Noise Cancelling Headphone Suggestions (1 Viewer)

[HienN]

Resurrecting this old thread for any new recommendations. Looking for gift ideas ($50-80) for a frequent plane traveler. Thanks in advance.

 

[Shane Martin]

Buy the Shure e2c's. My wife has the Sony's(at $40) and these do a better job + the sound better.
The E3c's were $99 on black friday but that deal is long done.

 

[ThomasC]

Buy the Shure e2c's.

Ditto. I got them a few days before taking a flight, and it was amazing as to how much sound they blocked out.

 

[Randy Tennison]

I bought a pair of Creative Labs HN-505's for plane rides. Are they the best noise cancelling out there? No. But they do a good job of removing the low end rumble of the plane, and allowing you to hear the audio source you are listening to. They worked great on the turbo prop I had to fly recently. It's quite dramatic to switch them off and on. Plus, the price point just can't be beat. I bought mine for $10.00 6 months ago. Office Depot has them for 27.00 right now.
They aren't perfect, but for the price, they do what I want.

 

[PhillJones]

My wife bought me some shure e2cs last christmas. The right earbud went dead yesterday. They haven't been abused so I'm not sure if a year for a hundred dollar pair of ear phones is really acceptable durability.

 

[ThomasC]

My wife bought me some shure e2cs last christmas. The right earbud went dead yesterday. They haven't been abused so I'm not sure if a year for a hundred dollar pair of ear phones is really acceptable durability.

They have a two year warranty, and Shure has excellent customer service. Send in your pair and they should send you a new pair in two or three weeks.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Shure warranty information. I've heard lots of good comments regarding Shure's customer service, as Thomas stated.

 

[Greg_R]

My wife bought me some shure e2cs last christmas. The right earbud went dead yesterday.

Possible issues:
- An actual electronic failure (unlikely, headphones are quite durable)
- Ear wax blocking the ear piece hole
- Dirt of some form clogging the filter (which covers the driver unit)
My Etymotics went from full volume to completely blocked instantly when one of the filters got clogged. Etymotics have replaceable filters, not sure if Shure's have a similar set up? Try cleaning the ear pieces and take a look at the filter covering the driver. If it's dirty then it may need replacing.

 

[PhillJones]

Possible issues:
- An actual electronic failure (unlikely, headphones are quite durable)
- Ear wax blocking the ear piece hole
- Dirt of some form clogging the filter (which covers the driver unit)
My Etymotics went from full volume to completely blocked instantly when one of the filters got clogged. Etymotics have replaceable filters, not sure if Shure's have a similar set up? Try cleaning the ear pieces and take a look at the filter covering the driver. If it's dirty then it may need replacing.

Thanks, I keep and eye on them and they're clean. They have a replacable filter. The problem seems to be coming and going and is worse when I walk so I think it's a dry solder joint or something, I'll contact shure and see how it goes.

 

[DaveF]

Let's thaw the Carbonite...

A couple weeks ago I sold my Etymotic ER-6i earphones on eBay. I wasn't using them anymore, since I'm no longer lawn-mowing, and airplane use I replaced them with the MC3. But I've been increasingly unhappy with my Etymotic MC3 earphones. I must have small ear canals, because they are a very tight fit and are uncomfortable after an hour. (They're larger than the 6i).

I've been thinking about getting the Bose QuietComfort QC15 headphones for over a year. A coworker sent me links to S&V reviews of all the major noise-canceling headphones in the $200 - $400 price range. After reading those, I liked the Bose and Audio Technics for value to my use. Overall, I liked the Bose the best; I've demoed them in stores and from friends, so felt comfortable that I knew what I was getting. But I was not keen on spending $300 for infrequent use.

I started watching eBay, but they were selling for $220+. More than I wanted to pay for used, sight-unseen.

This morning, I realized I had two this week and was not enthused about using my MC3 again. So on a whim, I looked at CraigsList. I found a pair for $200 about 45 min away. I emailed the seller, and said I was interested if he could meet me today. I ran to the bank to get cash, optimistic. He got back to me, and a couple hours later we met at Starbucks convenient to both of us. The headphones seems in nearly perfect condition, the full kit with box. I did a little demo and checked basic operations. 15 minutes later, done, and I gave him his $200. (He might have gone lower, but $200 was my buy price, and I'm not a haggler.)

I look forward to getting some good use from these headphones this week.

If these work well, maybe I'll ebay my Etymotic MC3.

 

[Scott Burke]

I have had noise canceling headphones before, but do not like the nc makes my head feel. I don't know how to describe the feeling except when noise canceling is on, I feel pressure in my ears. I thought maybe it was just the pair that I had, but I have tried others and feel the same way. All this to say the Bose AE2 block noise but don't give the feeling of pressure. They run about 150.

 

[DaveF]

A month later and I love these headphones. Far more comfortable than my etymotic mc3. The bulk is an acceptable trade. If I were buying new, I'd look more seriously at other versions that fold up. Also the AudioTechnics which are said to have Bose quality for $50 less. But for $200 Craigslist, great purchase. I understand the odd sensation Scott describes. Noise canceling is not a normal experience. I think part of it is the unreal quiet. Real, modern life never had that lack of ambient sound. After a day of wearing them, traveling, I'm ready to get them off and experience normal sounds Android users should note that the three-button controls and mic is iPhone specific, if you want to use it for volume control and phone. You need to get headphones specifically compatible with Android.Also, flight attendants have not asked me to powr off the headphones during takeoff and landing. Which has been nice and enhanced their benefits.