good noise canceling headphones

[Journer]

i'm moving to japan for a year and need some good headphones for:
1) plane rides
2) exercise and bike rides
3) riding trains

i've never worn canals so i don't know what to say about them, but i suppose they would be ok. i need something that has good quality and good noise canceling. i dont want to hear people and they don't need to hear my music. these will never be plugged into a nice headphone amp or anything. just an ipod and a laptop.

i'm thinking about these since they are cheap and i need some shit from newegg anyways: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16826503005

thanks in advance

 

[aphex]

I think you might be confusing noise canceling with just ones that isolate you from outside noise (such as IEM's). Noise Canceling headphones use a small microphone and a battery powered chip to generate 'anti-noise', which reverses the sound wave that is heard outside, effectively canceling out the ambient noise that you can hear. Many work well (Bose and Audio Technica make well regarded models), but good ones can be quite expensive and usually aren't worth the money over standard IEM's (In Ear Monitors). Most noise canceling headphones are circumaural (around the ear) or supreaural (over the ear), so they are larger than your standard IEM. IEM's typically have no noise-cancellation circuitry (though a few do), many simply block outside noise by isolating your ears (the IEM's act as earplugs). IEM's don't require a battery, and are typically lighter weight and more portable than noise canceling headphones, though not everyone enjoys the feeling of IEM's (it takes some getting used to)

As you noted, your primarily looking to isolate yourself and for travel, so I think IEM's will be a great choice to try out. I've been a big fan of IEM's for awhile now and I personally love the isolation they provide.

http://www.Head-Fi.org is a FANTASTIC resource for headphone enthusiasts. Tons of info, reviews, and even a great place to find a good deal on used headphones. Also, if you want to try some headphones out but your not sure if your going to like them, http://www.headphone.com gives some well balanced reviews of all the headphones they sell AND they have a great return policy (30 days, no questions asked, no restocking).

As for what companies to look for in regards to IEM's, there are a few that are typically considered to be among the best;
Shure, Ultimate Ears, Westone, Etymotic, Jays, Klipsch, SA Audio (I'm probably leaving some out, but those are the ones I can recall off the top of my head).

IEM's can sound VERY different from one another (even from the same company), so you definitely want to check the detailed reviews for how the sound signature compares to other models. The cheaper ones usually have a single driver, while more expensive models usually move up to dual and triple drivers (though some higher end models like the Klipsch X10 do amazing things with just a single driver). As with all things, you typically get what you pay for. Cheaper models typically are either very bass heavy (sacrificing treble), or are very treble heavy (sacrificing bass). The higher you go, the more balanced the sound becomes as you reach a fuller sound signature. There are always exceptions, but that generally holds true across most brands.

I guess to help steer you towards a particular pair;

1. What type of music do you listen to?
2. What is your budget?

 

[moonboy403]

The sound quality of the noise canceling headphones are all pretty much below what you can get from IEMs and full size headphones.
Two things you should know though:
1) Noise canceling headphones only do well in canceling outside noise if it's something constant like jet engine noise, but they don't do well with say, a normal conversation.
2) A good IEM will block out noise much better than what a noise canceling headphone can offer in addition to its superior sound quality (generally speaking).

 

[CKent]

I'll vote against the jury and go with active noise cancelling. The usage you describe (plane & train rides) is exactly what active cancellation is best-suited for. With typical IEMs the attenuation of outside noise is good, but there are definite limits. When I get done mowing the lawn or snowblowing the driveway using my Shures my ears are ringing despite the attenuation they provide (~25db). As with my yard equipment, the environments you plan to use them in will be loud enough that you'll still end up turning the volume up past safe levels to hear your music clearly if using IEMs. Further, I believe many models with active noise cancellation also provide isolation through physical means (plugging the ear canals), thus doing double-duty. I can't provide specifics, I would only use them on average once every two weeks for 45 minutes, and don't feel that it warrants a purchase for me. I have heard good things about the ~$50 Philips IEM-style model however.

 

[moonboy403]

Some iems can isolate up to 40dbs with foam tips and active noise canceling only cancels up to about 20dbs.

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: moonboy403
Some iems can isolate up to 40dbs with foam tips and active noise canceling only cancels up to about 20dbs.

Why not combine the two? Especially since you agree anc is best for exactly what the OP intends to use it for.

And I'm pretty sure I read in my e2c manual that they attenuate around 25db. I've used both types of tips enough to wear both in. Foam is about equal to rubber, and neither attenuates as well as my Senny 280s which are listed at 32db. I don't see how other IEMs can differ much, we're talking about plugging a hole here.

 

[moonboy403]

I don't like anc headphones since their sound quality isn't as good as iems. On the other hand, not all iems' noise attenuation is the same. Some isolate more (like Etymotic), some isolate less (like customs).

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: moonboy403
I don't like anc headphones since their sound quality isn't as good as iems. On the other hand, not all iems' noise attenuation is the same. Some isolate more (like Etymotic), some isolate less (like customs).

I'd rather preserve my hearing and use quality IEMs when anc isn't needed.

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: moonboy403
The sound quality of the noise canceling headphones are all pretty much below what you can get from IEMs and full size headphones.
Two things you should know though:
1) Noise canceling headphones only do well in canceling outside noise if it's something constant like jet engine noise, but they don't do well with say, a normal conversation.
2) A good IEM will block out noise much better than what a noise canceling headphone can offer in addition to its superior sound quality (generally speaking).

This is very incorrect. I have the Bose QC2 and Super fi 5 pros, the Bose definitely block 2x the noise as the IEM and I have a good fit. I know because I fly a lot alone and use my Bose. However, when my wife flys with me she asks for the Bose and I use the UEs. I can definitely tell a huge difference.

That isn't to say the UEs don't block noise, they absolutely do. I use them for my daily train ride into work.

The sound quality on the UEs is better than the Bose, but not by much.

 

[Journer]

thanks for all the replies.

one thing i'm concerned about with IEMs is damaging my ears. I don't want them to not work well enough such that I have to turn up the volume and fuck my hears up. Also, my ears are naturally VERY waxy so I'm worried about them getting all nasty every time i use them. I might try to find someone who has a pair and ask if i can try them out.

Concerning noise canceling phones, I guess i should have mentioned i'm not going to walk around tokyo with big fucking earphones on my head. And if I wanted to i could always use my seinheisers.

Really, i'm not to concerned about the flight. I'm only going to have about 4-6 flights in the next year and only 2 will be long, so i can deal with noise like i always have. But moving around in tokyo is what i'm most concerned with. I'm just not sure if i want total isolation. I mean, i need to hear the street noise and stuff so i don't walk out in front of a car, lol.

I guess that being said i really need some kind of ear but or IEM. I really dont like buds because apparently my ears have a funny shape and i have never found any that fit. :/

I was thinking about grabbing a pair of Jays q-Jays or Sennheiser CX95s. What do yall think?

edit:
forgot to mention: i listen to just about everything. Mostly rock, pop, techno, etc. But bass is important to me. I like to hear the fat bass lines come out in a song. Also, too much treble gives me a headache >_<

 

[moonboy403]

What's your budget for an iem?

 

[Journer]

Originally posted by: moonboy403
What's your budget for an iem?

<$200. cheaper is better

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: Journer
thanks for all the replies.

one thing i'm concerned about with IEMs is damaging my ears. I don't want them to not work well enough such that I have to turn up the volume and fuck my hears up. Also, my ears are naturally VERY waxy so I'm worried about them getting all nasty every time i use them. I might try to find someone who has a pair and ask if i can try them out.

Concerning noise canceling phones, I guess i should have mentioned i'm not going to walk around tokyo with big fucking earphones on my head. And if I wanted to i could always use my seinheisers.

Really, i'm not to concerned about the flight. I'm only going to have about 4-6 flights in the next year and only 2 will be long, so i can deal with noise like i always have. But moving around in tokyo is what i'm most concerned with. I'm just not sure if i want total isolation. I mean, i need to hear the street noise and stuff so i don't walk out in front of a car, lol.

I guess that being said i really need some kind of ear but or IEM. I really dont like buds because apparently my ears have a funny shape and i have never found any that fit. :/

I was thinking about grabbing a pair of Jays q-Jays or Sennheiser CX95s. What do yall think?

edit:
forgot to mention: i listen to just about everything. Mostly rock, pop, techno, etc. But bass is important to me. I like to hear the fat bass lines come out in a song. Also, too much treble gives me a headache >_<

Well I hope you don't 'fuck your hears up' either :beer:

Personally I would still recommend you try IEM's first. They are typically quite a bit more portable and don't require a battery to work like the Noise Canceling models do.

I've gone through MANY iem's and the Q-Jays are just fantastic. Small size, amazing sound, very light, and tons of tips to get the perfect fit. Right in your price range as well $179 from many shops. I actually prefer the Q-Jays over the $500 Shure E500's (aka SE530) and the $250 Westone UM2's. While both the Shure and Westone models were fantastic, the balance of the Q-Jays was just superb and the comfort was unmatchable.

I would just make sure to buy anything from a place with a good return policy and no restocking fee (like the places I listed above or others)

I actually was curious to try out the Klipsch IEM's, so the Klipsch X10 just arrived today ($349 MSRP). Gonna try em out in a few minutes and see how they compare to my Q-Jays.

 

[moonboy403]

May I introduce you a review of 14 iems by a trusted head-fi member? :beer:

I suspect that if you can still find the Sleek SA6 for a discounted price of $200, you'll be happy with that since you can adjust the bass to your liking with the given ports (bass +,=,- and treble +,=,-).

 

[Journer]

what do you think about d-jays? a good bit cheaper, but are the q-jays worth the $$?