Ears-on with Sony's MDR-NC500D noise cancelling headphones

We had to check out the potentially miraculous sound of digital noise cancelling in the Sony MDR-NC500D's -- what can we say? They cancel noise. Our finely honed audiophile ears could hear the U2 over the din of the show floor pretty darn well. Was it $400 worth of well? Depends on your annual salary.

Gallery: Ears-on with Sony's MDR-NC500D noise cancelling headphones

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

[Rob @ Jan 10th 2008 1:09PM]

Sony makes some very good, and sometimes real crappy headphones. I own a couple of their top headphones and they look and sound great. Now, my question is why many of this "noise canceling" headphones always look like a pair of coconuts? No matter the brand, they tend to have the same shape. Why is that?

[atrain @ Jan 10th 2008 1:25PM]

How many people do you know with square ears?

They are all designed like this because it is a very effective design. There cant be too much variation or you destroy the acoustic properties of the layout. No point of reinventing the wheel!

[atrain @ Jan 10th 2008 1:25PM]

How many people do you know with square ears?

They are all designed like this because it is a very effective design. There cant be too much variation or you destroy the acoustic properties of the layout. No point of reinventing the wheel!

[atrain @ Jan 10th 2008 1:26PM]

How many people do you know with square ears?

They are all designed like this because it is a very effective design. There cant be too much variation or you destroy the acoustic properties of the layout. No point of reinventing the wheel!

[atrain @ Jan 10th 2008 1:27PM]

Sorry for the triple-reply, my browser went nutz. Why isn't there a delete button?!

[Rob @ Jan 10th 2008 1:42PM]

@ atrain: "How many people do you know with square ears?"

Where did I imply people having square ears? Where did that come from? All my Sony headphones are flat and oval shaped. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever seen "square-shaped" headphones as you so eloquently put it. Anyway, if you tell me that the semi-circular shape is because it allows/contributes with the noise canceling properties, then I'd accept that.

[kadajawi @ Jan 10th 2008 1:17PM]

I have yet to hear a truly good sounding Sony (they look often good though), though I guess custom fitted Qualias should be pretty fine.

But if you want noise canceling... why don't you just get a pair of IEMs? There are quite a few good brands, and they should be able to block out just about every noise, without the need for any electronics (and side effects that these bring).

[ChromeSushi @ Jan 10th 2008 4:41PM]

Noise reduction and noise cancellation are not the same thing

[jaesoh @ Jan 10th 2008 1:19PM]

$400 for a pair of Sony NC over-ear cans? That'd be a no-go for me.

Since there's no point in debating sound quality among all cans, I'm not going to bring Grado's into this. However, I can comfortably say that I love my Audio-Technica ANC7s over the Bose QC2s I've encountered in the past. The Sony NC60s don't come close to the sound reproduction quality either since they tend to lack bass and the white noise is all too noticeable. Between being satiated by the QC2's strong bass response or the ANC7's crystal clear mid's and high's, I opted for the latter because of what I tend to listen to more often (Jazz, Instrumentals, Folk Rock).

For the value and overall quality, I can't say that Sony would be worth it.

[Oliver @ Jan 10th 2008 2:39PM]

grado sr325i's ftw!