Ask Engadget: Best noise-canceling headphones?

Over at the Engadget household today, we staffers have gathered around a cornucopia of good eats, good gadgets, and most importantly, good times. When it came time to list all the things we were thankful for, our readers were undoubtedly the top choice. And with Ask Engadget questions like this one, can you really blame us?

"I've been listening to your podcast since the day you reintroduced it and I really like it, but I have a hard time understanding what you're saying when I'm in the subway. So I'd like to know what are the best noise-suppressing headphones I could get for around $150. Either that, or you could just ask Nilay to speak louder... thanks a lot!"

We'll be sure to pass the word to Nilay (he's a bit busy with the pumpkin pie at the moment), but for all of you overstuffed individuals out there, how's about giving Gabriel an answer he'll appreciate? Afterwards, send in a question of your own to ask at engadget dawt com.

[cheater912 @ Nov 27th 2008 9:33PM]

Turtle Beach X4

[charles willis @ Nov 28th 2008 12:10AM]

I personally like the Jawbone. It has been incredible. You can really hear the other person clear when your around lots of noise.

[SITEiNK @ Nov 28th 2008 2:24AM]

the shure se210 headphones are great and can be custom fitted to your ears allowing for one the best sounding headsets you can get at any price. the in-canal type also allow you to listen to your music at much lower volume levels thereby protecting your ears. you'll hear things in your music that you could never hear before.

[Ad-man @ Nov 28th 2008 6:25AM]

+1 for the e210s, served me well for quite a while now.

[Alexandre Emond @ Nov 28th 2008 11:40AM]

Shure se210 were already on my Christmas list before reading this post.

[tookitogo @ Dec 5th 2008 12:24PM]

Re: Shure SE210

Actually, those are the worst in the lineup, they have a tinny resonance to them that's just terrible. The SE110 is bulkier, but sounds better than the SE210. The SE310 is better still, but costs a lot more, never mind the higher models. (I worked at a store that sold these, so I spent ample time test driving them myself.)

The $120 Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4 is, IMHO, a top value, they sound as good as the SE310 at under half the price. Buy on Amazon for cheap.

[JOSE @ Nov 27th 2008 9:36PM]

bose quiet comfort 2's and 3's

[Ross @ Nov 27th 2008 10:53PM]

Buy Other Sound Equipment

[Jeff @ Nov 27th 2008 10:36PM]

You're joking right?

[BananaBoat @ Nov 27th 2008 10:46PM]

You'd be surprised how many people get sucked in by Bose's marketing each year.


Let me help you out Gabriel.

The best noise canceling headphones are.....ear phones, or more specifically, canal phones (ear plug style headphones that go in your ear). Silicone or Foam tipped ear phones are going to drown out noise a million times better than any "Noise-Canceling" headphone could ever hope to. The fact of the matter is that with headphones, unless the fit is extremely tight (as is the case with industrial ear protection headphones, or gun range headphones etc) sound is going to come in from all sides. If you want to truly drown out the noise, you need a pair of ear phones such as those sold by Shure, Etymotics, etc (I have a pair of Ety's and I love them, but I know people that swear by Shure's for their ease of use) because actually jamming noise blocking material in your ear is the only true way to drown out noise in any meaningful way.

If you can't stand having things in your ears, I've read articles saying that there is no difference in the sound blocking properties of the most expensive noise canceling headphones (Bose's I guess) and the cheapest (The cheap Sony noise canceling headphones). Any model should do.

[bjrcboy @ Nov 27th 2008 10:50PM]

If it blose it must be bose.....

[Mam00th @ Nov 27th 2008 10:56PM]

Thanks BananaBoat, what was very insightful!

So would you say that Shure e210 would be a good choice?

[AcesAreWld @ Nov 27th 2008 10:59PM]

I don't care if it's low ranked. The QC2's are awesome, can be worn on overseas flights comfortably, and sound excellent. I know they cost a lot, but for a person who travels as often as I do and has tried the cheaper models it is worth it.

[Jeremy K. @ Nov 27th 2008 11:05PM]

You're a fool if you think those headphones are bad. Have you even tried them? They actually do a good job of canceling noise. I prefer the Brookstone versions though, which I own (SoundShield 250).

[yelohbird @ Nov 28th 2008 12:59AM]

@BananaBoat
Canal phones are "noise-isolating", which means they partially block out everyday chitterchatter you hear on the street. Active noise-cancelling headphones serve a different purpose, as they block out industrial low-frequency noise you hear on trains, planes, etc. I spring for active noise-cancelling because I spend 2 days a week on the plane, but use my noise-isolating earphones for everyday use. Different purposes, no conflict between the two. Don't go hatin' what you don't understand.

[Dave Chappelle @ Nov 28th 2008 5:58AM]

No doubt Bose are great, and they do release the best TOP END headset which is used by the U.S army aviators. though they are not as good in the lower range in terms of pricing imo.

I use a Sennheiser HD 212 and I just want to say THEY OWN!. Maybe not the best but in the price range they sit or even in the interval of $1 - $150 they are unbeatable.



... how come nobody been recommending Sennheiser's?, you all know there good right?

[Phil Perman @ Nov 28th 2008 8:24AM]

People bash Bose all the time, but my dad owns some QC2's and I have to say they're extremely comfortable, probably more so than my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro's, which have fairly good passive noise reduction for the record. The noise canceling is good, Vocals get through but low end rumbles are cut out nicely with no hiss like I got with a pair of Creative noise canceling headphones I used to have.

Sound quality wise, the highs on the Bose are a bit harsh for my liking but have a lot of low end punch which, combined with the noise canceling, makes them ideal for movie watching on say a plane, which just happens to be the exact reason my dad got them.

And for the record I also own some Sennheiser in ear earphones for walking about with (my iPhone doesn't have the power to drive my DT770's so some £30 ear buds actually sound better with that as a source) and while the noise reduction is good, I find they're simply not comfortable enough for long stints wearing them. Some big headphones with cups large enough so that they go round your ear rather than rest on it will always be better in my books.

[bigwil89 @ Nov 27th 2008 9:42PM]

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones

[Spritz @ Nov 27th 2008 10:20PM]

Totally agree... I have had these for over a year and a half and have had no problems. They have great noise cancellation, and are much cheaper than the Bose (but don't feel it). Great company too--i misplaced the detachable cord and so I emailed them to get a replacement... They sent one to me in no time free of charge (try that with Bose)

[Craig @ Nov 28th 2008 12:23AM]

+1

I tried Bose and the AT's just rock the socks off 'em.

[Patriks7 @ Nov 28th 2008 4:04AM]

"(try that with Bose)"
I actually did, and I got my cable replaced twice without a question!
And 2 weeks ago, my headphones stopped working (because I did something I wasn't supposed to :x) so I went to a Bose shop.
I wanted to get them fixed, and I left with a new pair! The guy didn't even ask me how it happened, he didn't even check if they really don't work, AND he didn't even ask for my bill (so they could've been stolen)..
I was really amazed and never seen any company do that before..
But yeah, sometimes the sound quality isn't the greatest, but I prefer smaller headphones since I have them around my neck the whole day..

[Jagdip @ Nov 28th 2008 8:03AM]

The Shure ones are great, but they have a major problem. I've had to get my e2c replaced 4 times in the 2 year warranty!! The wire split at exactly the same place every time - where the wire is wrapped behind the ear. I even got a free upgrade to SE210 the third time I got then replaced. If they could sort that out, I would be extatic. Now I'm just hoping the ones I have not dont split as my warranty has ran out.

[Jacko @ Nov 28th 2008 10:20AM]

Yeah, the Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 Quiet Points are the best I have tried. I have had a pair for over a year, now. I have tried Bose headphones and I think these are just as good, if not better. They cost half as much, too. Also, if the Bose's battery goes out, you get NO SOUND AT ALL... The ATH-ANC7 will at least give you basic audio if your battery craps out.

[David @ Nov 27th 2008 9:43PM]

My 12 dollar Skullcandy Smokin' Buds work well, even on the noisy bus when I'm going to school. My iPod isn't even maxed and I can barely hear the noise around me.

[bookburnr @ Nov 27th 2008 9:44PM]

I agree. They're cheap but work great and sound better.

[Dan @ Nov 28th 2008 4:20PM]

I will second that. That is the exact reason why I bought them: to drown out the loud people on the bus.

[Justin B @ Nov 27th 2008 10:08PM]

HEADphones. Not earbuds.

[Haikibutsu @ Nov 27th 2008 10:22PM]

I'd buy skullcandies, except for the fact they are skulls. Low ranked or not, I'd rather not wear some tackyass skulls on my earbuds. I'd take JVC marshmallows any day.

Speaking of which, are good sub $50 noise-cancelling headphones existent?

[Tony @ Nov 27th 2008 11:36PM]

the sams club in my area (maybe everywhere) has some sony noise cancelling headphones for 29.99 tomorrow. I checked and they have about a 4/5 star rating on amazon. probably not GREAT, but it sounds like they get the job done... i think they're usually only like 40 dollars though

[Luthyr @ Nov 27th 2008 9:43PM]

Ones that go in your ears, like earplugs.

I suggest getting one of the Shure in-ear headphones -- whichever model is in your price range.

[web2.oh @ Nov 27th 2008 10:13PM]

They're known as in-ear monitors or canalphones. Not noise cancelling, but they will certainly block out darned near everything. Much more appropriate than clunky full-sized headphones for use on the subway. I have an older pair of Shure EC2s, and used them quite often while riding on Boston's very noisy orange line.

[oliver hart @ Nov 27th 2008 9:44PM]

If you're on the El, I wouldn't suggest wearing a pair of $150.00 noise cancelers. My 20 dollar skull candys do the trick on the light rail. And they're so ugly they ward off evildoers.

[tsrawat @ Nov 27th 2008 9:45PM]

Etymotic Research Er-6i

[WinterTiger @ Nov 27th 2008 9:53PM]

I'll second those @$150ish, but I managed to lose one of the rubber earpieces and rather than pay $15 for replacements (six or so I think) my folks got me those high-end Bose in-ear plugs, bout $99 or so. Not even advertised as noise cancelling, but they do pretty good. Also the sound reproduction is real nice to begin with, so you can hear both the headphones and any outside noise, such as people talking to you, if you concentrate on one or the other. I use them in my Chemistry class and can still answer the teacher's questions while blasting various metal artists through them.

[Tibwolf @ Nov 27th 2008 10:11PM]

ER-6i's are only around $85 now

I have two pairs and they sound great

If you want thumping bass, though, you might want some over-the-ear headphones

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/368904-REG/Etymotic_Research_ER6IC_ER_6IC_Sound_Isolating_Earphones.html

[Paul Fehr @ Nov 28th 2008 1:01AM]

ER6i's (in black) can be had for $48+shipping at the Palm store. Great deal

[noyp @ Nov 28th 2008 3:27PM]

The Er4Ps can be occasionally found for under $150, especially now on ebay after the 25% off if you use Microsoft Live Search. But, it's probably overkill...

[Churn @ Nov 28th 2008 3:41PM]

I had a pair of ER6i earphones. They definitely sound great, blocking out a lot of noise, but there's one problem - as I walk, I can hear a whistling noise as the the wind blows on the earphones that stick out slightly from my ears. Not sure if anyone else has had that problem. The Shure E2Cs (which I preferred) that I had before didn't do that.

[fischju @ Nov 27th 2008 9:45PM]

The latest (highest number) Sennheiser PXC series.

[ScOObyDoo @ Nov 27th 2008 9:51PM]

Creative Labs Aurvana X-Fi.

[Dopefish @ Nov 27th 2008 9:54PM]

Noise Cancelling is OK, but you can save yourself a lot of money by getting Sound Isolating ear buds like the Shure ES110's

Much more "bang for your buck" and much more convenient if your planning on using them on the subway....

[Damien K. @ Nov 27th 2008 10:05PM]

Agreed! Have the same one and loving them, not only do they sound great but they block out an immense amount of sound!

[Mam00th @ Nov 27th 2008 10:16PM]

Thanks for your advice!

The Shure SE210 are on sale at 130$, I think I'll get those.

[Information Central @ Nov 27th 2008 10:59PM]

If YOU'RE planning on using them...

[reuvypoo @ Nov 27th 2008 9:55PM]

AudioTechnica ANC-A7. So awesome. Only bad thing about them is a bit of noise leakage. They are incredibly well priced (can be had around $100 or so), well fitting and have awesome sound quality.

[Mam00th @ Nov 27th 2008 10:08PM]

Well if I can't hear them complain who cares about sound leakage

[reuvypoo @ Nov 27th 2008 11:05PM]

Excellent point. I also use them if I need to concentrate on something. Background noise is removed, and it's just very peaceful, even with no music playing. It's also nice that you can use them even noise-canceling on.

[Mam00th @ Nov 27th 2008 9:57PM]

Thanks a lot everybody! And thanks engadget!

[spam2045 @ Nov 27th 2008 9:57PM]

Shure 110's will block out noise better than any noise-cancelling headphones and you dont look like a dork wearing them

[tiago @ Nov 27th 2008 10:01PM]

I would recommend Shure 210, since the sound quality is a lot better.