Forums

Hi All

If you spend a lot of time on buses, subways etc listening to podcasts like I do, do yourselves a favour and get some noise reduction or noise cancelling headphones.

It is so much easier to listen to both podcasts and music, is easier on your ears (you don't have to turn the MP3 player as loud), and it really saves your battery.

I recently got some Shure 110s and they are simply amazing. Some of you might not like the ear plug fit, so you might want to look at some over the ear phones.

*RNTT

WillDuke's picture
Training Badge

I had a pair of Shure's, I really liked them. They did get a little tiring in my ears over time though. Eventually they shorted out on me, though I attribute that to my abuse and not their quality. They come with a collection of attachments to fit different sizes and types of ears, which was nice.

I'm going to DC tomorrow and decided to get some new headphones. I looked at a lot of forums and reviews and everything else. Eventually I decided to go with the Bose.

I just sprang (sprung?) for some Bose QuietComfort II cans. (If you're in the know you refer to headphones as cans. I found that out from my research.)

I like them quite a bit, though I haven't taken a long trip with them yet. I had them on for a few hours the other night at home when I was doing some cooking late at night and didn't want to keep others up. (I was making some pico de gallo. YUM!)

The QCIIs go around the ear, the QCIIIs sit on the ear. I though around sounded more comfortable. Plus the IIs use a AAA battery (easy to get wherever you go) whereas the IIIs use a proprietary rechargeable unit. Oh, and the QCIIs were $50 cheaper. :)

The cans were very comfortable for me. My wife said they put uncomfortable pressure on her ears, apparently this does happen for some people with active noise cancelling. The Shure phones use a passive cancelling technique that shunts sounds aside. The Bose actually emit waves to cancel it out.

So, that's what's on my mind. I thought I'd share since I wish someone had shared with me a couple of weeks ago. :)

jhack's picture

I travel a lot. I love mine. Sony MDR-NC11's, earbud style.

John

HMac's picture

I've had a pair of the original Bose Quiet Comforts for about six years now. I bought them exclusively for planes, and I love them. I do a fair amount of overnight flights, and they stay in place while I sleep. In the last couple of years, I've started wearing them to listen to podcasts when I'm mowing the lawn or using other power equipment, like....the vacuum.

-Hugh

mstael31's picture
Training Badge

Add my vote for the noise cancelling feature!

My arsenal consists of the earbuds by Sony (MDR-NC22's in my case) and Sony over the ear (cannot remember the model). I use the earbuds for my train commute and the over the ear on the airplane (better comfort for longer use). No special connection to Sony other than price point. I would love to splurge on the Bose over the ear. I have not yet found a convincing argument for my CFO (read: wife).

Mark

bflynn's picture

I agree. I got the Bose QC3 as a Christmas present. At first I wasn't real impressed, I thought they were no big deal, just an overpriced present. However, having used them on many flights, they're incredible. They are worth it for the noise canceling feature alone. Adding in that they're the best headphones I've ever had is just icing on the cake.

As expensive as they are, I would replace them if something happened.

Brian

bteachman's picture
Training Badge

The company I work for has some early 90's 20 seater prop planes. Any one tried Noise Reduction Headphones on a plane similar to this?

Currently I am using some in expensive Sony Noise Reduction Headphones, but i have to have the volume all the way up on my iPod to here it.

davidleeheyman's picture
Licensee Badge

I have a pair of Shure E3g noise-isolating earphones and I swear by them. They are so much better than the airplane earphones that I need to keep the IFE at the lowest setting. Even then when the pilot comes on for a PA I have to rip them out of my ears at lightning speed or I'll do damage to my ears. Why can't they balance out the sound?

It seems that Shure changes models every year or so. i think that I originally bought E3c and the E3g were a replacement unit. Now I see that they've abandoned this way of naming models altogether.

jeff01's picture

I have found that the foam tip in ear design gives me the most noise reduction.

I fly all the time for business and can't stand the engine noise.

I use the Comply NR-10 model by Hearing Components.

Better performance and more comfortable than Bose and only $80! I love it!

WillDuke's picture
Training Badge

I fly out of a small airport in Sun Valley Idaho(code SUN) All flights are prop, or jet prop, or turbo prop, whatever. The Bose QC2 headphones didn't totally make it go away, but they knocked it down a lot. Pretty impressive.

I did find one side-effect. I felt like a jerk wearing them. They isolated me so much, that I couldn't interact with the people around me. Flight attendants had to ask twice, seatmates had to get your attention, so on.

So, they do exactly what they say they're going to do - isolate you. I'm not sure I enjoyed the experience.

ramiska's picture

Anyone have any luck overpowering a lawnmower?

I have a pair of Jensen noise cancelling headphones that come close. I can listen to music but it's not quite enough isolation from the loud motor. It's an hour and a half where I could do some good listening every week.

agreen's picture

Lawnmowing is one of my favorite listening times. I bought a very good set of industrial earmuffs and use bud earpieces from my mp3 palyer under them.

Works fine.

jhack's picture

Will,

Point well taken. I use mine a lot on red-eye flights where a good sleep is needed, or when my seatmates are doing their own things (which is often).

John

manager_atrois's picture

I have a pair of Sonys that work alright, especially on airplanes where they cancel a lot of the bottom end noise from engines, wind, etc. However, I never tried the earmuffs + buds solution, I bet that for a lot of really noisy situations that would work even better.