I use the Audio Technicas and have been delighted with them. I can only compare them with some old Sennheisers, which they replaced, and some mid-priced earbuds.

The Sennheisers were light and compact but started to get uncomfortable after about three hours. The ATs are comfortable right through an 11 hour flight. They do not block out all sound but are a good compromise - the FA usually has to repeat her statement and them I become dimly aware that she is talking to me. I find the sound quality is very good and the case comes with a pouch where you can put a spare battery. There is a detachable cord, so if you just want noise cancelling, you don't have to have the cord dangling.

As with all such designs, if you rest your head so that you muffle the microphone, things start going awry and you start hearing a deep throbbing noise. This is why I also use earbuds (which also fit in the AT case). The earbuds are not noise cancelling but noise blocking and are ideal when I'm trying to sleep.

In short, the combination works great and I would thoroughly recommend the ATs.