Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones

[Richard Barrett]

I do find the Bose QS25s have trouble dealing with the rumble of rough roads and throbbing large diesel engines on coaches and buses.

Before they were stolen I had a pair of earbuds from Etymotic Research which took a less high-tech approach to noise cancellation, making a perfect seal and going a long way into the ear canal. They actually did that job better than any active noise-cancelling headphones I've tried, the only problem being that the connecting cable became like a stethoscope so that the slightest brush on your clothes gave the impression your brain was being scraped.

[Pianoman]

I’d be interested in what model those earbuds were - or the newer equivalent as I fancy trying some ; I know some people prefer them to noise cancelling headphones if the seal is good.

[Richard Barrett]

I’d be interested in what model those earbuds were - or the newer equivalent as I fancy trying some ; I know some people prefer them to noise cancelling headphones if the seal is good.

They were Etymotic ER4s, that was about 15 years ago now so I imagine the model has been replaced in the meantime. They were extremely convenient for practising on stage without disturbing or hearing anyone else, but one day I left them onstage and went to talk to someone before going back to pack my stuff away, and in the meantime they'd been swiped.

[Pianoman]

Thanks - if it happens to be these I'll start saving now...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Etymotic-Reference-Isolating-Earphone-Replaceable-Black/dp/B01GW785KQ

[Richard Barrett]

Thanks - if it happens to be these I'll start saving now...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Etymotic-Re.../dp/B01GW785KQ

That was indeed about how much they cost back then.

[richardfinegold]

Etymotic Research is based in Elk Grove Illinois ., a few miles from where I live. I had been reading about their custom molded earbuds (they have an audiologist take an impression of your ear, and they fabricate a custom bud for the client. Speaking as someone who looks into people’s ears daily, there is tremendous variability in ear canal anatomy). British Audio Critic Alan Sircom is a huge fan. Unsurprisingly, their main business is hearing aids. A few years ago my mother, in Detroit, was having problems with her hearing aids and was required to send them to their HQ for repair. There was a substantial fee for the shipping, so I had her send them to me, and I drove them there and then delivered them to mom during a planned visit. They have a show room that is very interesting, to say the least.
Immersive is a term commonly used in the Audiophile world. It implies that one is getting a lot more imaging in the soundfield. The term is commonly used to describe the effects of the Dolby Atmos setups, in which multiple speakers are aimed at varying angles to saturate or “immerse” a soundfield. It is used to describe the effects of room correction, and also in Headphones. With the Bose, the perspective is that of hearing the Orchestra from the carpeted hallway that one is required by ushers to wait in if one is late for a concert and can’t be seated until the interval. With the Sony’s, you feel more like you are in the proper seat.
My wife, no audiophile, appreciates the Bose on planes for helping her watch the proffered movie, but states the Sonys seem to catch all the dialogue, special effects, and just help her relax and forget that she is flying. I grew tired of her stealing them from me when I listen to Handel or Beethoven

[HighlandDougie]

I have been flying to Hong Kong about five or six times a year for the last four years (as well as travelling from Nice back to the UK and return) so listening to music/audiobooks on my iPhone has been an important element in lessening the tedium of all those hours spent in the air. I started off using Bose noise-cancelling earphones but graduated fairly quickly to IEBs (in-ear buds), firstly Etymotics (but they stopped working in one ear), then Shure and now Grado (for about the past three years). The key, for me, has been the ear buds and I have found nothing better than Comply Memory Foam "Comfort Plus" Earphone Tips - worth every penny. Like Richard B and his Etymotics, the seal which they provide (which, because they use memory foam, is also very comfortable) surpasses any noise-cancelling headphones I've ever used in terms of excluding noise, to the extent that, if someone speaks to you while you are wearing them, you are unable to hear them speaking, never mind make out what they are saying. They pass the screaming toddler test with flying colours as well. The Grado IEBs (nor the Shures/Beyers which I use as back-up) don't suffer from the "stethoscope" effect referred to by Richard as the cable on them is properly insulated. I also sometimes use cable-less Sennheiser and Sony Bluetooth IEBs which, with Comply tips, sound very good, if not up to Grado standard. I was initially dubious about stuffing something into my ears and found the flimsy plastic earbuds supplied very uncomfortable for protracted listening. The Comply tips, though were a revelation in terms of both comfort and seal.

[Quarky]

For really heavy noise environments, military grade headphones may offer a solution, e.g.

https://venturebeat.com/2018/03/06/victrix-aims-military-grade-noise-canceling-headset-at-pro-gamers/

[MrGongGong]

I know someone who swears by these

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/direct-sound-extreme-isolation-ex25-ex29

He was doing sound for Merzbow a few years ago and these were the tool of choice to make sure that he would be able to hear birdsong in later life

[Bryn]

I know someone who swears by these

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/direct-sound-extreme-isolation-ex25-ex29

He was doing sound for Merzbow a few years ago and these were the tool of choice to make sure that he would be able to hear birdsong in later life

Fine for the recording studio, perhaps, but not designed for general cancellation of extraneous sounds in other environments. This issue is raised in the one-star customer review of the ex29 on amazon.co.uk (it's the reply to the review which centres on the issue).

[MrGongGong]

Fine for the recording studio, perhaps, but not designed for general cancellation of extraneous sounds on other environments. This issue is raised in the one-star customer review of the ex29 on amazon.co.uk (it's the reply to the review which centres on the issue).

True (I haven't read the Amazon review)
the laws of physics (even for those who have faith in cyrogenically frozen copper twisted by hand by virgins in the moonlight !) are pretty stable and, given that we don't "hear" solely through our ears then getting rid of low frequencies is never going to really work 100%.
Richard's in-ear earbuds are likely to be the best option

Bose are a strange company. Some of their stuff (the noise cancelling headphones, for example) is fantastic whereas some of the other things they make these days (it's many years since the 802's !) are over-priced rubbish that sounds cr*p.

[Richard Barrett]

some of the other things they make these days (it's many years since the 802's !) are over-priced rubbish that sounds cr*p.

It's true. I went to one of their showrooms once when I was in the land of the free, and had the full demo treatment, and I kept thinking "is this system actually working properly"?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

cyrogenically frozen copper

[Richard Barrett]

Etymotic Research is based in Elk Grove Illinois ., a few miles from where I live. I had been reading about their custom molded earbuds (they have an audiologist take an impression of your ear, and they fabricate a custom bud for the client. Speaking as someone who looks into people’s ears daily, there is tremendous variability in ear canal anatomy). British Audio Critic Alan Sircom is a huge fan. Unsurprisingly, their main business is hearing aids. A few years ago my mother, in Detroit, was having problems with her hearing aids and was required to send them to their HQ for repair. There was a substantial fee for the shipping, so I had her send them to me, and I drove them there and then delivered them to mom during a planned visit. They have a show room that is very interesting, to say the least.

Very interesting. I've been planning on getting myself another pair of ER4s at some point because they're so much easier to pack away than the AKG K702s which are my headphones of choice for professional applications.

My wife, no audiophile, appreciates the Bose on planes for helping her watch the proffered movie, but states the Sonys seem to catch all the dialogue, special effects, and just help her relax and forget that she is flying. I grew tired of her stealing them from me when I listen to Handel or Beethoven

That's very interesting too, since my wife has a pair of Sonys. I'm going to have to smuggle them out of the house for a road test one of these days.

[Pianoman]

I normally can’t get on with in ear buds, but I dug out a really cheap pair of Soundmagic ones I got some years ago and once I got them firmly planted in the ear I was pleasantly surprised at the quality, at least from my phone. I really must try Doug’s suggestion of better tips as I think that’s the problem for me. But as RB says, for travel purposes the sheer convenience is a boon.