Noise cancelling earphones

[kirk13]

It's looking very much like summer is over here in the UK. That means I'm condemned to using our super noisy staff canteen

So...what can you tell me about noise cancelling ear phones for MP3 players? Will they help me to listen to my music without hearing the anarchy going on around me,or do they simply cancel noise radiating out of the earphones?

[comis]

I sometimes use those on plane and they are pretty effective against static noise, but not too sure how well it works for human noise.  I wonder will it worth the money to buy conforming ear plug headphones,which provide great music at the same time.

[sawman]

What's this ?!?!?  Summer is OVER?? I WISH that were the case here. It's been high 90's out recently. It really just burns me up. I hope the cool weather starts soon!

[gregozedobe]

It's looking very much like summer is over here in the UK. That means I'm condemned to using our super noisy staff canteen

So...what can you tell me about noise cancelling ear phones for MP3 players? Will they help me to listen to my music without hearing the anarchy going on around me,or do they simply cancel noise radiating out of the earphones?

I have some large headphones (they completely cover my ears) I use when driving my van on trips (because they use a lot of coarse chip gravel to make roads where I drive I get a LOT of road roar), they reduce the regular engine noise and road roar significantly, but I can still hear the radio and CDs, so I have doubts about whether it will greatly reduce the variable sounds of a "super noisy staff canteen".

[Freaver]

It sounds like you're looking for active noise cancelling headphones. I'm not exactly sure how they work, but I have heard that they should be pretty good at general noise-elimination, like when you're trying to watch a movie on a plane. TBH, I've never tried them - I don't need them and as long as I don't need them, they're too expensive.

EDIT: Found a pretty good explanation on how active noise cancellation works, right here.

[Cupboard]

There are a few different things that have similar names.
Differentiate between noise cancelling and noise blocking:

Blocking are usually earphones (i.e. they go in your ear) but sometimes headphones (over or on your ear) that passively block out background noise. These take the form (roughly) of ear plugs or ear defenders.

Cancelling: usually headphones but sometimes earphones, use a microphone to listen to the outside noise, tweak the audio coming to your ears to cancel out what you don't want to hear. If they hear a +, they push out a -, the + and the - combine to create nothing. In theory.

Blocking don't require batteries or complex electronics, cancelling do.

If you want headphones, you've also got the choice of on ear or over ear. I find on ear uncomfortable, particularly with glasses, but they are marginally more compact. You'll get better comfort, sound quality and isolation from over ear models.

I have a pair of Etymotic ER6i noise blocking earphones which work very well. They sound good, weren't horrifically expensive, are compact and well built. They're discontinued now, but Etymotic to make other products.

I'd avoid Bose, you pay for the name and get crap.

[ryan1835]

i find that a good pair of in ear headphones blocks out a fair bit of outside noise get a pair from £20 that will be reasonable

[kirk13]

What's this ?!?!?  Summer is OVER?? I WISH that were the case here. It's been high 90's out recently. It really just burns me up. I hope the cool weather starts soon!

Wanna swap?

[kirk13]

Thanks for all the info so far folks ,very useful,as to be honest I knew Jack diddly!

Judging by Amazon,there's either cheapish types,or  expensive types...how much difference in ability is there,or,is it like Cupboard says about the Bose ones?

[jekostas]

Thanks for all the info so far folks ,very useful,as to be honest I knew Jack diddly!

Judging by Amazon,there's either cheapish types,or  expensive types...how much difference in ability is there,or,is it like Cupboard says about the Bose ones?

I would very strongly recommend against active noise-cancelling headphones for what you're trying to accomplish.  As mentioned previous, ANC is best at blocking out mechanical noise - motors, airplane engines, fans, air conditioners, computers etc.  It does very little for blocking out human noise in comparison to headphones without active cancellation. 

The practical upshot is you're going to be paying more money with little to no gain

If you're dead set on getting active noise cancellation, look for something from the Audio-Technica QuietPoint series.  They're moderately priced, sound excellent and the noise cancellation is pretty good.

Otherwise I would suggest getting a pair of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Headset-SHE3590BL-color-blue-Black/dp/B007BOLAK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408909844&sr=8-1&keywords=philips+3590+clear+sound

They sound extremely good (not just for the price), are cheap as chips and provide good passive noise isolation.

[mrynnr]

If you are looking for active canceling I would have to say Bose. Sorry to disagree. QC15s work really well if you prefer over the ear. My fiancé uses those. He prefers the over the ear ones. The downside with them is, you can't use it if the batteries die. I use the QC20s. I prefer the in ear ones. They are low profile. And they are more comfortable for me. You can use it with or without batteries. There is also a setting that you can use, if you want to have them in your ears and still hear the things around you.
I did own some etymotics and think they are great if you are looking for passive cancellation. The upside to them is you don't need batteries. The only thing that bothered me about them is that they are like ear plugs and have to be shoved in your ear for best results.

[jzmtl]

My noise canceling headphone doesn't work on speech, if anything it's clearer because the background noise is removed.

[mrynnr]

With the bose you can barely hear speech.. If you actually plug it in to an MP3 player and listening to something... Even better. Unless people are yelling at me I usually don't hear when people are talking.

[jekostas]

With the bose you can barely hear speech.. If you actually plug it in to an MP3 player and listening to something... Even better. Unless people are yelling at me I usually don't hear when people are talking.

This is also true of my $8 Philips in-ear headphones, and my $50 Monster in-ear headphones and any number of other headphones I own/have owned.  This is not a product of active noise cancellation, it's a product of passive isolation.

Nobody is saying that Bose makes a poor product, by all accounts they're quite solid.  What is being said is that the same quality can be found for substantially less money.

[mrynnr]

With the bose you can barely hear speech.. If you actually plug it in to an MP3 player and listening to something... Even better. Unless people are yelling at me I usually don't hear when people are talking.

This is also true of my $8 Philips in-ear headphones, and my $50 Monster in-ear headphones and any number of other headphones I own/have owned.  This is not a product of active noise cancellation, it's a product of passive isolation.

Nobody is saying that Bose makes a poor product, by all accounts they're quite solid.  What is being said is that the same quality can be found for substantially less money.

ok

[Cupboard]

I've been (half arsedly) supervising the lighting of a pretty loud disco with my Etymotics in and been happily listening some decent music at a volume not that much louder than normal.

It was a win win win situation, I wasn't being deafened, I wasn't having to listen to crap music and I was listening to good music

[AimlessWanderer]

Cheapo earphones for the audio, and a cricket bat for noise cancellation 

[kirk13]

Cheapo earphones for the audio, and a cricket bat for noise cancellation 

If I could do that,I'd not need the ear phones Al

[AimlessWanderer]

Good point ...



 



Stink bombs and a tin of strong scented snuff? 


(as you can probably guess I'm no use with the actual topic, sorry mate)

[eddie1115]

I've had the best luck with in-ear monitors meant for musicians.  I bought them to use on stage, and use them more on airplanes (blocks out crying babies) or crowded coffee shops.  The ones with the foam ear 'sleeves' conform to your ear, and give the passive noise blocking that has been discussed here.

These tend to fall to the more expensive end of the spectrum, but I think the price difference is mostly about sound quality, and not related to noise blocking.  Etymotic and Shure make some good options, with a range of prices.

[AlephZero]

So, you're saying you'd want the noise to ignore you? have you tried asking it? 

[ryan1835]

I'm really starting to consider a pair of Shure IEM's they have up to 37 DB's of passive noise cancellation and you can even replace the cable 

[mrynnr]

I've tried some shures before but I could never get it to fit right in my weird ears. They always fell

[Cupboard]

Given the number of different sleeves you get with the Shures I'm surprised.

That's another thing with proper in ear ones actually - there are some that try and sit in the outer bit of the ear that IME don't work very well. I need ones that go properly inside the ear. The Etymotic Christmas trees work well for me, and the Shure long sausages work too. YMMV.

[jekostas]

I'm really starting to consider a pair of Shure IEM's they have up to 37 DB's of passive noise cancellation and you can even replace the cable 

The Shure SE215s (which is what I assume you're looking at) also have the distinct advantage of sounding really, really good.

[ryan1835]

I'm really starting to consider a pair of Shure IEM's they have up to 37 DB's of passive noise cancellation and you can even replace the cable 

The Shure SE215s (which is what I assume you're looking at) also have the distinct advantage of sounding really, really good.

Thats good to know, the idiot in me liked the idea of getting ones with the two or three drivers but they cost a bomb and i wouldn't notice the difference! The highest id probably go is the se315s as they are meant to be really good for bass

[eddie1115]

The extra bonus of getting a good fit/seal with the foam sleeves (or 'Christmas tree' sleeves, both are good), is aside from blocking outside noise, the bass capabilities go way up, without having to crank the volume.  In general, volume levels are lower, which is good for the ears.  I've got a couple older Shure models (roughly equivalent to the 215s and 315s), happy with both of them.

[mrynnr]

Given the number of different sleeves you get with the Shures I'm surprised.

That's another thing with proper in ear ones actually - there are some that try and sit in the outer bit of the ear that IME don't work very well. I need ones that go properly inside the ear. The Etymotic Christmas trees work well for me, and the Shure long sausages work too. YMMV.

yeah I tried all three sizes I can't remember the exact model ATM but it was the ones where the cords went over the ear. I'd really like to try ones where they mold to your ears, but they are way too expensive. Plus I heard after a while they get uncomfortable. Go figure.

[Cupboard]

I'd love a pair of custom molded ones, they're not *that* expensive in the grand scheme of things, less than the price of a Charge over here.

[Smashie]

I've never got on with in the ear or noise cancelling, so I use AKG 550's, they are closed back and very comfortable. drive them with a headphone amplifier and they are awesome.