LIH Prem

It comes with a 3.5mm audio cable. What type of adapter are you using? It should just work.

-David

DYKWIA

Yeah, mine work fine when connected with a cable.

anabolism

I mean the two-prong to one-prong adapter that allows one to plug a one-prong headphone into a two-prong (or three-prong, where one prong is power) IFE system. Many of the nicer airplane IFE systems, including QR's Qsuite products, have two-prong (or three-prong, but only two carry sound) outlets. The airline supplies headsets that fit, but the noise cancellation is usually subpar.

Every prior Bose headset I've purchased (and there have been many over the years) has come with an airplane adapter. The NC700 is the only one that didn't, which makes me wonder if they are not intended to work with one.

Many airline IFE systems use two prongs for sound. I can plug my NC700 into either hole and get audio with noise cancellation on or off, but only one channel obviously. When I use the two-prong to one-prong adapter, I get both channels, but only when noise cancellation is off. When I turn oise cancellation on, the audio cuts out.

Sure, I assume they would work fine if connected to an IFE that uses only one prong. There's no need for an adapter then.

StuckInYYZ

Ok, I know which one you're talking about. Actually, out of the "three prongs", I believe one is completely useless. You can plug in the two prong adapter and (assuming you're using wired mode) it will work. The audio requires only one pin. The second pin is to supply power to those headsets that require power (eg, noise cancelling headsets which are not powered by battery... as most airline premium headsets are not). Technically you should be able to use just a single pin since you have a battery in the headset itself.

If you're using wired, I'd just take one of your old adapters and plug into that. I suspect the NC700 doesn't because it assumes you're going to be using bluetooth.more than the wired connection.

As for the noise cancelling stopping the audio, you'd have to do some experimenting... I'd recommend trying with your own adapter... but something along the lines of:

without the adapter, noise cancelling on (make sure you're plugging into the right pin)
with the adapter, noise cancelling off
with the adapter, noise cancelling on

at least two seats to make sure it's consistent.

(note, I'm pretty sure you'd test at least one seat, but trying to cover all bases)

Keep in mind that the adapter should only fit two pins in the three pin plugs. I don't remember if all three pins are unique in size but I know the two-pin adapters are unique (it will only go one way).

anabolism

It depends on the specific IFE system; in some, the third prong supplies power for the airline-supplied headsets, which have some noise-cancellation.

I'm talking about the IFE systems in which two prongs are required for stereo audio, one prong per channel. The third prong supplies power for the airline-provided headsets.

It shouldn't be a matter of designers assuming the user will use Bluetooth more than wired; either the headsets are designed to work with a wire and adapter or they're not.

Because I'm familiar with basic trouble-shooting to isolate problems, I have done tests using different headsets at my seat (my traveling companion's and the airline-provided ones), my NC700 at a different seat, with different airplane adapters, and without an airplane adapter, and also in several different airplanes that all had IFE systems with three jacks (two for audio). The problem is definitely in my NC700. The question is if this is by design (the NC700 is not intended to work with an airplane adapter, which might be why no such adapter is supplied with the unit) or is a defect in my specific unit.

Yes, one jack (pin) is for power for the airline-supplied headsets. The other two jacks are for audio, one is the right channel and the other is the left. The two jacks are identical as they are standard; the airplane adapter can be inserted with either prong in either hole (i.e., rotated 180 degrees), although doing so swaps the channels in the headset (usually not discernible). I can plug the NC700 cable into either jack and hear mono audio with noise cancellation on or off. Using the airplane adapter allows the NC700 to hear both channels (stereo audio) but only when noise cancellation is off.

DYKWIA

I have a 2 prong adaptor from a previous set of QC35s. Works find with the NC700s.

anabolism

That's helpful, thank you. My specific headset must have a defect.

nmenaker

Slightly off topic but related to “prongs”. I recently did my first flight in the United Polaris product. I was SHOCKED that there was no place for a typical single prong audio jack to be plugged in. It required the typical bose two prong adaptor which frankly. I have not flown with for nearly two decades. Of course even the large IFE had no Bluetooth option (which I could have used my APP with) and the airline of course had no two prong adaptors. It was pretty crazy, had to use the provided headphones which were NOT NC at all and the flight was from a sound perspective, exhausting.

StuckInYYZ

I'm still using my QC25s but that said, my case has a spot for the adapter (which is better than me putting the adapter somewhere where I will forget the location of). And for the weight difference, it's not worth the hassle not to keep it with the headset.

anabolism

It all depends which airlines and routes you fly. For domestic flights, if I'm lucky enough to be on a plane with IFE, it has a one-prong jack. For international flights, it's always been the two-prong jacks (often three prongs but only two are audio, the third is smaller and supplies power to the airline-provided headsets). That's been the case from decades ago through a few weeks ago.

I really appreciate that those cases have a pocket for the airplane adapter, as well as a pocket for spare batteries and such. It's really annoying that the NC700s don't have any place to put an adapter. One can just put it in between the ear cups, but then it inevitably falls out when getting the headphones.

StuckInYYZ

Actually, for me it is a bit less of a concern (I have an old school pencil case where I keep my travel cables) but it is great to have all the related toys together.

I would also be a bit weary about putting one of those adapters between the cups without being secured. There'd be a good chance that a sudden jerk and you could damage the headset. I don't know about you, but $400 headsets are kinda painful to replace (which is why I use a much cheaper headset for EDC stuff.

anabolism

Yeah, same here. I only bought the NC700s because I finally upgraded my six-year-old phone, and the new one has no headphone jack. But, what's EDC?

StuckInYYZ

Sorry, too many references acronyms... EDC stands for "Every Day Carry"...

USA_flyer

im interested in getting my NC700s hooked into the planes audio having assumed that without a wire, it would be impossible.

Can you point me in the right direction for an adapter kit please?

ETA: ignore me. I found the 2.5mm to 3.5mm jack in the case!

anngi

Anyone bought new ones lately? What did you buy and why and even where?
Looking for an upcoming flight.