Noise cancelling headphone suggestions?

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My first set (wired) were eaten alive by battery acid, and my second set have sprouted legs. I would like bluetooth I think, but wired would be fine as I could also use them on the computers at home and work. Not looking to spend alot of money, but don't know where to start, as I've been out of the electronics scene for several years.
 
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There are noise-cancelling, and noise-isolating. The isolating are cheaper, and probably better for your ears. I just bought these on Amazon for $19.99. I see that Bezos, slimy rat that he is, has jacked up the price to $25. But still much cheaper and just as effective. I use them at the gym on the Stepmill, and am able to listen to podcasts very well, despite the noise.
 
Bose QuietComfort 15 are the older generation ANC headphones, QuietComfort 25 are current generation. Really the best ANC phones, and I've tried several. They don't budge on list price, but a way to get 90% of the QC25 is to buy the QC15; they have been closing them out the last few months. Only drawback is, although they're very comfortable, with daily use the vinyl earpads and head piece will disintegrate in about 4 years, and you have to work at it to rebuild it with aftermarket vinyl pieces since they weren't meant to be rebuilt.
 
My favorite headphones are not supposed to noise-anything butbI guess they are noise isolating. I prefer them to my wifes boise around ear noise cancelling. They function as great earplugs when not plugged in ...They are monoprice brand and were 12 bucks on amazon. Don't let the price fool you.At least take a look 😀
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
+1 to the Bose QuietComforts. I tried them out at the BestBuy store and they sound fantastic!
Bose... Better sound through marketing They never list frequency response but rather ask you "how do they sound to you?" Compared to what? Nothing. I second the call for noise isolating. Check slickdeals.net for a good deal
 
Who cares as long as it sounds good? Bose makes an awesome pair and they work fantastic. A bit pricey, but give them a listen...
 
My son picked up QC25 from the Bose factory outlet and used 10% off coupon on top; still too rich for my blood at $180 but the son loves it. It is amazing in terms of handling the noise and the sound. I too have tried cheaper NC headphones but nobody comes even close to Bose.
 
Both the environment you'll be using them in AND the freq. content of the noise you wish to "cancel" are very important to consider. From an acoustics standpoint, I'd bet they'll work much better at cancelling (masking) high-frequency noise than low frequency rumbles. The former is one reason why they work so well on jets during flight. However, on a turbo-prop, you may find a lower effectiveness level. Same with riding in a car with a lot of road noise coming through.
 
I have one of the Audio Technica ANR devices. It is marginally effective, and I wouldn't recommend it. I used to have a Sony mp3 player with the ANR circuitry built-in and had earbuds with the microphones that worked much better (alas the headphone jack failed and they don't make them anymore).
 
I would recommend Solitude XCS. I did lots of research before ordering these. I'm glad I did. Btw, I first found them at http://www.headphonesunboxed.com/best-noise-cancelling-headphones-under-100/ (in case you'd like to see how they look like). First off - noise cancelling works, and works well. It doesn't do much in the voice frequency range, but as for the low repetitive frequency of an airplane, or the loud HVAC system in my lab at work - it simply disappears. They are comfortable. These are an over-the-ear design so your ears may need to breathe from time to time. I will be wearing them for the majority a very long overseas flight to Asia, and I can't imagine any issue sleeping with them on. The plug is removable ear cup which is key for storage, reliability, and convenience of moving around in-flight without a cord to manage. The sound does cut the low end somewhat with NC enabled, as expected. The sound quality is good - the highs are crisp - so it is clear that the driver has high dynamic range. With NC off, the sound fills out in the low end. In amp mode, the lows are boosted and I suppose that would be ideal for some genres. I mostly listen to rock - but I'm happy with the way they sound, fit, and cancel noise. I've tried a $50 sony pair that did nothing. I also have tried the Bose QC's which may have done more in the voice range than these as far as NC goes (it was a long time ago). But I certainly couldn't imagine paying $200 more for those. Excellent value. 100% recommended.
 
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
+1 to the Bose QuietComforts. I tried them out at the BestBuy store and they sound fantastic!
Bose... Better sound through marketing They never list frequency response but rather ask you "how do they sound to you?" Compared to what? Nothing. I second the call for noise isolating. Check slickdeals.net for a good deal
BEATS learned so much from BOSE. What form factor are you looking for? Over the head, ear plug type or what?
 
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