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Best headphones for the price.

Best headphones for the price.

Old Aug 12, 2016, 9:46 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by wco81
I searched for noise canceling Shure and Etymotic on Amazon and it only returned "noise isolating" earbuds. So I don't think they offer active noise cancellation
While it's true they aren't active cancelling, my ER-4's have an NRR rating of slightly above 29, as good as most dedicated foam earplugs. What matters at the end is how much external sound gets to your ears, whether blocking or cancelling. They're a heck of a lot smaller than Bose (or any other) over-the-ears. And sound much, much better.

For really cheap, try Panasonic RP-HJE120. About $10 from Amazon and fully competent. It's not going to match a good Shure/Ety pair, but it will match up well with about anything under $60. I buy them for my kids, in bulk, as they tend to lose a set every 3-4 months. 35,000 ratings on Amazon and 85% 4 or 5 star. Now $6.95-9.86 depending on the color, shipped free.
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Old Aug 14, 2016, 9:39 am
  #32  
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Originally Posted by txflyer77
I can't imagine trying to listen to Grados on a plane. Wouldn't any open headphone just force you to crank to volume to hear anything?
That's what I thought, and yet JetBlue gives them out in its Mint class to rave reviews.
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Old Aug 26, 2016, 12:03 pm
  #33  
 
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Looking for versatile earphones

Lost my old wired earphones, and figured now was the time to see if there was a set of earphones that could meet my 3-4 core needs. Tried to search a bit, but there's so many products on the market, I was hoping to get some recommendations.

About what I'm looking for:
  • Earphones because they're easier to travel with -- I can stuff in pocket when needed. They could be the slightly bigger over the ear models and such, but I focus is on compact and easy to travel with. I don't want to juggle a big Bose headphone carrying case while returning my rental car and grabbing my luggage.
  • Something that works on plane. I don't need noise cancellation (nice to have vs must have), but I do fly about 3-4 times a month, so let me at least hear it over the plane's ambient noise.
  • If wireless/bluetooth, something that can last ~6 hours. Periodically I have to do the coast to coast travel, other times I just have long days where I won't find time to charge.
  • Something that works with my phone, iPad, AND computer. This is actually the toughest part for me. My phone is used on conf calls on the go, iPad mainly when I'm in hotel/airplane passing time, and computer for in-office/hotel calls via VoIP (i.e. Lync, Skype, etc.)
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Old Aug 27, 2016, 6:52 am
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by enthrop
Lost my old wired earphones, and figured now was the time to see if there was a set of earphones that could meet my 3-4 core needs. Tried to search a bit, but there's so many products on the market, I was hoping to get some recommendations.

About what I'm looking for:
  • Earphones because they're easier to travel with -- I can stuff in pocket when needed. They could be the slightly bigger over the ear models and such, but I focus is on compact and easy to travel with. I don't want to juggle a big Bose headphone carrying case while returning my rental car and grabbing my luggage.
  • Something that works on plane. I don't need noise cancellation (nice to have vs must have), but I do fly about 3-4 times a month, so let me at least hear it over the plane's ambient noise.
  • If wireless/bluetooth, something that can last ~6 hours. Periodically I have to do the coast to coast travel, other times I just have long days where I won't find time to charge.
  • Something that works with my phone, iPad, AND computer. This is actually the toughest part for me. My phone is used on conf calls on the go, iPad mainly when I'm in hotel/airplane passing time, and computer for in-office/hotel calls via VoIP (i.e. Lync, Skype, etc.)
Etymotics HF3. Costs about a hundred dollars. Excellent sound. Supreme noise isolation. This is the entry level for balanced armature headphones.

If you don't want to spend a hundred bucks, the dirty secret is that everything cheaper than this uses dynamic drivers, with all the same limitations in sound quality. All with poor sound isolation.

So basically if you don't want to spend a hundred buck for the better sound, then stay at like 15-20 bucks for a basic Panasonic headset that kits iphone compatible on the specs. These are a solid implementation of this technology - little or nothing to be had from more expensive headsets that use the same driver tech (which BTW is all headsets under a hunder bucks and Even many up to double that price). Then spend 10 or 20 bucks on some Comply plugs for the headset, to get the better sound isolation.

Another cheapo approach is to buy the Etymotics kids headset in black for 35-40 bucks. Dynamic driver with proper noise isolation.

But don't fall into the trap of buying expensive headset that uses dynamic driver.

Last edited by osamede; Aug 27, 2016 at 6:57 am
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Old Aug 28, 2016, 1:24 am
  #35  
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Originally Posted by txflyer77
I can't imagine trying to listen to Grados on a plane. Wouldn't any open headphone just force you to crank to volume to hear anything?
While the Grados are said to be excellent, I also don't think they are appropriate for in-flight use. Being open backed, they provide hardly if any noise isolation, so you'll need to really crank up the volume. And because the are open, the cranked up music will leak heavily and be heard all over. Cacophony!
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Old Aug 30, 2016, 5:50 pm
  #36  
 
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Just ordered QC25 off friend's recommendation. I'd never use BT Audio for the QC35 is not for me, sounds terrible. Excited as I have 3 Trans-Cons, 1 Mileage Run and a trip to Tokyo(plus assorted trips in between) before year end.
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Old Sep 3, 2016, 2:39 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by txflyer77
I would take a hard look at the Etymotic mc5.

http://www.etymotic.com/consumer/earphones/mc5.html

~40 dB noise isolation and a low impedance of 16 ohms so it won't chew up your battery as fast.

They're also much easier to pack than a full-size set of headphones.
I believe the MK5 is their latest model in that category and thMC5 is an older version.

Can vouch for the noise isolation on these.

If you don't listen at loud volumes the Ety Kids in black is the exact same thing with a max volume limiter and even cheaper.
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Old Sep 12, 2016, 7:02 pm
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by Mellonc
+1 on this brand. I have the HF 5 and I won't say they are the best headphones. but they do block the noise on the middle and upper frequencies.

the QC series of headphones are nice but I have dog hearing. I can hear the out of phase noise that is supposed to cancel the noise. this gets worse, when my headset touches the seat or any part of the airplane. so, unless i'm sitting straight up like a good student in 4th grade, I have to use the noise isolators....
anyone try these?

http://www.etymotic.com/consumer/earphones/mk5.html
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Old Sep 12, 2016, 10:08 pm
  #39  
 
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QC25 are excellent for in the air noise canceling. Sound quality isn't amazing or anything but even just sleeping on a red-eye from SFO-MSP I just turned them on and slept great.
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Old Sep 13, 2016, 11:06 am
  #40  
 
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Skullcandy makes affordable headphones. Both their large, cushioned headphones and ear buds cancel outside noise significantly more than Apple's, in my opinion.
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Old Sep 13, 2016, 2:17 pm
  #41  
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A good resource for information about headphones is head-fi.org, which is the headphone audiophile counterpart of FlyerTalk. For what it's worth, Skull Candy phones are considered very inferior phones on head-fi.org.

http://www.head-fi.org/newsearch?search=skull+candy
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 9:50 pm
  #42  
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I am also seeking the best one !

Originally Posted by cougarman
Not sure if this is the right forum to post this but, I was wondering what are the best headphones to use on a flight that don't cost an arm and a leg. I usually use regular earbuds and half the time have trouble hearing the music/movies on my ipad over the drone of the engine noise. I was wondering what everyone else uses and if they recommend them. I only fly 5-6 times a year so paying more than $150 seems a bit excessive for something I would only use sparingly.
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 11:02 pm
  #43  
 
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I was going to buy this pair of Sony's, I have several friends that are very happy with them.
Amazon Amazon
I luckily procrastinated and found a pair of Bose QC-35 II's in Black on FaceBook storefront for $180.00 ($349 at BestBuy), brand new in the box, I verified them with the Bose App to make sure that they were legitimate. Everyone may not want to shop around local on FB, CL, etc. but I have found some exceptional deals on electronics doing it.

Patrick
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Old Apr 5, 2018, 11:03 pm
  #44  
 
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I was going to buy this pair of Sony's, I have several friends that are very happy with them.
Amazon Amazon
I luckily procrastinated and found a pair of Bose QC-35 II's in Black on FaceBook storefront for $180.00 ($349 at BestBuy), brand new in the box, I verified them with the Bose App to make sure that they were legitimate. Everyone may not want to shop around local on FB, CL, etc. but I have found some exceptional deals on electronics doing it.

Patrick
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Old Apr 6, 2018, 1:25 am
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by theshaun
I have used both. The MK series is designed to hit a price point, with compromise in the sound quality, being more muddy.

The HF5 is a different design - more the classic Etymotics design - and produces better quality sound. I would get that one.
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