Several plane rides ahead - which noise canceling headset to buy?

[will2000]

I have thought about getting a good pair, but so far I don't have any. Usually the ones you get or buy on the plane are no good.
The time has come to get a good pair that fits in my briefcase. Dealmac has the Sennheiser on their front page, and the reviews are mixed. Please give me your informed experience. I may be willing to part with $100 on this.

[ka jowct]

How about ear plugs? If you were planning to listen to music using the noise cancelling headphones, check to see if you would be allowed to carry a portable music device onto the plane.

[M A V I C]

How big is your head? Seriously. I have a pair of Sennheisers but apparently my head isn't big enough to put a lot of pressure on the headphones. In other words, if I push on the slightly they fully cancel the sound, but otherwise just most of it.

Mine are the 250's though, not sure what the 150's are like. Mine have the little power brick like the 300's do, so maybe mine are closer to those.

[Silencio]

Hmm, wonder how those Sennheiser PXC-150s (or the higher-end PXC-300) differ from the older PXC-250s I have.

BTW, I'm pretty satisfied with the latter. The noise reduction circuitry does make a big difference on the plane, cutting out most of the ambient engine and air vent noise.

Good in-ear phones might do a better job isolating from all frequency ranges, but could be uncomfortable with cabin pressure changes.

[will2000]

[quote M A V I C]How big is your head? Seriously. I have a pair of Sennheisers but apparently my head isn't big enough to put a lot of pressure on the headphones. In other words, if I push on the slightly they fully cancel the sound, but otherwise just most of it.

My hat size is around XL. Don't headphones have a way to adjust them to your head?

[Buzz]

get some pre-owned Bose from an estate sale; the $300 new is stiff, but if you can find some slightly used ones w/o too many ear and head germs from the original owner for your $100, it'll be worth it.

[onthedownlow]

I have had this Sharper Image pair for over a year now, and they work great. They sound great too. http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalo...sku__FJ452

I usually prefer ear buds for most circumstances, but these are very light, fold, and are comfortable.

I have recommended them before to others.

[M A V I C]

[quote will2000]My hat size is around XL. Don't headphones have a way to adjust them to your head?
Yes, but the bigger your head the more pressure the headphones push on your ears with. If they put the same pressure as my 250's, those should work well for you.

But I'm not sure how they differ from the 250's. Also, the 250's sound better than the Bose ones I've tried.

[volcs0]

These are not technically "noise cancelling".

They seal in your ear. When I'm wearing them, I can't hear anything except the music. They come with a warning not to wear them outside. I do use them to jog, but it is true that when you have music on, you can't hear anything else. They are wonderful on planes, in my experience.



Altec Lansing inMotion iM716 Headphones

I got mine from Amazon for about $80, though they are more now.

They are supposedly identical to the Etymotic ER-6i's, but since the Altec Lansing warranty is 2 years (vs. 1 year for Etymotic), I went w/ the Altecs.

[Dick Moore]

I have the JVC HNC-100 over the ear model and they work very well, and they were around $35.