I tried the Bose and they were not for me. Twice the price, larger, and less comfortable.

At this price, especially, I'm very satisfied. They work well at both reducing ambient noise, are very comfortable, and produce an enjoyable sound. Highly recommended.


Maybe these are it.   November 23, 2003
 35 out of 37 found this review helpful

I've been through at least a dozen different types and styles of headphones and earbuds. I think these Sennheisers might finally be the ones I've settled on. I work in radio, and have been spoiled by high quality headphones. I can't stand ear buds, even though they tend to sound the best. After an hour I want to rip them out of my ears. I've tried over the head and behind the neck styles, and they just don't have the richness in frequency response I want unless you hold them tight to your head with your hands.

The Sennheisers sound very, very good and are comfortable to wear. They're a little larger than I'd like for travel, but I really can't give up quality sound. One word of negativity; they only sound good when the noise cancelling circuit is turned on. Yes they still work without it, but they lose a great deal of sound quality. I don't have enough experience with them yet to know how long the batteries will last, but on longer trips to Europe I'll carry spares just in case.

These come with a nice carry case and a couple of adapters to use with home systems and the Delta Airlines double plug. Pricey yes, but I've already spent more than double what these cost trying to find something good. I think these could be the ones.

The battery compartment is a little bulky, but can clip onto your belt. The cord could be a little more substantial, but there is a two year warranty should it break. The headphones adjust to your head very nicely, and the ear pads are thick and comfy. These don't totally enclose the ear, rather they sit on the outside. Not the smallest or easiest to carry around, but if you want high quality sound without the discomfort of ear buds, these are the way to go. The noise cancellation is decent, but the sound quality with the noise reduction circuit engaged is the prize.


Good for the Price   November 7, 2003
 6 out of 8 found this review helpful

I got what I paid for. They sound great, cut out outside noise effectively, are lightweight and can be folded up and kept in compact places.


An Oasis of Tranquility Amid the Noise of the City   November 4, 2003
 785 out of 791 found this review helpful

I am looking forward with dread to four months of apartment renovations starting soon and I was looking for ways to keep my sanity during all the racket and mayhem. The idea of Noise Canceling headphones seemed just the ticket to help me keep from losing my mind.

I tried the Bose, the Sony, and the Sennheiser in a comparative listening bout. Overall, I liked the Bose a little better than the Sennheiser, but not enough to justify the increased price. Both blew away the Sony, which just doesn't sound that good and conducts too much movement noise up into the headphones. The Sennheiser are closed ear headphones, very lightweight and comfortable to wear unless you are exercising, where they tend to get a bit too hot. The snug fit of the earphones helps block out sound, even without the noise-canceling feature. But with the feature the amount of noise that is reduced or effectively canceled is remarkable. Most of the daily rumble of Manhattan is removed from your listening experience, though louder and sharper sounds still can be heard. The actual sound in the headphones is excellent, very clear, with a focused treble and a distortion free bass response. I tested the phones using a variety of music, orchestral, jazz, rock, and organ music. For my money, organ is the most difficult of instruments for headphones, as the rich bass frequencies almost always lead to distortion. Happily, the Sennsheimer phones were able to reproduce the massive sounds of Messiaen without mishap!

As a final test I took my headphones on a street run last night. I picked out the quietest CD that I have, Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel, which never really gets above a whisper. Walking through Lincoln Center, which was crowded with concertgoers, I barely heard a thing. Walking down the street, there was an eerie sense of calm. I could hear car horns, and some other ambient noise, which I was glad of, since it could be dangerous otherwise, but the quiet and clarity of the Feldman was remarkable. The final test was a Subway ride. While I can't say that the Subway ride was noise free, the headphones did a wonderful job of blocking all but the loudest noises. I didn't even miss notes when the express train rumbled through my station.

The design is a bit of a negative. As has been said, the battery pack is a bit bulky, though not so much as to really bother me. And the headphones do fold up nicely, making them a good compact option for travel. But the wires tangle easily, unlike the Bose. Hopefully, in future models, Sennheiser will find a way to improve this feature.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with the performance of this product, and at the price point, it can't be beat.