Noise canceling headphone recommendations other than Bose

What current recommendations does anyone have for noise canceling headphones for folks who only fly 2-3 times a year? I would like to be in the under $100 range. Thanks.

You might want to give a try to several for comparison, although it's pretty difficult to simulation jet noise in an electronics shop, or even in town somewhere.

We've had two types of the Bose headphones, and neither are especially new, so the technology might be even better.

One set has the "padded cups cover the entire ear", and the other has "smaller padded covers for just the middle 'open' part of the ear" (but much bigger than just "ear buds" that go IN the ear).

I found that the larger ones were *much* better, no comparison really, but DH seemed to prefer the smaller ones. (Hard to know if he was just being kind in trying to insist that I take the larger ones.)

Then we misplaced the cord to one while traveling, so we purchased a less expensive model (don't remember which, but they weren't super cheap), and there was NO comparison.

The non-Bose were almost like nothing, compared with either of the Bose models, more like regular headphones without any noise-cancelling feature.

For our next flight, a long one, we are getting another set of the full-size, ear-covering Bose, even though we still have the smaller set.

DH finally agreed that for a very long flight, it's really a bit of a health/stress issue, not just "better sound quality", to get rid of the dull roar non-stop.

But this might be a very individualized thing. A few years ago, most consumer comparisons gave the "award" to Bose, but there are quite a few new products out now.

Regardless of the type you get, if they really do have a serious "noise canceling" technology, they make a huge difference (for us, anyway).

GeezerCouple

You can look at AblePlanet head sets. I have used one for about 3 years after losing a set of Bose:confused: They are more than 100.00 but less than Bose and very equivalent in my opinon. Want less money? go to Radio Shack they care several different models, take a recording of some sort so you can truly compare the different sets.

Good luck. My suggestion, spend the money and be glad.

Hey Dad

I have a pair of Sony that I like. I bought Bose about a month ago and took them back, might be good for a plane but not great sound the rest of the time, plus I didn't like that the battery always had to be on for them to work. The Sonys are pretty good.

I have a pair of Sony that I like. I bought Bose about a month ago and took them back, might be good for a plane but not great sound the rest of the time, plus I didn't like that the battery always had to be on for them to work. The Sonys are pretty good.

Cruise Junky raises a couple of good points, the use of the headphones when not on a plane, and the "battery" issue.

We ONLY use the Bose headphones on planes, not for listening to music at home, or elsewhere. We might - might - change that and start using them at home, hotels, on trains, but only because we already have them.

Are they the best for "music quality"? We have no idea, as that's not what we use them for.

On (infrequent) occasions on planes, we don't use them for any audio at all - only for the "noise cancelling" features.

But the battery: More than once, one of us (mea culpa!) has forgotten to turn off the battery when removing the headphones, and then? Well, I suppose the full-size Bose headphones would make nice earcovers if we were taking a walk through the snow. And this isn't too likely from a plane, which is where we've on a few occasions realized the battery is dead or about to be so.

[Note to selves: Check availability of extra batteries to bring along. After all, we travel with extra laptop batteries, and those are, um, *large* critters, and not particularly lightweight!]

Bringing some music to a store to compare headphones especially makes sense if you plan to use the headphones for "listening", but it won't be too helpful with the noise-cancelling feature. Perhaps trying to use them next to a noisy mechanical system of some type (air conditioner? leaf blower?) might be more useful to evaluate that critical feature.

One other little point: The "full cup style" Bose (and presumably other brands with same construction if there are any) doesn't put pressure on the ear/ear cartilage. After several hours, for someone who doesn't usually wear headphones, even gentle pressure can start to become uncomfortable. The larger, clunkier Bose set is a circle of padding resting more on the head area surrounding the ear, so any pressure is spread out over a larger area, and there aren't protrusions like with construction of the ear.

I never noticed this until longer flights.

(I might not have noticed it when younger, either.)

Even if the Bose *are* "better", for you, it might not make enough difference for you personally, to spend the extra money, especially for very infrequent use.

And as already mentioned, there are so many new brands/models out there, that there may well be a far less expensive set that serves the noise-cancelling feature sufficiently for *you*, and that's what counts.

It's just difficult to test them when not in a very noisy environment similar to a plane.

However, you might want to include the Bose in your testing. If they do not make that much of a difference to you, then you have your answer about that extra cost.

GeezerCouple

I love my Sennheiser PXC headphones. I have no doubt the Bose do the best noise-cancelling job, but my concern was about size and portability as well as quality....the Sennheiser do a very good job, fold up compactly, and are lightweight and easy on batteries. The Bose were bigger and heavier than I wanted, though that was several years ago and they may make different ones now. I am on airplanes 2-3 times a year and I've had these for over 4 years and only changed the batteries last month.

Thanks everyone. I rarely use headphones when I'm at home so that factors into the decision making.

I have a pair of JVC over-the-ear NC 'phones that I've taken around the world several times. Fifty or sixth bucks as opposed to $300 for the Bose, and I've done side-by-side comparos with Bose on numerous occasions (AA gives you Bose 'phones in premium cabins, so I could switch back and forth) and honestly I've never been able to tell the difference, except the Bose case was bulkier; mine fold up into their soft pouch. Cable retracts, too. Certainly I've never detected a $250 difference.

Similar to these (mine have an older model number but look the same) - http://www.amazon.com/JVC-HANC120-HA-NC120-Noise-canceling-Headphones/dp/B0041YSRA6

Monoprice sells active noise cancelling headphones. Current price is around $113. Quantity 50+ is just over $100. It's possible a black friday/cyber Monday sale will bring the price down to that price point.

Reviews are good. Consumers Reports. says it's the lowest priced model with very good sound and excellent noise reduction. Other reviewed headphones are around $300.

Cnet says they're about 70% as good as the Bose for 1/3 of the price.

Otherwise go to the nearest Sony outlet store.

I have a pair of Sony that I like. I bought Bose about a month ago and took them back, might be good for a plane but not great sound the rest of the time, plus I didn't like that the battery always had to be on for them to work. The Sonys are pretty good.

Do you have a model # for the Sonys?

Another thing to put out here: Do you need headphones or can you do earphones? There are some decent noise-isolating earphones out there that fall around your price range. I originally started out with a pair of Sony MDR NC-11 earbuds. But, they eventually started bugging my ears. I then graduated to a pair of Shure E3c earbuds. Now, I loved them. Different sizes and types of earpieces to customize the feel in your ear. No battery pack. And, they delivered kickin' sound!!! I still use these out and about.

But, one day I tried a pair of Bose QC-15s at an Apple Store on vacation - I fell in love. I pack 2 extra little batteries and an airplane plug adapter in the little mesh zipper compartment and my iTouch fits right in there, too. The carrying case just goes into my personal item bag and I know that all I need is in the case.

Another thing to put out here: Do you need headphones or can you do earphones? There are some decent noise-isolating earphones out there that fall around your price range. I originally started out with a pair of Sony MDR NC-11 earbuds. But, they eventually started bugging my ears. I then graduated to a pair of Shure E3c earbuds. Now, I loved them. Different sizes and types of earpieces to customize the feel in your ear. No battery pack. And, they delivered kickin' sound!!! I still use these out and about.

 

But, one day I tried a pair of Bose QC-15s at an Apple Store on vacation - I fell in love. I pack 2 extra little batteries and an airplane plug adapter in the little mesh zipper compartment and my iTouch fits right in there, too. The carrying case just goes into my personal item bag and I know that all I need is in the case.

Tried several different earphones and even with different earpieces they bug one of my ears :( Think I need to go to a store and try some headphones out --quite difficult when you don't live in a large city...

This is of great interest to me as I am planning to buy some on my trip to the states next month. I have been researching them and even thinking of shelling out the big bucks for Bose.

This article was good..lots of info.

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/review-monoprice-10010

Might as well throw mine into the pool. Used them around 30 times for flights. They do a good job of canceling the roar of the plane engines. Audio technica 7.

I believe they have a newer model now.

I also use them when I mow grass. They help with the roar of that small engine, and the loud gas powered blower I use.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist.jsp&sku=928147&is=REG&Q=add&q=1&A=cart

Like others have said I would get the kind that surround the ear, and not just sit on top. I bought my wife a set that sits on top, and I find them uncomfortable, and they do not do the job as well.

I suspect the earbuds suck.

BTW, if you search" noise cancellation headphone reviews" you should find the ones that work best without having to spend an arm and a leg.

This is of great interest to me as I am planning to buy some on my trip to the states next month. I have been researching them and even thinking of shelling out the big bucks for Bose.

 

This article was good..lots of info.

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/review-monoprice-10010

Independent recent reviews: You also need to understand the difference between noise isolating and noise cancelling. They get grouped together in many reviews.

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-noise-canceling-headphones/

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2115378,00.asp

http://gizmodo.com/5944636/the-best-noise+canceling-headphones

Thanks , will read

Do you have a model # for the Sonys?

MDR NC6. They are about 3 years old now though.

MDR NC6. They are about 3 years old now though.

Thanks. I think all the model numbers are very confusing --especially within similar price ranges! I absolutely cannot sort out the Able Planet headphones on Amazon in the $50 price range -- do they all have the same "guts" and different exteriors or are the "guts" different? Drives me nuts :(

I've used Bose for about 8 years, had them replaced for free once, and then paid $150 to replace them again. So, I've had three sets for about $167 average each.

The reason I mention this is that $167 is not that much over your $100 budget, because Bose's replacement warranty is really good.

Now, my husband wouldn't pay for Bose, shopped around a lot, got another brand (might have been Sony) and used them on flights. They broke in his backpack when we were in FLL before a cruise, and I literally forced him to go to the Bose store in the local shopping mall and try them. He gave in and bought them.

He could not believe the difference in noise reduction when we flew home after that cruise.

Seriously, if you want long lasting quality, free / cheap replacement, and only hear what YOU want to hear on an airplane, then Bose is truly the way to go.

I even had a screaming toddler in the seat behind me on one flight and didn't hear a thing for 5 hours!!

I've used Bose for about 8 years, had them replaced for free once, and then paid $150 to replace them again. So, I've had three sets for about $167 average each.

 

The reason I mention this is that $167 is not that much over your $100 budget, because Bose's replacement warranty is really good.

 

Now, my husband wouldn't pay for Bose, shopped around a lot, got another brand (might have been Sony) and used them on flights. They broke in his backpack when we were in FLL before a cruise, and I literally forced him to go to the Bose store in the local shopping mall and try them. He gave in and bought them.

 

He could not believe the difference in noise reduction when we flew home after that cruise.

 

Seriously, if you want long lasting quality, free / cheap replacement, and only hear what YOU want to hear on an airplane, then Bose is truly the way to go.

 

I even had a screaming toddler in the seat behind me on one flight and didn't hear a thing for 5 hours!!

I have a feeling that we will end up with the Bose. We live in a pretty small city and the local Radio Shack only had a pair of Audio Technica's, that were quite heavy, and a Sony pair that were on the ear and quite light. We don't fly anywhere until May so may have to find somewhere in El Paso to explore more options.

http://www.amazon.com/Able-Planet-Foldable-Canceling-Headphones/dp/B003UGVQHW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384113926&sr=8-1&keywords=Able+Planet+plaid

I'm going to try these from Able Planet before getting into the Bose -- great price!

http://www.amazon.com/Able-Planet-Foldable-Canceling-Headphones/dp/B003UGVQHW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384113926&sr=8-1&keywords=Able+Planet+plaid

I'm going to try these from Able Planet before getting into the Bose -- great price!

I got these for $37 but apparently they sold out very quickly!

I have and love my Bose QC15's. The hard case protects them when not is use, but it does get a bit bulky sometimes though. The battery lasts a long time. I think I have only changed mine once this year, and i use them often. I not only use them flying but in my truck at night while watching movies or tv. (never fails the guy parked next to me is running his truck and making noise. pop them on and hear nothing but my music or tv).

The $300 price tag is steep but worth it in my opinion. I would never get on a plane with out them. And with the new rules about not having to turn them off......I am loving life.:D

I have had QC2's for ages. You could check EBay and buy a used pair and also replace the earpads for another $20. I just purchased a couple of kits for the headband and ear pads and now have a virtually new set of earphones.

Cruise Junky raises a couple of good points, the use of the headphones when not on a plane, and the "battery" issue.

 

We ONLY use the Bose headphones on planes, not for listening to music at home, or elsewhere. We might - might - change that and start using them at home, hotels, on trains, but only because we already have them.

 

Are they the best for "music quality"? We have no idea, as that's not what we use them for. Not rated high for music quality, but that is not why you buy NC headphones. Look at what the pros wear for music quality. Usually Sony MVR6 or similar. Be careful of cheap knockoffs from China though.

 

On (infrequent) occasions on planes, we don't use them for any audio at all - only for the "noise cancelling" features.

 

But the battery: More than once, one of us (mea culpa!) has forgotten to turn off the battery when removing the headphones, and then? Well, I suppose the full-size Bose headphones would make nice earcovers if we were taking a walk through the snow. And this isn't too likely from a plane, which is where we've on a few occasions realized the battery is dead or about to be so.

 

[Note to selves: Check availability of extra batteries to bring along. After all, we travel with extra laptop batteries, and those are, um, *large* critters, and not particularly lightweight!]

 

Bringing some music to a store to compare headphones especially makes sense if you plan to use the headphones for "listening", but it won't be too helpful with the noise-cancelling feature. Perhaps trying to use them next to a noisy mechanical system of some type (air conditioner? leaf blower?) might be more useful to evaluate that critical feature.

 

One other little point: The "full cup style" Bose (and presumably other brands with same construction if there are any) doesn't put pressure on the ear/ear cartilage. After several hours, for someone who doesn't usually wear headphones, even gentle pressure can start to become uncomfortable. The larger, clunkier Bose set is a circle of padding resting more on the head area surrounding the ear, so any pressure is spread out over a larger area, and there aren't protrusions like with construction of the ear. Entirely true. DW wanted the kind that sit on the ear. Uncomfortable and they leak noise. She will not even use them now. Neither will I.

I never noticed this until longer flights.

(I might not have noticed it when younger, either.)

 

Even if the Bose *are* "better", for you, it might not make enough difference for you personally, to spend the extra money, especially for very infrequent use.

 

And as already mentioned, there are so many new brands/models out there, that there may well be a far less expensive set that serves the noise-cancelling feature sufficiently for *you*, and that's what counts.

It's just difficult to test them when not in a very noisy environment similar to a plane.

However, you might want to include the Bose in your testing. If they do not make that much of a difference to you, then you have your answer about that extra cost.

 

GeezerCouple

Great Post. Pretty well sums it up.