Originally Posted by Edwin
...it might be a good idea to ask this question again in the "Meditation Chatterbox" and direct it towards Pollyanna in the title. She reads that section more frequently
|
I'll give a recommendation here and Polly can move it to where ever is most appropriate later.
I've tried many noise cancellation headphones over the years. In my experience you're not going to find a good pair of cancellation headphones cheaply. The less expensive ones have been universally disappointing. I've never found an inexpensive pair that didn't have problems with very prominent humming or buzzing sounds due to the cheap noise cancellation mechanisms they use. If you want noise cancellation with quality sound you're looking at paying something close to $200 or more. There are two I've found to be very good.
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoints,
and...
Bose (Quiet Comfort) QC-2 or QC-3 headphones.
The Audio-Technicas retail for about $190 - $220, depending on where you purchase them. The advantages of these over the Bose headphones are as follows:
Price - About half the cost of Bose.
Comfort - These feel more comfortable to wear.
Durability - Very stoutly made. I have yet to break a pair.
Sound quality - Excellent, particularly the high and mid range tones.
Cancellation - I find them to block out more noise than the Bose, especially the QC-3 model.
Battery - Very long battery life. Takes 3 AAA batteries
Downside:
Bass - Base tones are good, but not a standout feature. Also, if you turn up the bass via an EQ device you may hear some sound distortion/rattle.
Bose QC-2 and QC-3 will run about $300 to $400. The QC-2 are, in my opinion, better than QC-3s, but they're also more expensive. The advantage of the Bose QC-2 is:
Bass - The base tones on the Bose are slightly more crisp and pronounced than the Audio-Technica.
Downside:
Durability - Could be better. I have broken more than one pair of these through normal use.
Another brand you might consider is the Sennheiser PXC-450. These have very good sound; perhaps the best I've heard, but the noise cancellation is not as good as the Audio-Techica or the Bose. My primary issue with Sennheisers is their flimsy construction. They break easily. They are also expensive, running around $300. I don't recommend these, but some people swear by them.
All in all, if I was in the market to purchase a pair I'd go with the Audio-Technica. Better construction, outstanding noise cancellation, very good overall sound, and 30 to 50% less expensive. You can also turn off the noise cancellation and still use them as a standard pair of headphones.
Others I've tried and been very disappointed with:
Various JVC, Maxell, Panasonic and Sony models. I have yet to find a model from any of these manufacturers that doesn't have distinct sound problems and/or durability issues. They range in price from about $30 up to around $200. I won't purchase any of these brands again.
