# Sound cancelling headphones help



## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Looks like I’m going to be travelling to Oz a lot and thought I’d invest in some noise cancelling headphones for the long haul and was looking for recommendations. Budget wise upto £300

I’d like wireless in an ideal world but also I’m aware they are not going to last the flight so open to suggestions.

Would also be nice to be able to plug them into the airplane socket for movies as well as phones and iPads of guys possible to have both options

Think I’d prefer over ear


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2008)

Doesn't fulfil everything you've listed but I have B&O H5 Bluetooth Earphones.

One thing I would recommend is always investing in Comply foam tips if you opt for the earphones.

For that budget though you should be able to get some very high quality headphones.

For actual headphones, look at Bowers & Wilkins.

I would speak to these guys - https://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk 
They always give good advice.

http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/bow...e-noise-cancelling-headphones-space-grey.html - these are a wee bit above what you are thinking but have a good battery time. Depending on what oz route you take they should see you for most of the trip and can always charge at a stopover.


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

danwel said:


> Looks like I'm going to be travelling to Oz a lot and thought I'd invest in some noise cancelling headphones for the long haul and was looking for recommendations. Budget wise upto £300
> 
> I'd like wireless in an ideal world but also I'm aware they are not going to last the flight so open to suggestions.
> 
> ...


Hi pal. I'll forget the score at the weekend 

We've got a 14hr flight to Vietnam this week and we've just bought Sony WH-1000X m2. Bluetooth or wired with 4hrs charge gives 30hrs battery life!!
They come with a USB lead for charging so you could always charge in flight on the USB port on the plane. Same connection as Samsung Smart phones for charging.

The reviews are quality and when we were testing them against Bose, Beats, Sennheiser etc... they blew them all away.

Currently on offer at Curry's at £280 which is in budget for you.

They come in a nice sturdy case with the aircraft adaptor which is handy but most decent airlines just have the single jack plug now.

I'll let you know how they fair when we return in approx. 16days.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

danwel said:


> Looks like I'm going to be travelling to Oz a lot and thought I'd invest in some noise cancelling headphones for the long haul and was looking for recommendations. Budget wise upto £300
> 
> I'd like wireless in an ideal world but also I'm aware they are not going to last the flight so open to suggestions.
> 
> ...


I've got a pair of Sennheiser MM 550-X TRAVEL Bluetooth Wireless Headset with Noise Cancelling

Got them for traveling on train to see daughter in London - used once, very comfortable, superb sound and now she's moved to Edinburgh !!!

Happy to sell on if they're of interest, as I just don't need them now


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## shl-kelso (Dec 27, 2012)

I’m a B&W PX headphones user. I bought them from Dixon’s at the airport and got a reasonable discount. 

They do have active noise cancelling but I’ve found that as they fit over your ears then the seal created already attenuated background noise significantly so rarely need to switch on the noise cancellation. 

They charge via USB, and have a true 20 hour plus battery life in use. You can use them wired or via Bluetooth so are flexible with sources. 

I spent quite a bit of time testing various headphones at the airport, and for me they had the best sound quality and decent comfort. I also made sure I tested with my own phone so I was sure of the quality of the music I was listening to.

The only (very) small disappointment was they come with a soft carry case, so no real protection for them when stuffed into your hand luggage. However it was not expensive to buy a better hard case from Amazon to make sure they were safe when not in use.


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## Deadshot (May 23, 2017)

I have the bose qc35 and they last around 20 hours, you can charge them on the plane too if there is a usb. And they don’t use any power to use them wired with the supplied cable or reduced power with the NC on. I have heard the Sony 1000 mentioned above are good too


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Some interesting options so far and I’m wondering if I may be better off getting them at airport either going or coming back.


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## shl-kelso (Dec 27, 2012)

danwel said:


> Some interesting options so far and I'm wondering if I may be better off getting them at airport either going or coming back.


Providing they have the models you want then you could make a reasonable saving. You can phone and reserve in advance too, with a few days notice they can get stock sent over from the central warehouse ready for you to pick up as you head through.

You should also aim to try out your preferences too, headphones are a very personal purchase, so the "style" of sound you prefer and the fit on your head/ears will be unique to you so I'd not suggest just buying blind.


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## bigalc (Aug 7, 2014)

This is the pair i bought and highly recommend them

http://www.askdirect.co.uk/sony-mdr-zx770bn-noise-cancelling-bluetooth-headphone-black/

Alan


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## kingswood (Jun 23, 2016)

mates just got back from oz and used bose qc 25's and said they were good


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

shl-kelso said:


> Providing they have the models you want then you could make a reasonable saving. You can phone and reserve in advance too, with a few days notice they can get stock sent over from the central warehouse ready for you to pick up as you head through.
> 
> You should also aim to try out your preferences too, headphones are a very personal purchase, so the "style" of sound you prefer and the fit on your head/ears will be unique to you so I'd not suggest just buying blind.


Probably sound advice there to be honest. Might have a ride to curry's and have a play


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

danwel said:


> Probably sound advice there to be honest. Might have a ride to curry's and have a play


In fairness to Currys they do have a good selection of £200+ headphones (esp given its not the typical purchase for many folks in Currys). Ideal chance to try out the comfort element if not the sound quality. Also John Lewis stock a good range if you have a store within reach.


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

percymon said:


> In fairness to Currys they do have a good selection of £200+ headphones (esp given its not the typical purchase for many folks in Currys). Ideal chance to try out the comfort element if not the sound quality. Also John Lewis stock a good range if you have a store within reach.


No JL close by sadly. Been doing some reading and i am edging towards the Bose QC35 ii for comfort and noise cancelling although arguably the Sony and the Bowers mentioned may be slightly better sound wise but will have to try them for myself i guess


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

danwel said:


> Probably sound advice there to be honest. Might have a ride to curry's and have a play


That's where we tried them out pal. Try the WH1000-MX last and you'll see how superior they are over the others there.

My wife had some Quidco credit (or similar) plus a further 8% works discount off the already discounted price, i think we eventually paid around £240 per pair.

They arrived today and wow, they are quality. I like the fact that you can adjust the volume and skip tracks via a hand gesture next to the right can.
Also, as you hold your hand up to the right can, it kills the sound so that you can speak to somebody without removing the cans.

Bluetooth is easy to set up and works a treat. The sound quality is very crisp, clear with punchy bass.

The Noise Cancelling is exceptional and they are very comfortable to wear.

So far so good.


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

nbray67 said:


> That's where we tried them out pal. Try the WH1000-MX last and you'll see how superior they are over the others there.
> 
> My wife had some Quidco credit (or similar) plus a further 8% works discount off the already discounted price, i think we eventually paid around £240 per pair.
> 
> ...


Nice little treat for you to soften the blow of Saturday....sorry not sorry but couldn't help it

They do sound decent, i am leaning to Bose as i have the wireless ear buds fo the gym and i love them but will give the others a fair test


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

danwel said:


> Nice little treat for you to soften the blow of Saturday....sorry not sorry but couldn't help it
> 
> They do sound decent, i am leaning to Bose as i have the wireless ear buds fo the gym and i love them but will give the others a fair test


The Bose were quality pal but the comfort, sound quality and NC were better on the Sony's imo.

Curry's allow the use of your own phone/ipod etc... so you get a truer test of how they'll work with your given music player.

Let me know how you get on.


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

I use BOSE QC35's when detailing, or specifically the machine polishing stages - highly recommended.

Bought from John Lewis who have a good selection from various brands to try back2back.

They also do 2years accidental damage cover for something like £50 which seemed like a no brainer.

cheers

Chris


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## Deje (Aug 12, 2016)

I use the Sony MDR-ZX770BN in the garage, bought on sale for £ 70, I do not want to use £ 300 headphones in the garage environment.


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## Dan34 (May 28, 2011)

I bought some Bose QC35's last year and they've been great. Tried a few different ones out and the Bose were the most comfortable for me and very light. Noise cancelling works well and battery life is very good also.


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

danwel said:


> No JL close by sadly. Been doing some reading and i am edging towards the Bose QC35 ii for comfort and noise cancelling although arguably the Sony and the Bowers mentioned may be slightly better sound wise but will have to try them for myself i guess


I've been watching to see what responses came in as i'm in pretty much the same place, looking at headphones for holiday/business travel. I'm not overly fussed about wireless, as its another feature that compromises sound quality at a given price point.

I tried to demo the QC35 and the Sennheiser PXC 550 at my local Currys at the weekend. I did manage to pair the QC35s to my iphone 6S, so was able to have full benefit of their features. They seemed to offer good comfort for a relatively short listening time, the level of noise cancellation was very good (there was a lot of ventilation fan noise in the background, so not far off aircraft background frequency/levels). They did pretty well on the low NC setting; there was further improvement on the high setting but I felt the music lost a bit of air in the process. Everyone is different but the size of the cans made them a semi on-ear fit for me.

I tried to demo the PXC550, but had issues :-
1. Currys had configured them for wired listening only
2. the power cable and jack cable were tied together putting undue stress ont he jack plug into the headset - had to play with the jack to get stereo sound
3. even though supposedly powered there were no lights on the headset, and none of the functions worked. I think this was as much to do with Currys connections as anything.

So end result that i got to wear the PXC550 for 10 minutes and play some music through them but without any form of NC in operation, or being able to try the gesture controls. I would say that they were a better over ear fit for me than the BOSE QC35 and they did a very good job of isolating the outside noise just from the pads themselves. I felt pretty disappointed, because they should have been a good test to the QC35. They were slightly heavier than the QC35, but felt very well engineered (the BOSE felt a little plasticky and sloppy in a few of the joints (perhaps a well used demo set ?).

If I get chance one evening this week I'm going to try another Currys store, where hopefully they also have the Sony 1000s (albeit i have to say i do feel a bit uneasy paying £300 for Sony - but i'll keep an open ear to see how they perform).

I'd also like to listen to the B&W PX, Sennheiser Momentum 2 and the AKG N60NC.

and there's also a new offering from Audio Technica, the ATH-ANC700BT which is supposedly comparable to the Bose QC35 in features, at a price point expected to be £200RRP


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Been and tried the Sony and the Bose ones and to my ears there wasn’t anything in it and they are both the same price although I’ve seen the Bose for 279 online so am leaning to them


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## GlasgowXF (Sep 10, 2015)

danwel said:


> Looks like I'm going to be travelling to Oz a lot and thought I'd invest in some noise cancelling headphones for the long haul and was looking for recommendations. Budget wise upto £300
> 
> I'd like wireless in an ideal world but also I'm aware they are not going to last the flight so open to suggestions.
> 
> ...


Bose QC25 are wired, QC35 are wireless I believe. I've used QC25's for a few years now and travel UK to Middle East three or four times a year. They use a AAA battery which lasts for a few trips. Case has a holder for a spare battery and comes complete with an airline socket adapter in the case. They are over-ear and almost completely eliminate engine noise. Crying babies still come through but are much muted. The wire is removable for comfort if you want to sleep. We previously had the in ear bose units but found them uncomfortable after a few hours.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

prcdirect has the QC35 for £279, with 2.79% cashback available via quidco = ca £270

quidco also give 7% cashback on purchases at Sennheiser online.


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## Fentum (May 1, 2017)

I don't do as much international air travel as I used to but I've had several sets over the years. I still use a set of these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/LEOPHILE-ZERO-Cancelling-Bluetooth-Headphones-Black/dp/B07216NH5K - when doing motorway miles in my wife's 3 gear Alfa Spider which gets very wearing at 70 mph.

While these are buds, they are by a mile the best NC headphones I've ever owned. Very clever design and can be used as a phone headset.

Peter


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Just bought the QC35 ii from John Lewis as the price matched Weybridge Audio so cost me £269. Very happy with that if i am honest. I took out the extra cover for £30 to cover accidental damage too.

Cant wait to get them and have a proper play with them


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

danwel said:


> Just bought the QC35 ii from John Lewis as the price matched Weybridge Audio so cost me £269. Very happy with that if i am honest. I took out the extra cover for £30 to cover accidental damage too.
> 
> Cant wait to get them and have a proper play with them


Result that pal, unlike last night 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

danwel said:


> Just bought the QC35 ii from John Lewis as the price matched Weybridge Audio so cost me £269. Very happy with that if i am honest. I took out the extra cover for £30 to cover accidental damage too.
> 
> Cant wait to get them and have a proper play with them


Do let us know how you get on with them after a few weeks use.

I tied another Currys store last night to test headphones - complete waste of space; no Sony, No Sennheisers and the QC35s were out of charge.

I was starting to favour the B&W PX but they have some shocking customer reviews on Amazon.

Looks like I'm going to have to take a day off to find some good hifi retailers in Bristol / Cardiff


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

nbray67 said:


> Result that pal, unlike last night
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Absolutely shocking mate, but nice to see all the Liverpool fans back out of hiding 😉


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

percymon said:


> Do let us know how you get on with them after a few weeks use.
> 
> I tied another Currys store last night to test headphones - complete waste of space; no Sony, No Sennheisers and the QC35s were out of charge.
> 
> ...


Got my first flight to Oz 2nd April so that will be the first real rest.

I didn't tear the B&O Px but I was always leaning to Bose. To be fair to my ears there was no difference between the the Bose and Sony but the deal I got made my mind up plus the soundsport wireless I already own have been fantastic for the gym and running


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

danwel said:


> Got my first flight to Oz 2nd April so that will be the first real rest.
> 
> I didn't tear the B&O Px but I was always leaning to Bose. To be fair to my ears there was no difference between the the Bose and Sony but the deal I got made my mind up plus the soundsport wireless I already own have been fantastic for the gym and running


I have to say i'm leaning towards the BOSE myself, if only for the fact its the one headset i've actually been able to have a full demo of. The weight and comfort appear good for extended use.

I have a mental block paying £300 for the Sony's (perhaps just me, but BOSE, B&W , Sennheiser names sit better at that price point lol!) and they are quite a big can.

John Lewis/Currys visit definitely required for me i think.


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

percymon said:


> I have to say i'm leaning towards the BOSE myself, if only for the fact its the one headset i've actually been able to have a full demo of. The weight and comfort appear good for extended use.
> 
> I have a mental block paying £300 for the Sony's (perhaps just me, but BOSE, B&W , Sennheiser names sit better at that price point lol!) and they are quite a big can.
> 
> John Lewis/Currys visit definitely required for me i think.


I think I was the same, if I'm paying that much for headphones it needs to be a brand I'm comfortable with. Not knocking the Sony as they were great also.

If you do end up getting them deffo do the JL price match. I did mine online last night and was all sorted this morning. Basically bought at full price then reply *** heir email with case and order number and they refund difference


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

danwel said:


> I think I was the same, if I'm paying that much for headphones it needs to be a brand I'm comfortable with. Not knocking the Sony as they were great also.
> 
> If you do end up getting them deffo do the JL price match. I did mine online last night and was all sorted this morning. Basically bought at full price then reply *** heir email with case and order number and they refund difference


I've used the JL price match previously, and they also have the advantage of being able to drop at my local Waitrose 5 minutes walk from home (not waiting in for couriers etc).

I've been offered a few different sets at good prices, all with full manufacturer warranty from audio retailer..

B&W PX for £279
Sennheiser PXC 550 for £269
Sennheiser Momentum for £269 (I do like the retro looks but not so great for travelling and no gesture control)


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## dal84 (Jan 19, 2008)

I've got AKG NC60, and I am very pleased with them. Use them everyday.

https://www.richersounds.com/akg-on-ear-closed-back-noise-cancelling-headphones.html

They also do a wireless version now as well.


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

dal84 said:


> I've got AKG NC60, and I am very pleased with them. Use them everyday.
> 
> https://www.richersounds.com/akg-on-ear-closed-back-noise-cancelling-headphones.html
> 
> They also do a wireless version now as well.


I saw the but i wanted over ear as i felt they would cancel the noise better


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## dal84 (Jan 19, 2008)

Yes I agree, I believe they would cancel the noise better :thumb:


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## spyk3d (Nov 25, 2007)

I've had the Bose Quiet Comfort 20's for just over 18 months now and done 3 trips to New Zealand/ Fiji with them. Great headphones with 2hours charge giving roughly 16 hours play time. They can be used with the noise cancelling off and will continue to work once the battery dies just without the noise cancelling ability.

I've used them a couple of times with them turned on and no music playing just so I can get some sleep. They do a great job of cancelling out most of the background noise.

I chose them over the QC 35's just because I don't like over ear headphones. They have the same type of ear buds as the Soundsports so stay really well in the ear.

Let me know how you get on with the QC 35's.

Bose Quiet Comfort 20


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## MJA88 (May 22, 2016)

I hope you're happy with them. QuietComfort - does exactly what it says on the tin .

I've only used the QC25 wired. I found the sound quality awful (tinny and distant). My B&W P5 on-ears are in a different league in terms of sound quality but they hurt my ears after an hour.

I forgave the QC25's sound quality for just how extremely comfortable they are. After living with ear torture for so long it was like putting on a pair of soft slippers after hiking all day. My P5's are still the daily drivers as I can live with them an hour each way for commuting but for travel the QC25's come out.


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Just had a text saying they are arriving today so will have a little play but the main test will be the flight where they will be used for a good few hours at a time


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

danwel said:


> Just had a text saying they are arriving today so will have a little play but the main test will be the flight where they will be used for a good few hours at a time


You'll probably need 20-30hrs use before they are run in, so charge them and leave them playing off an old ipod or something in another room. Or run some sound sweep running in tracks, which might speed up the process.

I'm testing the B&W PX and Sennheiser PXC550s on Saturday, and may well call at BOSE store to retest the QC35 while i'm out and about.


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

percymon said:


> You'll probably need 20-30hrs use before they are run in, so charge them and leave them playing off an old ipod or something in another room. Or run some sound sweep running in tracks, which might speed up the process.
> 
> I'm testing the B&W PX and Sennheiser PXC550s on Saturday, and may well call at BOSE store to retest the QC35 while i'm out and about.


Really ?? I've not heard that before about running in headphones but thanks for the heads up


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## DrEskimo (Jan 7, 2016)

I picked up a pair of Sennheiser PCX550s last month. Found them for around £240 and got JL to price match them.

Very pleased with them. Use them on my commute to London and the noise cancellation is great, very light weight and comfortable, and battery is fantastic.

I was torn between the Sony MDR's, Bose QC35s and these. I think you'll be happy with any of them to be honest...


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Currently sat with the QC35’s in as they have arrived and I love them, so comfortable. I have th noise cancelling on and I really have to shout to hear myself


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

danwel said:


> Really ?? I've not heard that before about running in headphones but thanks for the heads up


They will sound relatively harsh out of the box, but will steadily improve. At least the ear cups are nice n soft so no need to bed those in


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

percymon said:


> They will sound relatively harsh out of the box, but will steadily improve. At least the ear cups are nice n soft so no need to bed those in


Thanks will let them play away to themselves then for a good few hours


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi pal.
The Sony’s performed excellently for our 14hr trip to Vietnam, the noise cancelling is superb and transforms the journey. You’ll be amazed at how loud the background/ambience noise actually is once you’ve listened to music or a film for a length of time.
I’m sure you’ll absolutely love the Bose and like us, you’ll be wondering why you never invested in good quality NC headphones earlier in life!!

We were tempted to pay the upgrade to Premium Economy on Singapore Airlines solely for the use of their NC headphones, we are so glad we didn’t and instead, spent less on 2 x sets of Sony’s that will do us for numerous other flights.

Enjoy the world of NC during a flight, it’s like night and day!!


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## HEADPHONES (Jan 1, 2008)

I've had my Bose QC3 for years and couldn't imagine not having noise cancelling headphones.
They're not just for flights but I use them as ear defenders too.
When doing DIY projects using SDS drills etc, I find they cut more noise out than the builders ear defenders!
This was especially the case when using my carpet cleaner vac in the cellar.
With the enclosed space and low ceilings it was actually painful doing the work down there without my Bose QC3s, but once on it was blissfully comfortable......with tunes to work along with too!


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## sanchez (Nov 9, 2006)

I have the QC35's and they will last no probs all the way to Aus.

I currently rotate to Myanmar from Aberdeen and I have mine on the whole way and they still have 60% battery left when arriving.

I've had all the Bose QC's, started when I was rotating to Aus, I feel the QC35's are a step up on the QC25 when it come to noise cancelling so you wont be disappointed.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

I'm not a BOSE fan but for noise cancelling the QC25's are very good, they are better at cancelling than music playback - although they are still good. The QC35's i briefly listened to in John Lewis seem a step up though.


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

Finally managed to do some back to back tests on Saturday.

Went for the B&W PX in the end, not as light as the BOSE and initially they have quite a lot of side force but the engineering in the build and the sound quality won the day. The BOSE sound semi surround sound / spatial in comparison. Nothing wrong with that per se but i prefer clarity/precision and the B&W were far better for that.








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## shl-kelso (Dec 27, 2012)

One thing with the PXs, do switch them on before putting them on your head - this allows the “wear sensors” to calibrate properly. If you power up while wearing them then you run the risk of the wear sensors being overly sensitive and constantly pausing playback without you moving the ear cups. I thought mine were faulty as I did not realise this, and found them unusable with the wear sensor enabled. Since powering them up before wearing I have enabled the wear sensors and not had any issues since!


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Had a try with mine outside today while i was washing the car and with music on i couldn't hear the pressure washer and also my bother popped round and was tooting his horn and still nothing. so far so good id say


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