes from folks that like an exagerated artificial amount of bass in their music ... if you seek accurate sound reproduction then you can ignore most "bass" comments ... if you want your eyeballs to vibrate at low frequency in their sockets then you might give weight to bass comments. :D

After checking some reviews on the web, I bought the Sennheiser PXC 250 for my wife and myself, and we love them. Used them for the first time on a trip to Hawaii, and was astonished at how well the noise cancelling feature worked. Music reproduction is quite good. The earmuffs are small and lightweight, and the entire thing folds up into a nice little package that is easy to store. (We can put both headphones into one Sennheiser carrying case.)

The only downside is the somewhat awkward design of the battery pack, which sits a little too close to the headphones themselves, but I don't consider this a dealbreaker.

Agree entirely with the positives and negatives, but overall these headphones are great.
I also agree with Muddy about opinionated reviews. Treat with caution because what is an issue for someone else may be unimportant to you. My only suggestion is to try before you buy if at all possible.

I see that Sennheiser now do a PXC 300. Is this an advance on the PXC 250?

I see that Sennheiser now do a PXC 300. Is this an advance on the PXC 250?

From my reading of the spec sheets, the main difference is the PXC 300 has less interference from mobile phones. This would not be a problem on flights, I hope. Download the spec sheets from sennheiser to see the other minor differences. In AUS, the price difference was about $100, which for me did not justify the extra expense for the 300. In other countries, this difference may be less.

Thanks Bob. The Sennheiser look like just the ticket for me! I really dislike earbuds, and don't like the giant 'over the ear' options. The 300 are about 25 quid more than the 250, but I don't really see an advantage. Because of the need to have the big NR bit always there, I'll probably only use them when I travel. As long as I avoid Emirates, I shouldn't have to worry about cell phone interference :).

Thanks,

Dr. PITUK

I recently bought the Sennheiser 300's, and while I have not flown with them yet, I did give them an effective testing by driving with the windows open and they did reduce the wind noise significantly, if not entirely.

Case is a solid hard case.
Adapter plugs have their own storage loop.
"the "microphone" powersource/processor does seem a bit clumsy, but you can clip it onto your shirt or blanket.

For a pretty comprehensive review of many other options, I would suggest looking at http://www.thetravelinsider.info/roadwarriorcontent/noisecancellingheadphonesindex.htm

As I recall, he gives good marks to the Plane Quiet's.

As I recall, he gives good marks to the Plane Quiet's.

I have both the older and newer Plane Quiet Solitude models and love both of them. They are still pricey but less than the Bose models.

I have both the older and newer Plane Quiet Solitude models and love both of them. They are still pricey but less than the Bose models.i have the newest solitude II's which were replaced by plane quiet/outside the box due to a battery blow up with out question (not their problem but they repalced it with for free and free return shipping) the new case has a cutout for an ipod ^ and my ipod video fits like a charm^^ but is a little thick-could have been designed a little thinner and still had the ipod cutout. all in all i love them

i also have used the following (and now given to goalie parents)

a pair of brookstone soundshield 250's and 500's. the 500's (repalced by 501's) are over the ear and the 250's are on the ear. i bought the 500's first as the 250's were not out and i prefer the 250's as they are on the ear. but are good and have an inline controller (tho the cable from the controller to the seat jack could be about 6 inches or so longer). all 3 also offer poass thru sound so if the batteries run out, you still can use the passive n/r

other than that-my order of preference would be....

brookstone soundshield 250-$150.
solitude II-$199
brookstone soundshield501-$250

My wife has these JVC clip-ons and likes them very much because they don't mess up her hair. You can get them for a lot less than the amazon.com price on eBay.
Any comment on the sound quality?

Has anyone compared the Sennheiser PXC300, high end Panasonics and the Bose QC2S head to head (ear to ear)? I have a broken pair of QC2s and even if I get them fixed for free Im reading the Sennheisers are smaller and sound better. Any thoughts.

And PLEASE dont tell be to get Etymotics or Shures, I already have them but sometimes they bother my ears. I also have some non noise reducing headphones I got from the Headroom site but they arent great on planes. Thanks.

Any comment on the sound quality?

She's happy with them. That's all I can say.

Has anyone compared the Sennheiser PXC300, high end Panasonics and the Bose QC2S head to head (ear to ear)? I have a broken pair of QC2s and even if I get them fixed for free Im reading the Sennheisers are smaller and sound better. Any thoughts.

And PLEASE dont tell be to get Etymotics or Shures, I already have them but sometimes they bother my ears. I also have some non noise reducing headphones I got from the Headroom site but they arent great on planes. Thanks.

If you decide to perform the experiment yourself, I hope you'll post the results. I have Plane Quiets, but am looking for something that does a better job of noise cancelling and/or is less bulky.

I tried a few like the Plane Quiet and the Sony noise cancelling ear buds, but finally went to the Bose. I would have saved a lot of money if I'd have just bought the best in the first place. :)

I just ordered the Sennheisers. If Bose will give me a new pair for my ones with the shattered headbands I can compare them to QC2s. If not I can compare to QC3s next time Im on an AA international flight in J.

I needed to replace Bose QC2's and went for the Solitudes with Linx after seeing a a good deal + coupon.

Wearing them next to all my computers they seem on par with the QC2's. They are a tad heavier (2 AAA's instead of 1 among other things), so we'll see how they do on my trip to London in a few weeks. They have a volume control on the headset and can use a std cable -- both things I like. But the truth is in wearing so I'll let you know the end of the month...

I have the Sennheisers and have flown hundreds of thousands of miles with them. they are great on all counts.

I noticed that BA have started selling a Bang & OLufsen clip on type earphone and wondered if anyone had tried these. I don't believe they are noise cancelling, but as BA are selling them its not completely OT as a question :)

I have the Sennheisers and have flown hundreds of thousands of miles with them. they are great on all counts.Which Senns? How do they compare to the Bose in terms of blocking noise?

Has anyone compared the Sennheiser PXC300, high end Panasonics and the Bose QC2S head to head (ear to ear)? I have a broken pair of QC2s and even if I get them fixed for free Im reading the Sennheisers are smaller and sound better. Any thoughts.

I am interested in the Panasonics as well (I assume you're refering to model RP-HC300 headphones?). The Panasonics are very similar to the QC2s in many respects, and can be had for about $80 (as of today) on buy.com, which makes them a helluva deal.

The only strike I really see against the Panasonics right now is the possibility of interference from GSM cell phones, which one reviewer complained of. Any headphone (or other audio device) with active circuitry is likely vulnerable to the annoying GSM "chatter" those phones produce. (Obviously the phone issue won't apply while flying.) Has anyone with QC2s, or any other active NC headphone, noticed problems with GSM phones?

Regarding the Sennheisers, I have the PX-200 headphones, with I believe are the non-NC cousin of the 250s. While I've always been a fan of Sennheiser, I find the PX-200s very uncomfortable; they squeeze my head pretty hard. They sound great though, and fold up very compactly, so they're great for travel. I wonder if the 250's and 300's fit a bit looser.


And PLEASE dont tell be to get Etymotics or Shures, I already have them but sometimes they bother my ears. I also have some non noise reducing headphones I got from the Headroom site but they arent great on planes. Thanks.
I've not tried either of those brands myself, as I don't expect I'd like earplug-style headphones. I don't find regular foam earplugs all that comfy, so I can't imagine I'd like headphones in that style. Headphone comfort and style is a very personal thing, it seems.

I can highly recommend Philips SHN9500

You can easily find a pair for less than 100 dollar and they are just as good as Bose. Also has a great advantage over Bose - works when you run out of battery (no cancellation obviously but sound nevertheless)...

I can highly recommend Philips SHN9500

A friend of mine used these as well on a recent flight from ANC-SEA. He said they did a pretty good job. I have tried on the Q2 and Q3 at SEA, (waiting in terminal so what the heck), and they did a better job, but on my college budget can not afford them yet...

My Sennheiser PXC300s arrived today. So far Im impressed. Sound is quite good. The battery pack is a bit of a nuisance but the flip side is that the headphones themselves are VERY light and seem very comfortable. I havent had a flight yet but had a couple 45 minute Long Island Railroad trips and they blocked the noise very efficiently on those. Im flying JFK-SFO-SAN on Saturday and back on Wednesday on UA. Then JFK-LHR a week from Sunday on AA and back the following week EDI-LHR-ORD-LGA on BA and UA. That should give them a good test. If my upgrade on AA clears I can compare them to QC3s directly.

I would say any of The Shure E2, E3, E4, E5 since they go IN THE Ear it cxls MOST noise. I have been happy with my E4's and E5's. Use the E4's for gym and the E5's for Flights/work.

I would say any of The Shure E2, E3, E4, E5 since they go IN THE Ear it cxls MOST noise. I have been happy with my E4's and E5's. Use the E4's for gym and the E5's for Flights/work.

Of course they do but some people dont like to wear them or dont like to wear them all the time.

For the past 2 years I have been flying with custom-fitted in-ear phones from www.ultimateears.com. The downside is that you have to clean them once in a while (and when you order them, you have to get fitted like a hearing aid). The upside is they sound like the huge top-end monitor speakers in my living room.

Seriously, it's the best ~$400 I've ever spent and it turns most flights with my laptop into an a/v experience.

It's only a secondary benefit that they are noise-canceling, but yeah it's easy to sleep with them in too, since they block out almost all ambient noise.

Count me in as another Sennheiser fan. I got my PCX-250s for $100 and am very happy with the comfort, the way they fold up and the sound quality. I didn't see the need to spend the money for Bose.

My wife has been using some of the Shures, forget which model but they were around $300. She has been complaining about comfort so I let her try the Sennheisers on the train this morning. A bit after she got into work I got an email: "Headphones rock, get me a pair." They are about $140 on Amazon.

Looking forward to trying them on the plane tomorrow.

Ditto. The Sennheisers are lighter, more comfortable and for the money, do the job.

While I've always been a fan of Sennheiser, I find the PX-200s very uncomfortable; they squeeze my head pretty hard. They sound great though, and fold up very compactly, so they're great for travel. I wonder if the 250's and 300's fit a bit looser.

I had the same problem with PXC300, similar to 250. The fit was too tight. What I did is to stretch the headphone and put it in the maximum position for a few days to get it loose. Also, turn on the volume to burn it. Afterward, it works better and more comfortable.

Well, I followed Bob's advice (and incredible PM help) and bought the Sennheiser 250s. They are pretty much exactly what I was looking for. I'll try them on my first flight in about 2 hours, but on the train here they were great and I even managed to sleep for an hour which I almost never do, though the music ended way earlier than that. Comfortwise, they are really different from what I'm used to. I'm used to foam ear pieces, for example. That said, I'd say that they are quite comfortable. I definitely don't find them too tight, for example.

The main thing that worried me was the battery case. I really think that this could be implemented better. It really is big. Fortunately the wires are really long, so it fits right beside my iPod in my pocket. I could never run with it, though. (Yes, I don't need or want NR when I run, but I do run when I travel, so may have to bring 2 headphones). So overall, it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. We'll see how things go over the next few travel-filled weeks.

Thanks,

Dr. PITUK

For the past 2 years I have been flying with custom-fitted in-ear phones from www.ultimateears.com. The downside is that you have to clean them once in a while (and when you order them, you have to get fitted like a hearing aid). The upside is they sound like the huge top-end monitor speakers in my living room.

I have a friend with these, and he raves about them. I don't see how you could get more sound reduction with anything else. Right now I have a pair of Shures, which is discussed earlier in this thread, but I'm considering paying the money for the UltimateEars...

Maybe it's because I've not tried the more-expensive options, but... I've found the Sennheiser HD 201 headphones to be a good _value_ at $20 or so for each pair....

My Sennheiser PXC300s arrived today. So far Im impressed. Sound is quite good. The battery pack is a bit of a nuisance but the flip side is that the headphones themselves are VERY light and seem very comfortable. I havent had a flight yet but had a couple 45 minute Long Island Railroad trips and they blocked the noise very efficiently on those. Im flying JFK-SFO-SAN on Saturday and back on Wednesday on UA. Then JFK-LHR a week from Sunday on AA and back the following week EDI-LHR-ORD-LGA on BA and UA. That should give them a good test. If my upgrade on AA clears I can compare them to QC3s directly.Do you have an in-flight review of the Sennheiser's?

Do you have an in-flight review of the Sennheiser's?
i want to know that too.

I have a friend with these, and he raves about them. I don't see how you could get more sound reduction with anything else. Right now I have a pair of Shures, which is discussed earlier in this thread, but I'm considering paying the money for the UltimateEars...

If you're willing to pay this amount of money, take a serious look at the Shure E500 PTH. They have been rated the best IEM under $1000.

Just bought Shure's E4c from Hong Kong airport for my Ipod, although I overpayed, I simply love the noise canceling feature and the base is awesome. Patch

Just bought Shure's E4c from Hong Kong airport for my Ipod, although I overpayed, I simply love the noise canceling feature and the base is awesome. Patch
noise canceling for shure e4c? isolating may be more accurate, IMHO.