Noise Cancelling Headphones for Flyers
Noise cancelling headphones are great for reducing the ambient noise from an aircraft engine. They are a useful tool for the frequent flyer, especially on long-haul flights. Let's take a look at some headphones available on the market... |
Noise cancelling headphones are useful for blocking out the droning noise at certain lower frequency ranges - this can help you rest more easily and enhance your audio listening while travelling. They will not block out the mid to higher frequency sounds like human voices. Playing music on normal headphones in any noisy environment can mean volumes are set too loud - frequent exposure can lead to ear damage and tinnitus. Noise cancelling headphones help keep volumes down to more comfortable and safer levels and help you maximise enjoyment of in-flight entertainment.
What to look for in a pair of noise reducing headphones:
***The phones should be lightweight and comfortable
***Easy to store while travelling
***Robust
***Decent sound quality (without too much hiss)
***Good value for money
Top of the range are the offerings from Bose and used by a number of airline premium cabins - the QuietComfort QC3 which retails at $349 and the QuietComfort QC2 at $299. The audio quality of both is very good (strong bass) and noise cancellation is excellent. The QC2 is slightly larger and so more difficult to carry around - although many prefer its performance and comfort over the QC3. At this level of investment these are for the serious frequent flyer - Bose and its official retailers do not discount the price, so bargain prices are hard to find.
If the Bose is not for you then consider a pair from Sennheiser. They have a range of noise cancelling headphones from the large cup PXC 450 (around $320, this competes with the Bose pairs) to the cheaper and lighter PXC 300 (circa $150) or budget option PXC 250 (which can be found for as low as $60). Sound quality and noise cancellation are top notch - however the lighter pairs can be a little flimsy and the noise cancellation / battery unit can get in the way.
Another excellent choice is the Sony Noise Reducing Headphones MDR-NC60, which at around $130 is very good value for money. Although not in the same league as the Bose pair, they are not too far behind and for the price they are a good deal for the frequent flyer.
Also at around the $100 level you may want to consider the superb Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint.
For a budget option and coming in at less than $50 is the JVC HANC100. This pair is a good all-round performer and is recommended for the cost-conscious traveller.
Before buying, go to a store where you can try out different headphones in your price range and test for comfort and audio quality.
Air Travel Articles > Flying Tips > Noise Cancelling Headphones
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