Noise cancelling headphones..opinion please
 

I have searched this site (there is a long thread) and the internet to no avail for an answer to my question. Is the Plane Quiet (about $50) significantly better than the Jensen (about $30)? I know there are better ones but I do not want to spend more than $75. I don't care as much about sound quality as the noise reduction. Thank you for any help!

noise cancelling headphones use electronic means to work and they are big on your head. if you want great noise cancellation try a earbud w/ a great seal, small and you can fall asleep w/ them in...the sony ex-51 can be had for $25 (amazon/buy.com). they fit in your ear...they work like ear plugs. there are better brands like sure or etymotics (but expensive >$100).

ucsun: Thank you for the reply. However I should have said that I need the "ear muff" type. I have small ears and the ear bud type is painful to me.

Yes, there is some difference in quality and noise reduction between the sets. And $75 seems a little low for good quality noise canceling headphones, but you may be able to find a decent pair of Sony or Boise that have been discontinued and are on sale. I picked up a Sony Noise Canceling set at a Hi Fi store for under $60 last spring that work great. Remember, you can always use them at home.

You may also want to note that depending on the airline you’ll be traveling on, some of the less expensive headphones may not work, especially on some of the Airbus’s which use a three-prong stereo plug.

We are leaving in an hour for the airport, JVC noise-canceling headphones (muff type) packed. We upgraded on a transcontinental flight that I believe offers Bose QC2s to FC pax, so I plan to do a side-by-side comparison. The JVCs are available through Amazon or other on-line dealers for around $40-45 (US) so competitive with the Jensens et al. Haven't tried the Plane Quiets but tried a pair of Radio Shack phones that look identical (I think they are, just re-labeled) and they were quite acceptable, although the JVCs are more comfortable and seem sturdier, plus they have a retracting cord which is very convenient. I'll post the results (lots of flying over the next 2 weeks) when we get back.

Meant to add, if the phones don't work on particular a/c, at least we have around 8 hours of mp3s on the mp3 player, so all is not lost.

See ya.

I just used the Plane Quiet headphones on our US Air flights from Philadelphia to Rome. That was an Airbus flight, and there was no problem plugging them in. I did not compare them to any others, but they worked great for me.

Gardyloo, I know you are gone. Unfortunately your report will be too late for me! I leave end of April. Robert and Suki, thanks. Anybody else?

Buy them both from a physical store (not online) and try them out on some form of public transport (bus/train). Return one of them (or even both if there's a better price online).

Some might say its unethical to buy a product already knowing you are going to return it, but I believe I have a right to try on a product before commitiing to it. To each their own.

ssachida: I wish I could! No one in my area carries the ones I am interested in.

I bought a pair of Plane Quiet's yesterday online... will try them out on a US flight at the end of the month and report back. I tried to read up on the decibels, hertz, all that jazz, but just ended up going with a product that I was confortable with the price, and thought they had a reasonably good reputation.

I'll report back! - Trav

PS - I'll even try them while mowing the lawn, as they are 'recommended' for that, lol.

trav: can you tell me which site you used and the price?

Try visiting a Radio Shack. They used to have aiwa's which were widely believed to be rebadged sonys. I think the consensus when I was looking into them was that if you are not an audiophile, they are all pretty much the same acoustically, but vary in how comfortable they are, depending largely on your personal preferences. The audiophiles, of course, can tell which are best by looking at the price tag.

I wear glasses and I found the ear buds were most comfortable for me, but I did get special ear plugs made by an audiologist (my ears apparently are abnormally shaped or sized), which would place this solution above what you want to pay.

My Radio Shack only carries their brand or Phillips. I asked who made their brand and they said "Radio Shack!"

Can someone explain what exactly noise cancelling headphones are? Do they allow you to listen to the plane's music without noise interference? Or do they cancel out noise from the plane and let you listen to silence or some type of "white" or pleasant noise? Thanks.

Nutella: If you do a search for "noise cancelling headphones" on this board, there is a long thread about them. It just doesn't answer my question. The sound quality is much better than the ones they give you on the plane and they have an "active" feature that is maybe like white noise. It really helps to muffle the engine noise. And the other noise around you.

gomiki, most good earbuds come w/ different size rubber buds to get a proper fit. but if you're really on the exta-small side then that may still not work.

you can find more specific info at the following links:
http://www.head-fi.org/
http://www.goodcans.com/
http://www.headwize.com/
http://ipodlounge.com/

ucsun: Thanks. I'll check them out.

gomiki, sorry I missed this...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34601344

is my unoffical 'review' and has the info on my purchase. While I haven't tried multiple models, I am a convert for them overall - trav

I made up my mind today and ordered the Plane Quiet headphones from Travel Essentials. I called the toll free number, got a great person and a great price. I will also post about these when I get back from my trip. Thanks to all for the info.

I think they are more sophisticated than white-noise makers. I think they create an out-of-phase equivalent to ambient noise in the lower frequencies, and the combination of the ambient noise and the out-of-phase noise is heard as no noise. However, none of them is perfect, and I'm not sure I would want something that blocked all ambient noise, such as fire alarms or sirens.

I hope everyone wears something on their ears, if you are on a plane,train, etc. with me !! I have stayed awake when everyone is asleep , slept in bathtubs, on the floor, you name it. Just so I don't keep everyone awake when I snore.

It is so awful (DH taped me !) and I'm so embarassed. Have tried everything but surgery. Know about apnea, etc.

Just part of me-so wear something-my fellow snorer might be near you. !!

Have fun wherever you go.

I have a pair of Sennheiser NC headphones that are just great. They fold up into a small pouch, so they're easy to travel with. I like them better than the bigger Bose style since they don't get in the way if I wish to lean my head on a pillow.

They do an excellent job of cancelling out the 'White Noise" on an airplane - fans, engine noise, etc.

The biggest problem with cancelling out the "White Noise" on a crowded plane, however, is that is doesn't cancel out the "White Trash Noise".

Beforehand the engine roar would drown out others' conversations, now with the NC headphones every word of the most annoying, inane, endless conversation about nothing around me is guaranteed to make a bee line to my brain.

That's when I just turn up my MP3 player one notch and escape to my own quiet world.

So, J62, they cancel out the white noise and you hear all the inside the plane noises loud and clear (babies' crying, normal conversations, etc.) is that what you're saying?

I thought they were effective at blocking all noise except whatever sound-source you had them plugged into! Please explain.

I have a pair of the Plane Quiet headphones and have been very happy with them. I can even sleep with them on. I just couldn't see shelling out all that $$$ for the Bose. :)

DeeDee,
Yes, if you use noice canceling headphone alone, without plugging into anything like an iPod, they can have the effect of actually letting through normal sounds.

That's one reason many people like the larger earmuff types that cup the entire ear. The noise cancellation blocks out the low frequency sounds (engine, fans, etc) and the insulate cup over your ear blocks conversations (crying...)

One reason I like the small ones I have is that I can carry on a conversation with the person next to me while wearing them. I know it looks odd or rude but I'm always much more relaxed after a flight if I've had them on (even in the terminal)