[consolidated] Noise Cancel Headphones vs Earbuds
Jan 7, 2019, 7:49 pm
#76
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So that I'm clear about QC35, can you verify that all of this is true for QC35? I'm trying to decide between QC35 vs QC25.
- It can be used with ANC, wired or wireless.
- If used wired (eg, airplane IFE) and your battery goes, you lose the ANC but you still get sound/music.
- It is no bulkier than QC25.
- It can be used with ANC, wired or wireless.
- If used wired (eg, airplane IFE) and your battery goes, you lose the ANC but you still get sound/music.
- It is no bulkier than QC25.
2. Correct. There are basically two modes when using the wired connection - power on or off. If the power is off, either because of dead battery or because you switch it off, audio works, but in addition to losing ANC, you also lose active EQ.
3. Can’t speak to that, as I never owned the QC 25s.
Jan 8, 2019, 3:40 am
#77
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
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Posts: 4,866
Somehow i've slowly crept back into a headphone hoarder again... bought the Jabra Elite 65t wireless earbuds - kind of the non-apple version of Airpods:
* Still uses microUSB -- is disappointment
* Good noise-isolating seal - almost like real in-ear monitors - without having to perform careful insertion.
* Can double-tap to turn on amplified pass-through sound to hear ambient noise. Good. Also automatically pauses playback when 1 earphone is removed
* Supports synchronous connection to 2 devices -- e.g. laptop + phone. What a revelation this is (compared to Sony XM3 which does not have this). I take the unit out of their case at work, and automatically it works for conf calls or taking away with my phones.
* The microphone actually works. (unlike on Sony). I actually sound like a human being. This means I can actually use it at the office for calls, and in day to day life.
Haven't really stressed the sound quality, and haven't fully tested the battery capabilities, but more and more the Sony feel like an expensive deadweight....
* Still uses microUSB -- is disappointment
* Good noise-isolating seal - almost like real in-ear monitors - without having to perform careful insertion.
* Can double-tap to turn on amplified pass-through sound to hear ambient noise. Good. Also automatically pauses playback when 1 earphone is removed
* Supports synchronous connection to 2 devices -- e.g. laptop + phone. What a revelation this is (compared to Sony XM3 which does not have this). I take the unit out of their case at work, and automatically it works for conf calls or taking away with my phones.
* The microphone actually works. (unlike on Sony). I actually sound like a human being. This means I can actually use it at the office for calls, and in day to day life.
Haven't really stressed the sound quality, and haven't fully tested the battery capabilities, but more and more the Sony feel like an expensive deadweight....
Jan 8, 2019, 1:38 pm
#78
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,375
1. QC 35 II can use ANC with wired or Bluetooth. If wired (and powered on), ANC defaults to High and there is no way to get it to change to a lower level of noise cancellation, if my understanding is correct.
2. Correct. There are basically two modes when using the wired connection - power on or off. If the power is off, either because of dead battery or because you switch it off, audio works, but in addition to losing ANC, you also lose active EQ.
3. Can’t speak to that, as I never owned the QC 25s.
2. Correct. There are basically two modes when using the wired connection - power on or off. If the power is off, either because of dead battery or because you switch it off, audio works, but in addition to losing ANC, you also lose active EQ.
3. Can’t speak to that, as I never owned the QC 25s.
I didn't know that Q35 could be set to provide different levels of NC when used with Bluetooth. Q25 (when I had it before I had to return it due to defect) only had 1 mode of ANC if I remember correctly.
Jan 11, 2019, 7:37 am
#79
Suspended
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The apple earpods have the most amazing sound. Better than my expensive Bose over ears. The directional sound is amazing. You can "see" the violin on the left and the trumpet back right
Jan 14, 2019, 4:43 am
#80
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
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Posts: 4,866
Somehow i've slowly crept back into a headphone hoarder again... bought the Jabra Elite 65t wireless earbuds - kind of the non-apple version of Airpods:
* Still uses microUSB -- is disappointment
* Good noise-isolating seal - almost like real in-ear monitors - without having to perform careful insertion.
* Can double-tap to turn on amplified pass-through sound to hear ambient noise. Good. Also automatically pauses playback when 1 earphone is removed
* Supports synchronous connection to 2 devices -- e.g. laptop + phone. What a revelation this is (compared to Sony XM3 which does not have this). I take the unit out of their case at work, and automatically it works for conf calls or taking away with my phones.
* The microphone actually works. (unlike on Sony). I actually sound like a human being. This means I can actually use it at the office for calls, and in day to day life.
Haven't really stressed the sound quality, and haven't fully tested the battery capabilities, but more and more the Sony feel like an expensive deadweight....
* Still uses microUSB -- is disappointment
* Good noise-isolating seal - almost like real in-ear monitors - without having to perform careful insertion.
* Can double-tap to turn on amplified pass-through sound to hear ambient noise. Good. Also automatically pauses playback when 1 earphone is removed
* Supports synchronous connection to 2 devices -- e.g. laptop + phone. What a revelation this is (compared to Sony XM3 which does not have this). I take the unit out of their case at work, and automatically it works for conf calls or taking away with my phones.
* The microphone actually works. (unlike on Sony). I actually sound like a human being. This means I can actually use it at the office for calls, and in day to day life.
Haven't really stressed the sound quality, and haven't fully tested the battery capabilities, but more and more the Sony feel like an expensive deadweight....
* With the external noise passthru mode, the earphones alternate from a background hum to quiet/off. Quite distracting
* On a PC, the earphonesshow up as 2 discrete bluetooth devices -- 1 for media and 1 for communication -- just like Plantronics or other headsets. However, during a computer call (which should be highest priority), other noises such as email or IM alerts will pause the call audio for a few seconds. Very annoying. With Plantronics the alerts will either be muted or lap onto the call.
* While they snug fit helps against them accidentally falling out. It also makes removing the headphones a slight chore. You'd have to sorta twist and yank. Not so elegant when someone wants to talk to you (and you dont want to use the passthru)
* Unlike some other slimmer earbuds or IEMs which almost disappears, these I can't roll with during sleep. Obviously not a problem 95% of the time. But if you use them for air travel, you likely can't sleep on the side with them.
Jan 27, 2019, 12:59 pm
#81
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
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Posts: 4,866
and now the bad:
* With the external noise passthru mode, the earphones alternate from a background hum to quiet/off. Quite distracting
* On a PC, the earphonesshow up as 2 discrete bluetooth devices -- 1 for media and 1 for communication -- just like Plantronics or other headsets. However, during a computer call (which should be highest priority), other noises such as email or IM alerts will pause the call audio for a few seconds. Very annoying. With Plantronics the alerts will either be muted or lap onto the call.
* While they snug fit helps against them accidentally falling out. It also makes removing the headphones a slight chore. You'd have to sorta twist and yank. Not so elegant when someone wants to talk to you (and you dont want to use the passthru)
* Unlike some other slimmer earbuds or IEMs which almost disappears, these I can't roll with during sleep. Obviously not a problem 95% of the time. But if you use them for air travel, you likely can't sleep on the side with them.
* With the external noise passthru mode, the earphones alternate from a background hum to quiet/off. Quite distracting
* On a PC, the earphonesshow up as 2 discrete bluetooth devices -- 1 for media and 1 for communication -- just like Plantronics or other headsets. However, during a computer call (which should be highest priority), other noises such as email or IM alerts will pause the call audio for a few seconds. Very annoying. With Plantronics the alerts will either be muted or lap onto the call.
* While they snug fit helps against them accidentally falling out. It also makes removing the headphones a slight chore. You'd have to sorta twist and yank. Not so elegant when someone wants to talk to you (and you dont want to use the passthru)
* Unlike some other slimmer earbuds or IEMs which almost disappears, these I can't roll with during sleep. Obviously not a problem 95% of the time. But if you use them for air travel, you likely can't sleep on the side with them.
* Often when pausing and resuming something in quick succession, it'll get the jittery stuttering staccato playback. It wont fix itself until the device is unpaired and re-paired.
* Other times it'll go blank.
Hate to say it, but this is one of those examples where Apple just makes things work.