Noise cancelling headphones - Anyone have any that actually work?

[tichtich]

P.S. At the moment I usually listen to TV wearing Sennheiser RS-120 cordless (RF) headphones. Very convenient, as I can even wander into other rooms and still hear the TV, but absolutely useless against neighbour noise as they're open-style. If anything, they make the neighbour noise seem slightly worse! If, as one poster suggested, some heavy-duty closed (cup over ear) headphones would be more effective at keeping out noise, perhaps I should try some closed cordless ones. Any suggestions?

[tichtich]

P.P.S. I just found there are some wireless (Bluetooth) in-ear headphones, e.g. Philips SHB7100. Maybe these would give me the best of both worlds.

[Jonathong]

Can I suggest using the Edit button? Heh, anyway, how much do you want to spend?

[Hasnath]

EX-90s dont work, just thought Id let you know, got some 2 days ago, very good quality compared to the ex-71 but much less cancelling

I just quickly did a ebay search on them, boy have they dropped in price. I paid £80 originally for mine.

Would those ebay ones be fake?

[tichtich]

Can I suggest using the Edit button? Heh, anyway, how much do you want to spend?

Whatever it costs to get an acceptable solution! But I'm reluctant to spend a lot on something that might not do the job. I think I'll start with a pair of CX400s and extension cable. I might as well try those first, as they're fairly cheap.

[EtheAv8r]

I have the Bose Quiet Comfort 2 and they are wonderful. Quiet Comfort 3 have better bass (if you want great music) but don't fully enclose the ear - just as effective at noise cancellation though.

Nothing is total - but they are earily quiet. Try them out at an Apple Shop b4 you buy. They are a bit pricey.

I would need a 3-4m extension cable. Will that be any problem?

Also, I wonder if they will be as effective for TV as for music, as TV tends to have more quiet periods when there's no sound to override the neighbour noise.

3-4 m extention of good quality will work fine - Bose comes with long lead plus a 2m extention. they would work well with quiet moments. The noise cancelling works by taking the 'Neighbors noise' and generating equal but opposite 'noise'. not perfect, but quite amazingly effective.

[SiM]

To all the people that recommend Sony/Bose: have you ever tried good brands like shure, ultimate ears, grado, westone? I think you would be surprised how much you are overpaying for the quality you get with Sony/Bose.

If you are happy with them then that is fine, but I don't think it is fair that you recommend inferior products without trying good quality ones first... Its like saying a £100 celeron is a great cpu when you have never used (or ever heard about) a £100 core 2 duo

[TheAnimus]

odds are if someone says try it at the apple store, its going to be overpriced an inferoir to other products on the market.

Shure really are the defacto standard in ear canal headphones, they've been making them for yonks, and are a staple of gig performers who are miming.

They're also not that dear.

[arthurleung]

So anyone know the difference between all the Shure modeling numbers?
Like E3C, E3C-N, SE310, SE310K

My 2nd pair of Etymotic ER6i broke a month ago just when the easter holiday start :S
Loved my ER6i, but they typically last about 13 months which is just out of warranty.

[SiM]

So anyone know the difference between all the Shure modeling numbers?
Like E3C, E3C-N, SE310, SE310K

My 2nd pair of Etymotic ER6i broke a month ago just when the easter holiday start :S
Loved my ER6i, but they typically last about 13 months which is just out of warranty.

E3C, E3C-N are the same, I think there is just a difference in the cable.

E#C are the old range

SE##0 are the new range... Higher the number the better obviously

If I had ~£200 to spend I would go for the shure SE530 (triple driver)
If I had less I would go for the UE super.fi 5 pro (dual driver)
If I had even less, the CX400 or the UE metro.fis (single driver)

[tiggerai]

I second (or third) the CX-300's

most amazing pair of earphones I've ever had... blocks out tube trains, office workers and mothers like nothing else.

[TooNice]

To all the people that recommend Sony/Bose: have you ever tried good brands like shure, ultimate ears, grado, westone? I think you would be surprised how much you are overpaying for the quality you get with Sony/Bose.

Tried them all and some. To be fair, Sony do make their own range of hi-fi cans. Though not for everyone, the SA-5000 or even 3000 is deserving of being placed with the 'great' hi-fi headphones. They also made one of the most desirable isolating full sized cans even amongst audio enthusiast (admittedly, part of the interest is probably due to the limited nature of it - but the few reviews I've seen have generally been favourable): the R10.

Granted they are not known for making high end IEMs. But until the CX-300, I'd say that the EX-71 wasn't bad for it's price range. Most of the Shure, UE, Westone, Etymotics, B&O were at least twice as expensive, and I can't vouch for the Koss Plug either (The KSC/Porta Pro series is another matter).

As for Bose - well. I tried the Quiet Comfort briefly at an Apple Store and they are.. comfy (speaking of comfort, the SA-5000 is also one of the most comfortable full sized cans I've tried)? It lives up to it's name. It's not so bad that I wouldn't touch them at any price. Just not at the price they are asking. [See this as an agreement on your point - Bose is probably the one brand where you are guaranteed to pay more for not more sound quality.]

[timizere]

bose qc3 are ok, but i personally think theyre bass heavy..
im more a fan of shure, use the e2cs as in ear monitors when playing drums and just for recreational listening. they do the job perfect. wish i could afford one of the dual (or triple) driver models tho.

[Bounty_Bam]

Skull Candy ones a brilliant

[cigbunt]

these are the best headphones money can buy...

Sennheiser HD 25

edit:
im a new member so they wont let me paste URL's lol seach google!

there used commonly by djs, music lovers, producers..
u see them quite often on tv like boxing matchs etc...

i had a pair but some 1 stollen them... and its not somit u wanna re buy! (i only planned to spend this much once and keep them for years)

i will rebuy once i get my new system up and running! defo worth the bucks! else any other Sennheiser!

[arthurleung]

Ended up buying the IE-10 (Super.fi 3) from SCAN, sound wasn't as clear as my ER6i in the mid and high but the bass is much stronger.

SCAN got 24 months RTB warranty on those which is a big plus.