The SHB3165s to be exact. They still work but the ear pieces/foam/cloth is beyond saving and you can’t get replacements (or not based on my google-Fu nor does it look like they easily detach). I did find I can replace them for £24 on eBay for the same model.

Originally bought from a PSA here at least three years ago. So before I just buy some more as they’ve been more than adequate for my acoustic sensitivities, what else would meet these requirements

– Bluetooth
– Decent battery life: 6-8 hours would be good
– Foldable if possible/decent case so they can live in my work bag/smallish footprint
– Not too much leakage – I spend too much time on trains and that tin-tat-tish of other peoples headphones drives me nuts!
– Not bothered about Noise Cancelling
– Sound okay, really trains, hotels, sat at home. I’m no audiofile, my music is massively middle of the road, at least half of what i listen to are podcasts.

I do also have a pair of Enacfile in ear bluetooth phones again recommended on here. They’re great but I prefer over ear for long journeys.

Budget? er £100 ish maybe a bit more if it’s worth it. I probably have headphones on 20-30 hours a week when I’m travelling a lot.

Oh I also have a pair of Sony MDR ZX77xx which do Noise Cancelling. They are also wireless but they are huge and I really don’t like travelling with them. Also somehow less comfy than my old Phillips.

Not folding but very happy with Jabra move which replaced my Philips when they broke

I had a set of Veho ZB-6’s for a few years they wee excellent for the cash and tick all your boxes.

When they died (After very good service) I replaced them with a set of Sony WH 1000MK3’s, which are exquisite and which I can wholeheartedly recommend but are nowhere near your budget.

Thanks both.

Yeah those Sony’s are not quite what I was looking for 🙂 The Veho’s do seem excellent for money but now I’m wondering if I should spend a bit more.

The folding thing is important, I’ve always got too much crap in my bag. Also aesthetically those Jabra’s upset me 😉

I’ve done a bit more research and these seem to get good reviews. A bit over budget but… https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-Cancelling-Headphones-Wireless-Bluetooth/dp/B0721KKLB4/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=AKG+Noise+Cancelling+Headphones+N60NC&qid=1579364921&s=electronics&sr=1-3

I got a pair of Sony Wh-CH510 just before Christmas:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WD5978Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Z1ZiEbCQ2ZCYE

They were on for £31 at the time. Battery life is very good.

The Sony xb900n are a cheaper version of the 1000xm3.

They sound amazing. They are quite bassy which I love. but that can be turned down in the app if you don’t want that much bass.

The touch controls are brilliant. And they’re super comfy. Got mine for about £120

Thanks Chris. Why am I not surprised they come with an app 😉 I’ll have a look at those as well

Another one for the Sony Wh-CH510, quite surprised how good the sound quality is for a £30 headphone, the do have a feel cheap plasticy feel though

Ear pieces turn 90 degrees for easier storage, ideal for use outside the house as if they get damaged or lost its not a huge amount of money lost

Slightly leftfield as not a ‘major’ brand, but have a pair of these Anker Soundcore ones.

They sound perfectly fine, fold-up and battery lasts days.

They hit all your requirements (well come in a bag rather than a hard case), but cost less than £50 AND have noise cancelling.

Anker Soundcore Life Q20

There’s plenty of reviews (independent ones) and consensus is that they are great value.

Can recommend.

Review

Another review

Video

I have a soundcore mini speaker I use when I’m on the Turbo. It’s about 10% of BOSE money and I’m really impressed with it, so I’ll take a look at those. Thanks.

I’ll check out the cheap Sony’s as well. I’m terrible for leaving stuff across the UK university estate. Maybe that should be a big factor in my considerations. I’m still wondering tho is another pair of the Phillips for £25 might be the way to go. Guess the world has moved on a bit even for the cheaper ‘phones.

I tried a pair of the Anker Soundcore headphones, and I sent them back, I just didn’t like the sound; too much like old Beats ‘phones with heavy emphasis on the bass, and I found the midrange hollow and boxy.
I also bought a pair of TaoTronics which are very similar, but much better sound, the bass isn’t so heavy, and the mid and top a bit ‘flat’, but I use a music player app on my phone with 30-channels so I can tweak the sound, and I really like them
They cost £55, have 30-odd hours battery, and they have a 3.5mm Jack with a cable, so they can be used if the battery goes. I’ve got a Lightning to 3.5mm cable with remote, so I can use them with my iPhone as well, so it’s a win all round.
https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Cancelling-Headphones-Bluetooth-Cellphone/dp/B07L5LPSQT
The music player app is KaiserTone with HiRes capability.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kaisertone-audio-player-hires/id725299207

AKG for me. The noise cancelling is not the best but cuts the aircraft engine drone. Bluetooth and battery work well. Seem robust enough but mine only have a soft neoprene case so pack them at the top not bottom of your bad. I like them.

Careful with AKG: I had a pair that caught fire while charging (using their charging cable and plugged into a USB plug) they were replaced painlessly but I didn’t get recompensed for a burned cabinet in the hallway!! The flame was very blue too, and Bastard hot! Good job I caught it in time. The replacement pair lasted a couple months and then died (wouldn’t charge) I then went to some Monster, which I really liked and then they wouldn’t accept a charge anymore. Then I tried Sony but i didn’t like the sound quality. Then some Marshall but they didn’t like getting sweaty at the gym and wouldn’t dry out.
Then, against my own judgement, I got talked into a pair of Beats wireless and, in all honesty, they are the best I have had: battery lasts 2 weeks of regular use, loud enough, small profile and a good sound output. I know the reviews are shonky and for the money (£220 but you can get em cheaper) they are pricey but if I was buying again I’d buy these.

I use them daily for music at the gym, films while travelling and phone calls. It’s only the image that puts me off (cue music snobs slagging then off too)

Right well thanks for all your advice. I ended up with the AKGs. They have yet to catch fire but it is early days. They are the most expensive headphones I’ve ever had. I am going to try very hard not to leave them somewhere.

They sound quite a lot better than the Phillips. Just tried them back to back. Arrived promptly although without the 3.5DIN cable in the packing list.

My Daughter had beats. She loved them. They lasted just beyond the warranty period before sound was no longer transmitted. They did get a hell of a beating tho.