karlsushi
Established Member
Hi all,
I've been a relatively satisfied in-ear phones user for music listening when out and about for some time (using Shure SE420's and recently upgraded to Shure SE535's).
I am however a pretty geeky audiophile, with some relatively high-end kit elsewhere and know that the sound quality of in-ears around this price range is significantly inferior to that of even similarly-priced over-ear headphones.
The only factor that has kept me using in-ears when out and about has been what seemed to me to be much better external sound isolation. In particular, the expandable foam tips used with the Shure in-ears are incredibly effective, to the extent that I can be walking around town or sat on a train and the background noise is almost like sitting in my living room at home (when the kids aren't there that is!).
My recent upgrade to the Shure SE535's has left me a little frustrated however, as I have tried every type of ear tip available and just can't get the same level of insulation that I could from my trusty old SE420's. I assume because the ear-phones themselves, with the extra driver, are a bit chunkier and don't fit into my ear as well.
In any case (and many appear to disagree when you read around, but..), the improvement in sound quality is not actually that huge in the Shure SE535's as far as I'm concerned. By way of comparison, I have a set of Shure SR940 over-ear headphones, which are similarly priced to the SE535 in-ears (possibly even slightly cheaper) but the sound quality is better in all areas as far as I can hear and by some margin too.
I also have some pretty high-end open-back headphones at home, so I also know how good headphones can sound (when you're in a quiet room that is).
Of course, it doesn't matter how good the sound quality of your headphones are if you're out and about and the background noise interferes!
So, to cut a long story short, I am now considering the replacement of the Shure in-ears for some 'noise-cancelling' on-ear or over-ear headphones.
I know I need to give some a try, but in the first instance, I just wondered what people's views were on how effective you feel active noise cancelling is compared with in-ear sound insulation, before I take the plunge?
Secondly, if anyone has any good noise-cancelling on-ear or over-ear headphone recommendations for under the £200 mark (new or second-hand), then they'd be gratefully received?
Or is alleged 'noise cancelling' never going to be as good as the in-ear insulation and so I stick with the old SE420's!!?
Thanks in advance...
I've been a relatively satisfied in-ear phones user for music listening when out and about for some time (using Shure SE420's and recently upgraded to Shure SE535's).
I am however a pretty geeky audiophile, with some relatively high-end kit elsewhere and know that the sound quality of in-ears around this price range is significantly inferior to that of even similarly-priced over-ear headphones.
The only factor that has kept me using in-ears when out and about has been what seemed to me to be much better external sound isolation. In particular, the expandable foam tips used with the Shure in-ears are incredibly effective, to the extent that I can be walking around town or sat on a train and the background noise is almost like sitting in my living room at home (when the kids aren't there that is!).
My recent upgrade to the Shure SE535's has left me a little frustrated however, as I have tried every type of ear tip available and just can't get the same level of insulation that I could from my trusty old SE420's. I assume because the ear-phones themselves, with the extra driver, are a bit chunkier and don't fit into my ear as well.
In any case (and many appear to disagree when you read around, but..), the improvement in sound quality is not actually that huge in the Shure SE535's as far as I'm concerned. By way of comparison, I have a set of Shure SR940 over-ear headphones, which are similarly priced to the SE535 in-ears (possibly even slightly cheaper) but the sound quality is better in all areas as far as I can hear and by some margin too.
I also have some pretty high-end open-back headphones at home, so I also know how good headphones can sound (when you're in a quiet room that is).
Of course, it doesn't matter how good the sound quality of your headphones are if you're out and about and the background noise interferes!
So, to cut a long story short, I am now considering the replacement of the Shure in-ears for some 'noise-cancelling' on-ear or over-ear headphones.
I know I need to give some a try, but in the first instance, I just wondered what people's views were on how effective you feel active noise cancelling is compared with in-ear sound insulation, before I take the plunge?
Secondly, if anyone has any good noise-cancelling on-ear or over-ear headphone recommendations for under the £200 mark (new or second-hand), then they'd be gratefully received?
Or is alleged 'noise cancelling' never going to be as good as the in-ear insulation and so I stick with the old SE420's!!?
Thanks in advance...