[Peccus]

I currently have the Sony MDR NC22 in ear headphones, but they're starting to show their age. I do a fair bit of flying and absolutely detest hearing the sound of the engines over what I'm listening to. I want to replace them with something better. Another thing is I don't find them particularly comfortable after wearing a few hours.

So can someone advise as to what would be a good set of in ear headphones for blocking out the sounds of airplane engines and the screaming babies that are almost always present.

Thanks in advance

[Drubbing]

Audio Technica ANC7b I hear is the best of the bunch, Bose will cost more but probably not sound better.

With the AT, if your ANC battery runs out you'll still be able to play music, just without ANC, with some others, you're stuffed.

[Stinja]

A review for the Audio Technica ANC7b says it's noise cancelling is the same as the "a"s, which said:

we’d call the noise-cancellation very good, but not fantastic. As with even the $450 Sennheiser PXC450s, it’s hard for an active noise-cancellation system to top the performance of the QuietComfort 2’s, which like virtually all of these earcup-style headphones mostly drown out low- and midrange sound while leaving higher-frequency sounds to pass through to your ears. Really good passive noise isolators—earphones such as Etymotic’s, essentially earplugs with thin, even more efficient speakers inside—do at least as good a job of keeping out noise, and frequently better. That said, the ATH-ANC7 is roughly on par with the QC2s, PXC450s, and Aurvana X-Fis; we’d rate its cancellation circuitry a hint below these alternatives

Review: Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones | iLounge

They say about the new Bose QC15s:

Review: Bose QuietComfort 15 (QC15) Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones | iLounge

Overall, Bose’s QuietComfort 15 is a good but not great pair of headphones, strongest in its new noise-canceling functionality, solid rather than excellent in sound quality ... it has failed to keep up with increasingly impressive competitors from a price-to-performance standpoint. ... if it was our money to spend, we’d sooner save $100 and go with the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7b, which delivers a comparatively aggressive bundle of performance and pack-ins for a lower price. That said, if having a small edge on noise cancellation or sonic clarity is important to your needs, QuietComfort 15 is a viable option.

Also see:
http://thetravelinsider.info/current.htm
http://thetravelinsider.info/headpho...tcomfort15.htm
http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/a...-33776177.html
http://reviews.cnet.com/headsets/bos...?tag=mncol;txt

EDIT: They seem to think the Bose15s are better noise-cancellers than the ANC7b, despite the ragging Bose seems to get on forums?

So depends on what you want really?

- good music sound quality
- good active noise cancelling
- good (lowish) cost

Pick two out of three seems to be the problem with noise cancelling headphones, and even them some like the Bose QC2/15 only get one right (noise cancelling), so depends on what's important to you? I'd also be interested in anyone's thoughts; but first and foremost noise-cancelling and sound quality as a secondary consideration. Cost is not an issue, but than can not be in-ear.

[Drubbing]

If you want better SQ for the money, the AT are better value. Bose have never been bagged for their ANC properties - just their price and crap SQ relative to that.

If cancelling is what you really want, very good canals half the price will do it better and sound 100 times better too.

[Stinja]

Originally Posted by Stinja

Cost is not an issue, but they can not be in-ear.

If flying then all SQ gets distorted to a degree anyway, and you want the absolute best noise-cancelling possible. Also for my Mrs in-ear canals are not an option, and get uncomfortable for a multi-hour flight anyway. As for cost, £300 is meaningless if you're regularly doing long flights - i mean 7-11 hour plane trips, at least twice a month.

Not saying your wrong, just the OPs question (and mine) isn't really getting answered.

So again i'll ask; ignoring cost, whats the best noise-cancelling you can get for flights? Sound quality (as long as not dire) is not important, just the best (not in-ear) option to block out hour after hour of plane engine? Anyone?

[StevieDvd]

Have a look for the Sennheiser PXC450 if you find the youtube videos where somenone trys the major headphones on a proper testing rig (a dummy head fitted with microphones used by the audio industry) the Senns came out best. Sorry am at work so can't access youtube to get a link for you.

The downside is that they are a bit on the larger side and don't look as cute as the Bose.