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Best headphones/earphones for sound isolation/noise canceling?

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who's responded. I would have replied sooner tonight, but there was just a ton of good information to go through and I was also sidetracked by the suggestion of head-fi.org. I really can't emphasize enough how much you've all helped me.

I have pretty much decided to go for the in-ear style, and I have a list of nine options I'm sorting through at the moment (7 are in my price range). I'm happy with the list, and now I can go around trying them all out and seeing what I like the best. I've been paying attention to the decibel data for the sound isolation on the models you've suggested. My current list, from least expensive to most expensive is:

Etymotic ER-6i
Klipsch Image S4
Shure SE210
Westone UM1
Etymotic HF5
Panasonic RP-HJE900
Fischer Audio DBA-02
Etymotic ER-4P
Audio Technica CK10

If you know that any of these is bad at sound isolation, let me know and I'll cross it off immediately. Thanks again for all of your input!
 
dawnraid said:
Sennheiser HD-25 mkII are all you need, simply an outstanding pair of headphones.
Click to expand...

+1

any Sennheiser or AKG will be good choice.

i got AKG k324p (in ear) for the ipod\mp3 player, and Sennheiser HD 25-1 II when im playing.
 
Like others I like to promote the Bose QC 15 series for noise cancelling. If you are looking for better sound quality then I would check out the Beats headphones.

If you are on a budget then check out the Kliptch In-Ear Q4 ear buds, they are great and have a WONDERFUL sound quality and do offer some noise cancelling.
 
You can still find the older Bose QC3 that I use all the time and they are fabulous. The QC15 are slightly smaller, lighter and better audio response (according to the spec's).

Here is the crutch. You have decided on in-ear... your choice. I would not worry yourself too much with the technical data and specifications. It all comes down to you listening to them and deciding for yourself. Some people will claim that using a different power cable affects the sound of an amp (please, don't start on THAT discussion... just making a point:eek:)

My point is, everyone has different hearing characteristics and only you can decide what sounds good to you. The data will only tell you what the PR dept want you to know about.

Find a decent shop(s) and try them out. If the shop won't let you try, then walk out and find somewhere else.

Just my advice. Personally I don't like in-ear as I haven't found any that stay put (except B&O as they use a wrap-around to hold it in place).
On ear may hurt the outside of your ear after a while and over-ear are more comfortable but can be big and bulky.

Good luck and happy listening.
 
My two cents:
I don't see is mentioned often, but a custom ear mold is not that expensive for what you get. About $50 for the casting of the molds, and under $100 for the mold.

These are typically designed to fit a particular earphone (Shure, for example.)
You then insert the earphone into the mold.

You get a perfect fit that does NOT fall out, and near total noise isolation.

I travel a lot and don't even hear jet engine noise, or crying babies in nearby seats.

Check with a hearing professional to see if they are able to help with this kind of thing.

More expensive than you'd mentioned. But wanted
To throw it into the mix.
 
On why I've been leaning towards the in-ear: I had originally been looking mostly at the over-ear style because I liked the ones with a single cord on one side (I don't know what they're called, but in Japanese it's "katadashi") and I haven't used in-ear phones before... but upon reflection, the idea of finding space to carry big headphones on the train every day is kind of daunting.

I might look at over-ear headphones or on-ear headphones to use at home another time, or custom molds for outside, if I have a good experience with my first fairly expensive earphones this time. :)

I'm hoping to use a chunk of my Saturday trying some out at various stores. I'll check on the new suggestions too. :)
 
zhenya said:
LOL! The Ety's are the closest thing you can get to neutral! It's fine if you don't like that sound, but they don't emphasize anything. The Klipsch have a significant emphasis in the lows - check out the frequency response graphs.
Click to expand...

true, but the way that sound is perceived, some frequencies have to be boosted so that the sound heard is flat. not just the graph. whatever happened to wanting to hear the bass part of a song?
is that blasphemy or something?
 
wywern209 said:
true, but the way that sound is perceived, some frequencies have to be boosted so that the sound heard is flat. not just the graph. whatever happened to wanting to hear the bass part of a song?
is that blasphemy or something?
Click to expand...

If one frequency is boosted, that is by definition NOT flat! That preference is fine. Just realize what it is - a boost to a particular frequency. Almost all speakers have this 'adjustment' because it's what consumers expect. When they hear a 'flat' response like the ety's they think the bass is 'missing' when more accurately they are hearing closer to what was actually mastered.
 
Agree with Jman

My opinion (and this is all opinion - doesn't make anyone right or wrong) is Jman has the right idea. Custom ear moulds are the way to go. I travel a lot, and I have to take my Westone's out of my ear to hear the Air Hostess. There's a reason musicians use custom moulded "ear monitors." I can't imagine the volume a set of Marshall stacks must generate. Certainly more than a commuter plane.

I use very little volume on my ipod/ipad due to the sound isolation. It would be beyond painful to listen at 1/2 to 3/4 volume.

I appreciate it's not a plug-n-play solution. You have to visit an Audiologist, get a mould, wait for the returned product. You won't regret it. It's really not that outrageous cost wise. I have a colleague that had their's funded by medical insurance, but I suspect she has a hearing issue.

Another thing to consider with many noise cancelling headphones: space and batteries. The Bose used to take up about a 1/4 of my briefcase, and i had to carry at least one set of spare batteries. Not a big deal if you travel every once in a while. Most learned travellers tend to minimise weight in space as much possible.
 
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