How do they compare to a decent pair of in-ear headphones? I’ve got some of these and put proper triple flange tips on them (actually double flange as I cut one off for comfort). These obviously keep out a lot of noise and I often wear them just as earplugs with no sound (though something gentle and boring like the kermode and mayo film review podcast puts me to sleep even quicker on flights).

The captain – go to somewhere like John Lewis and try a few.

Good ones are amazing

QC35s for when a child decided to cry none stop from London to NZ… best £300 ever spent. They are super comfy, I use them all the time to work in loud / busy areas now allowing me full concentration (coder). They do feel a little claustrophobic at times making your ears warm and it feels good to take them off every couple of hours but they are super comfy.

You can run them with or without the cable if you want better sound quality than the bluetooth but I cant tell the difference.

The only part that annoys me with them is you cant charge them whilst using them.

I like audio and these should only be used for noisy areas where normal headphones would be lost.

They are large so hard to sleep with them on but in ear headphones ruin my ears after a few hours anyway so i’d rather take the compromises of these.

They feel like they’ll last 5 + years.

Lots of cash but a good spend if battling noise is the issue

I’ve had several pairs, starting with £25-£30 ones and ending up with QC20. The cheaper ones were pretty good for the money, but more help reduce the noise than get rid of it altogether. With the QC20s, a flight is peaceful and silent. Whether they are worth the money is a personal opinion – for some they never would be. For me, they make business travel tolerable and I sometimes even manage to catch a snooze.

@molgrips – I agree, £300 is a stupid amount to spend on headphones (yes, yes, i know other people don’t and I don’t really care!), how about looking at some discounted ones on Amazon? Maybe they just have been replaced by a newer model, or they’re the wrong brand for the brand snobs.. eg http://amzn.eu/d/3BvJFhX

Easy enough to send stuff back to Amazon if it doesn’t live up to expectations.

when a child decided to cry

You think kids and babies choose crying?

Sorry to derail the thread but this attitude pisses me right off.  Poor kid is utterly miserable and you’re blaming him/her?  Lovely.

To be honest at the £100 mark I’d look at a decent pair of well isolated non-nc headphones. I used a pair of Beyerdynamic T51’s for commuting before I got the Bose and they were pretty good at lowering the ambient noise level and sound superb.

At the budget end I have yet to find a pair of NC headphone that perform as well (in all respects) as a decent pair of non-nc ones.

Returning to this thread as I’m also considering some.  This might be a stupid question but how does bluetooth work for watching movies on planes?

I’ve tried some phillips nc ones from tesco, they were about £35 iirc, from a noise cancelling pov they were ok, definitely reduced the drone on a lh flight. I would still be using them quite happily if my cat hadn’t chewed through the cable.

BUT, after i replaced them with bose qc15 I wouldn’t go back.

i now have qc35ii, bought for me as a late xmas present from my wife, they are fantastic and all that, but so they should be. (At £330)

My advice would be to look for some qc15 ones, they are perfectly good, great noise cancelling, very comfy to wear, run on a AAA battery for about 35 hours.

This might be a stupid question but how does bluetooth work for watching movies on planes?

Assuming you mean watching the film on your phone…..dunno if it works on all phones, but on mine I just stick airplane mode on, then turn the Bluetooth back on and it works fine. You can probably try this without actually connecting headphones and see if Bluetooth on the phone comes back to life?

If you mean how do you watch a film provided by the airline, many (but not all) Bluetooth headphones can also be used by plugging an old fashioned cable in.

As above, airplane mode on, then Bluetooth on. Most airlines are OK with it, but worth checking in advance!

As to watching IFE, it’s cables only I’m afraid.

Thanks.  That’s what I suspected and glad I asked as it would appear the Bose 30 doesn’t have the cable.

You can get 3.5mm Bluetooth adapters. Might be worth a look

I had a pair of the Bose QC headphones but recently bought a pair of Plantronics backbeat pro noise cancelling headphones because I needed a pair compatible with Bluetooth.

I’d say the two are on par when it comes to sound quality and noise cancelling performance but the plantronics model has much better battery life and cost about £150 less – I went for the cheaper “tan” model which was on offer at amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MFGYF3I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YMKXBb8KZSQEE

How do they compare to a decent pair of in-ear headphones? I’ve got some of these and put proper triple flange tips on them (actually double flange as I cut one off for comfort). These obviously keep out a lot of noise and I often wear them just as earplugs with no sound (though something gentle and boring like the kermode and mayo film review podcast puts me to sleep even quicker on flights).

I’ve done that for some years, I used to run an industrial folding machine, which when running was very noisy, especially in a long, narrow room with brick and sheet-metal walls – I measured it at a constant 92dB. My MeeAudio ‘phones with full triple-flanged eartips were as efficient as the industrial earplugs I was supplied with, and I often never bothered having music playing. When I did, I could listen at volumes around what I’d have set in a quiet room.

The first ones I tried were really cheap, the M6 Sport, I think, which were about £11. Stupidly good for the money, with far moor bass than should be possible, and a very flat profile, so they can be worn while sleeping, which I’ve done by accident when listening to music in bed.

Only real problem is the cables are fixed, but at that price they’re almost a consumable! I now use their Pinnacle P1 ‘phones, which have CCMX connectors, and the regular cables can be replaced with a Bluetooth version which costs about £55.

There’s an in-between version, the M6 Pro, which uses a different connection, and there’s a BT cable for that as well, the two together are £85 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07B4PR2GD/ref=psdc_10395651_t2_B0038W0K2K

I recently bought the latest top of the range Sony ones. Staggeringly good. Makes flying so much more pleasurable. Zero engine noise, zero passenger noise. Sound quality is fantastic too. I’m going to be flying 2-3 times a week so it was worth the £300 investment for the amount of use they’ll get. 50 hour battery life apparently. Bluetooth with a cable if necessary. Definitely recommended

Surprised no one has mentioned AKG yet?   I tried a lot of headphones before buying and found these to have the best sound (N60NC) for about £130.

I didn’t try Bose though, wasn’t prepared to pay that much, plus something about Bose gives me the pip.

I have had a pair of Sony WH1000XM2 for about 9 months now and they’ve rapidly replaced every other pair of headphones I have, including some very expensive Etymotics with custom ear moulds!  They aren’t quite as comfy as the Bose QC35ii (they press a bit tighter), but they stay put better and the sound quality and noise cancellation is better.

I picked mine up as refurbs from the Sony Centre for about £190 and took out a Sony extended 5yr warranty on them for about £20, which given my track record with headphones, should turn out to be good value!

Battery life is excellent, connection stability is 100% and I wouldn’t fly anywhere without them now.

I’ve got a few noise cancelling headphones. Some good cheaper Panasonics and some crap cheaper ones. Bose are OK but I don’t find mine to be the best at noise cancelling or playing music. The best for noise cancelling and music quality for me are my over ear Sennheiser Momentum M2 AEBT (as above) which I don’t find too hot to wear (long haul to Denver last week). Also I much prefer wireless when flying.

I picked up a nearly new pair of Bose QC35 a few weeks ago for under £200 – Bose warranty is spot on and I’ve had friends who’ve had items replaced without proof of purchase years after buying them.

They’re very comfy, and make concentrating in a noisy office environment much easier.  Public transport is also a much nicer place to be when there’s not as much noise going on.

Previously I’d used a cheap pair (they cost around £50 a few years ago) that we’re no longer needed after a mate got a pair of QC35’s a couple of years ago and the difference in quality was massive

I won a set of Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 headphones in a corporate giveaway.

In that case, I would say quality to price ratio is ACE.

Hope that helps 🙂

I bought some Sony WH1000s since the mk2s are cheaper now the mk3 is out.  Have only used them for my train communt, working in the library etc, but how do they fare for watching films?  My TV doesn’t have bluetooth so it’s a moot point, but doesn’t the audio lag?

Zero lag that I’ve noticed on my mk3 Sony headphones

I bought some Sony WH1000s since the mk2s are cheaper now the mk3 is out.  Have only used them for my train communt, working in the library etc, but how do they fare for watching films?  My TV doesn’t have bluetooth so it’s a moot point, but doesn’t the audio lag?

Both AptX and LDAC (Sony’s proprietary codec) are low-latency. I often watch TV / films on my S8 with mk2 WH1000s and never have a problem.

The Sony wireless NC headphones (1000XM3) get some stonking reviews, but like speakers, only your wife will be able to tell what sounds best to her. The Sony XM2 are also great and a little cheaper now. I’ve been waiting for my wired Audio Technica 40x’s to die so I can justify getting some wireless ones but the AT’s are bombproof and will not die. Plus, they sound amazing played through a Dragonfly Black DAC.

Sony MDR-ZX770BN seconded for over-ears, £135 on Amazon now, more than I paid a couple of years ago. USB charge and Blu-tooth or wired which is handy if your forget to charge them.

I have the AKG ones mentioned above and love them. You can use a cable (which extends the battery life) if you want to. NC is ok not as good the the Bose I have tried but they are a third of the cost so if I drop, sit on, loose them its less of an issue. USB charge so just use a normal phone charger although the battery last very well.

Would but them again.

PSA: Bose QC 25 (wired) in Amazon deal of the day (Black Friday) for £129 down from £290 RRP (Although priced closer to £180 usually)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bose-QuietComfort-Around-Ear-Cancelling-Headphones/dp/B00VW7U8X4/ref=gbps_img_m-5_9972_02ffdac3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=520e9570-4fe6-44b4-b69e-6c99d5109972&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=161428031&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=03PAGBBE2DHJRBS5WSFV

Just treated myself as heavy hints for my birthday earlier this week evidently fell on Noise Cancelled ears. Harrumph.

Ideally would have chosen QC35s, but dont look a gift horse etc.

Bose QC35s here, i demoed loads and as they were on sale in the airport @£235 and i was just about to get on a 13 hr flight I took the plunge. theyre ace.

Tempted by that Amazon deal.

Do these things block out other people’s music in an open-plan office? This may soon be an issue for me.

Another vote for AKG N60NC, kept me asleep, and thus sane, in hospital…

I’ve ended up with the QC20 (I think). The wired in ear version. Very happy with them so far. In terms of office they don’t completely cut out conversations etc especially if it’s the person next to you but they certainly reduce the level to the point where a bit of music at sensible volume is enough to stop the distraction. Very effective at cutting out low frequency drone such as aircraft noise.

My Bose QC 35 IIs are great.  Use them every day.  The android integration is v. handy too.

Just seen this…

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/11/the-ars-holiday-gift-guide-2018-tech-and-gear-for-travel-that-wed-buy/

Good shout stoner. Just ordered a pair.

I have just been given Plantronics Voyager 8200s at work for my job and they are amazing – definitely beat my wifes Phillips circa £60 headphones (overear).

However would agree that they make my ears warm.

I’ve ordered those Bose QC25 too.

Don’t mind a wire myself. Bluetooth gets on my tits sometimes.

I had in-ear passive klipach X1 pros. About the same cost a Bose. Sound was absolutely stunning. I found the on ear cans to have poor sonic reproduction. Sadly I have very small ear canals and psoriasis so can’t wear them now.

Sound cancelling when installed properly was awe inspiring. As was the HiFi

Had a good few weeks of using the mk3 Sonys on flights. As someone who’s a slightly nervous flyer, they’ve been a revelation. All flight noise completely removed. Makes it a very serene and calm experience. Sound quality has been great, streaming it from my ipad and phone. Super comfy to wear. Battery life is fantastic at 50 hours per charge

Thanks stoner. Have been hankering for a while.