I fly. A lot. I gave my Bose Quiet Comfort 3 's to my wife a few months ago and have been using stereo ear plugs. I want to go back to a noise canceling/reducing on-the-ear headset. I like the Bose, but their stuff is all I know. My criteria is Small, easy to deploy and pack case and cables Well made Long battery life Good sound Great noise reduction Very comfortable Bluetooth? I'm not shopping price at all. I like buying great stuff, infrequently. But I'm not an audiophile either, since my ears are as old as I am. I'm a bicoastal guy who doesn't get upgraded to Business enough and consequently sits in the back with the amateurs and their noisy, snot nosed offspring. Too often on redeyes, dammit. I need my solitude. Is there anything better for the traveler than the Bose? Cause it's pretty good. Thanks.
... in the last six years. I like it. It's comfy, sounds pretty good, packs small, gives me enough comfort and solitude on my international flights. Having said all that, I haven't tried any other kind or brand.
My wife and i have been using some different Panasonic models for a couple of years. We are very happy with them. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-RP-HC500-Noise-Canceling-Headphones/dp/B000OKH6ZI
I've been using the Bose Quietcomfort 15 for a year now. They are top notch in my opinion. Keeping in mind they are an over the ear headphone versus the Quietcomfort 3 which are on ear.
I'd avoid Beats, I don't think they do it as well as Bose. One nit pick about the Beats is everyone can hear what you're listening to as they bleed lots of sound.
Posting to this thread just so it stays on my radar. I also take more flights in a week than is normal (read: healthy). I'm in the market, and currently use earbuds (ear-canal). I've been considering Bose QC15s, but I can't believe there's nothing better out there. I'm primarily interested in comfort and overall sound quality/balance.
Just adding in that Beats are terrible and nobody should own them (not even your 15 year old children/nephews). The quality is an absolute joke.
I tried the Sony noise cancelling headphones. They didn't work. At all. Great headphones for listening to music, but worthless (IMHO) for noise cancellation.
My Bose noise cancelling headphones are old enough now that I need new ear pads. Haven't found anything better.
Do any of these cancel out voices, like a nagging wife, without the aid of music? I don't need the music just the voices canceled.
http://www.seatguru.com/articles/noise-canceling_review.php http://noise-cancelling-headphones-review.toptenreviews.com According to the second review, the Sennheiser PXC 450 is the best and the Bose QC15 is only the 7th. Cost about same as the Bose. For what you're looking for the Sennheiser probably better. Looks comfier and the sound quality HAS to be better. I mean, it is a Sennheiser... I will try one out as soon as I can. Interestingly, the second best is the Beats... I guess you just have to compare as many as you can for yourself. Interesting read: http://www.earphonesolutions.com/coofsoiseaan.html
one other great use for noise canceling headphones is when you're mowing grass. even if you don't wanna listen to the music.
I have worn a lot of different ANR (active noise reduction) systems over the years from heavy duty Dave Clark's, ultra light weight Telex 850s, as well as Bose Aviation and Q3. You will always get the greatest noise reduction from a headset that combines passive (covering the entire ear) and active (noise cancelling). ANR systems are really good at blocking low, droning tones like jet engines but they are not worth a damn at blocking high pitch noise. Sometimes you can actually hear more with the ANR system. Of course, this is all highly subjective as everybody is different. I have flown many thousands of hours without any hearing loss due to disciplined use of hearing protection. If I had it to do over, I would have bought the lager Bose covering the entire ear...
Two things that I think are important when choosing a good pair. 1) Make sure they still play music, even if the battery dies. 2) Make sure the cord plus into the headphones, and isn't permanently attached. If it's permanent, it's a big pain to replace the cord if it gets damaged. As a bonus, you can use the same cord to plug your smart phone into the AUX jack of the rental car stereo to listen to Pandora & the GPS. I'm not a big fan of Sony gear, but I borrow my wife's Sony MDR NC60 when I travel, and they are just fine. I have heard that Audio-Technica ATH-ANC9 are good, but I have not tried them. Not an audiophile, due to a childhood of guns, racing two strokes indoors, chain saws and power tools.
QC15s here. I like them. I traded with someone and used Sennheisers for a few flights. I thought they were really nice. The build quality felt a little better but they didn't fit my ears/head as well as the Bose. Klipsch just came out with the M40s. I've heard good things about them from some fellow travelers.
Inner KLR rider can't afford a new shtick? I've used both Panasonic and Sony ANR earbuds to good effect. Both still worked for music when the batteries died.
I have a pair of Denon headphones. The sound quality is ok but there is still a fair amount of noise such that I don't enjoy the music all that much. Also I find them bulky and they get uncomfortable after a few hours particularly if you wear glasses. These days I am using good old foamies which have far better noise immunity than head phones and they fit in your shirt pocket. Also, you can wear them during take off and landings and sometimes I leave them in while scampering between flights. The Denon's get used for long flights so I can watch movies or in the gym. If you get stuck in one of those noisey hotels you'll be glad you have some foamies along.