Every time I get on a plane I wish I had bought noise cancelling head phones,
I did have a pair of Sony ones but in travel they always seem to break.
any advice?
Noise Cancelling Headphones for long flights
[Deactivated] on 24/09/2014 - 23:53
Comments
+1 Bose QC15
It's very comfortable and has good active noise cancelling. I've even had them on whilst sleeping during a long flight. Try them on in a store because the extra ear pressure is very obvious.I used to also have the Sennheiser PXC-250 (mark 1?) but the on-ear design coupled with a strong head clamp made them uncomfortable over long flights.
I have a pair of Sennheiser PXC-250's (mk1 too I believe) and really like them compared to not having NC. However, the on ear design does indeed becomes tiring, typically around 6-8+ hrs. Great for short flights though. One thing in their favour is that they are very compact.
That said, when they eventually break I'm intending to get Bose QC. If I were buying for my first time again I'd probably start with the Bose.
! step a head of you :)
Been looking at the QC25 , noticed they replaced the QC15 so thought I could pick them up cheap but having no luck
Apparently the Audio Technica ANC9 is it's direct competition. Cheapest i can find them is $183Over head padding is a must too, Bald heads are no fun with hard plastic frames
Have a look at the QC20 if headbands cause problems.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/travelers-sanctuary-bos…
Also when I was passing through Duty Free Sydney (re-entering the country) I did notice that they were clearing out the QC15s for 199.
Officeworks have Mutant MIG-NC102 Noise Cancelling Headphones for $29. Some good reviews there and on Amazon.
I have the Senheiser PXC450, and they do a great job. I got them because they were generally given better reviews than the Bose ones. They are over $300 here but I got them on Amazon and had them redirected here - total under $200.
I have done enough flying to go from bronze to platinum qantas all economy travel in 8 months and then continued that on for 7 years (so i have experience!). Don't buy the Bose ones - they are overpriced and flimsy IMHO. I am careful with my tech and i broke two pairs in 4 months and ended up with a refund. I am not saying the Bose are bad at NR - i see them all the time so they must be OK but i had quality and durability issues with them multiple times so i won't be going back - they also seem to be a brand that prices on name rather than quality which always puts me off.
If you can wear canal type earphones then Senheiser make some of them that are quite good. I had a pair for 2 years.
Otherwise it's "over ear" i would advise AGAINST on ear - they hurt after a few hours so if you're flying long haul they are useless.
Two separate audio engineers that i know recommended Audio Technica - i have a pair of ANC7b's that have now lasted nearly five years with no visible signs of wear and tear and they do a sterling job with the NR. There are also ANC9's out now i believe at a good price compared to the competition.
I have these -great sound and bass. NC fairly good. Comply tips are wonderful. 20h battery. Can use wired or wireless with bluetooth. http://www.amazon.com/Phiaton-PS-210-BTNC-Cancelling/dp/B008…
I have a pair of Sennheiser in-ear passive NC ones (can't remember model), as well as the Sennheiser PXC250 on-ear active NC ones and now the Bose QC15's, so I have a bit of experience with each of the decent common options.
I personally HATE wearing fully-sealing in-ear headphones for any longer than about an hour because my ears seem to get moist (gross!) and very uncomforatble. So I upgraded to the PXC250's.
The PXC250's are an excellent cost-effective option and I really really like them. They're on-ear but I don't have any problems with comfort even after many hours as they're not too tight, they're very light and easy to fiddle with when talking to the stewardess or your flight companion, and they pack down very small to fit in your carry-on.
The Bose QC15's are a powerhouse of awesome. They are by far the best of my three for noise cancelling and sound quality. HOWEVER, they also have some pretty major downsides. Firstly, they are huge and the case is even bigger and quite solid, So they take up a significant amount of space and weight in your carry-on. Also being so big on your head makes it annoying and inconvenient to take them off or try to shift one ear off to talk to the stewardess or your flight companion. Their size also makes them harder for me to get comfortable for any sitting position other than facing straight-ahead.
So of my three pairs, I think the PXC250's are the best all-rounders for price, effectiveness and practicality. Having said that, now that I have them I always take my Bose ones when I travel.
Hi obe353,
I was in the same boat as you, every time I travelled by plane I wished I bought a pair of NC headphones with me. This time before my flight from Melbourne - Hong Kong I bought the Bose QC25. I find the NC to be quite brilliant, couldn't hear he rumble of the plane engine at all. Very comfortable to wear as well, had these one for 7 hours with no discomfort at all. It's great just to switch on the NC without listening to music as well if you're going to sleep.
I bought it at the official Bose store in Emporium a few days after release. They were happy to take 10% off the marked price of $399 to make it $359. TRS also took off $34 or so, so another little saving there.
Also saw the QC25 in Melbourne airport duty-free. They are selling it for $359.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the feed back everyone!
From the notes I've taken it looks like the ANC9 might be the better buy
then the QC15'sI didnt like the PXC250s by look .. Looks uncomfortable, so I think I will go for the ANC9's if I can get them cheap enough :)
Well Turns out after a long evening of trying to find the ANC9's and getting them price matched at $183 has failed.
No one seems to stock Audio Tecnica.. And worst still I fly out on Monday leaving myself with Not enough time if I order online.While the QC25s are nice.. I cant justify paying the $400 after seeing the ANC9s for $183 online :(
As a stop gap try out canal phones. I use these all the time and find them superior to noise cancelling headphones. Plus they're smaller and less expensive to replace. On noisy flights I even comfortably sleep with them in.
Saw a guy on a flight from Singapore on the weekend who had a pair of "in-ear" headphones and then industrial ear muffs over the top.
Makes sense.
I recommend the Bose Quite comfort series for their excellent noise cancelling ability.
You should be able to pick up a set of QC15 for a "discounted" price as they have been discontinued.