Audio-Technica announces ultimate in-ear noise-cancelling headphones

[HEXUS]

If you like your portable music without the background noise, take a look at Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC3 in-ear headphones. They promise to "reduce distracting background noise by 85% while offering the superior sound that makes Audio-Technica a world-leading pro audio company".

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[Rolphus]

The big problem I've got with all these in-ear 'phones is comfort. While I know my Bose QuietComfort 3s are grossly overpriced for the sound quality they offer, the sound is pretty good, and they're enormously comfortable for extended listening. Nothing else I've seen on the market offers the same combination of quality, comfort, and noise reduction.

Does anyone have any suggestions for alternatives?

[Whiternoise]

They should be ok even without batteries i'd have thought - the buds are like most isolation headphones and they're generally very good anyway.

[LazyGit]

The problem with noise canceling headphones is that they are distorting the audio you listen to. It might be very clever but it is never going to properly compensate for the external noise and will only ever serve to reduce the quality of your listening experience.

If, on the other hand, you use some top quality earbuds that block external noise rather than attempt to mask it then the the drivers are free to reproduce the music as it was intended.

I got some Shure SE310s and with the right sleeve you block out almost everything and the sound quality is incredible and - importantly for the previous poster - after a few minutes, you forget you have them in. Sure the Shures cost £150 shmackers but that's cheap compared to the SE530 behemoths at £400 and you'll probably never need to replace them.

[SiM]

The problem with noise canceling headphones is that they are distorting the audio you listen to. It might be very clever but it is never going to properly compensate for the external noise and will only ever serve to reduce the quality of your listening experience.

If, on the other hand, you use some top quality earbuds that block external noise rather than attempt to mask it then the the drivers are free to reproduce the music as it was intended.

I got some Shure SE310s and with the right sleeve you block out almost everything and the sound quality is incredible and - importantly for the previous poster - after a few minutes, you forget you have them in. Sure the Shures cost £150 shmackers but that's cheap compared to the SE530 behemoths at £400 and you'll probably never need to replace them.

Agree with you completely, I am sure these won't sound better than my Super Fi 5 Pros...