Hello
I have the Bose noise cancelling headphones and I'm reasonably happy with them but travel frequently with my wife and usually give them up to her....so I noticed with interest the Shure line... (E1c, E2c, E5c); they don't appear to emphasize any noise cancelling properties but hint at it...so does any one have these and has used them, not to listen to music, etc., but for noise supression? And better yet has anyone compared them against the Bose?
Tks.

I haven't used the Shures, but I am pretty sure that they are not noise cancelling. They fit in your ear and act as isolation headphones--similar to the Etymotics. They are like earplugs that block out noise and simultaneously act as headphones. Most of the headphone fanatics at Head-Fi (www.head-fi.org) who have compared Shure and Etymotics favor the Etymotics.

This type of headphone can do a much better job of reducing noise than any noise cancelling headphones. The Bose and other noise cancelling headphones reduce noise by 10-15 db, while the isolation type headphones can reduce noise 20-25 db (each 3 db means reducing the noise by half so 9db means an 8-fold reduction in noise). The noise cancelling headphones reduce low pitched noises, while the isolation type plugs can block out all noise. I love travelling with my Etymotics--they have excellent sound quality, but you are truly isolated. You need to pop them out to converse with the stewardesses regarding meal service. I can't hear what they are saying but use hand signals to get drink refills etc. Some people love them and some people can never get comfortable wearing this type of headphone.