[kl31]

I'm looking for headphones where sound quality is not a factor. i just want as much sound cancellation as possible + maximum comfort. I'm not really sure where to go, since most reviews factor in noise quality, which is something i just don't care about in the pair that i'm looking for (i already have DT880 Pro's that sound great) 
 
i've considered getting used Bose QC2's used on ebay, but i thought i might as well ask about it here before buying.

thanks for the help. 

 

[uzi]

I'm not a fan of active noise cancellation, so my experience is with passive noise isolation.  If you want full-sized headphones, I found both the Shure SRH-840 and the Mr Speakers Mad Dogs to both isolate well and be comfortable.  If you want in-ear, you have a number of choices... depending on your ears, the foam ear pieces may be your best bet with universal-fit in-ears in terms of both comfort and isolation.  What'll top that are custom-molded in-ear headphones... I use a pair of UERMs on the local transit system daily and barely hear the train when music is playing at a moderate level.  Likewise when I'm on airplanes.

 

[Thracian]

Doesn't the Bose QC15 or smt with that number isolated really really well + is comfortable?

 

[DairyProduce]

The Bose QC-15's have excellent NC capability, and are really comfortable. I think you can try them out in many audio stores and even the apple stores (?)

 

[MacedonianHero]

  The Bose QC-15's have excellent NC capability, and are really comfortable. I think you can try them out in many audio stores and even the apple stores (?)

 
Actually the QC15s have the best NC out there.

 

[FenderP]

   
Actually the QC15s have the best NC out there.

 
Meh sound quality, good NC (best is relative). I've compared  them to other NC cans and it was better, but not OMG this is amazing better. I also don't find the QC15 as comfortable as everyone says. They don't work for me on any level. If you want comfortable, look at something like the B&O H6. Any noise cancelling would be passive, but if you want comfort, I'd put them on your short list.
 
You may want to check out this thread I started: http://www.head-fi.org/t/639292/noise-cancelling-shootout-sony-mdr-1rnc-vs-sony-mdr-nwnc200-vs-akg-k490nc

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
Meh sound quality, good NC (best is relative). I've compared  them to other NC cans and it was better, but not OMG this is amazing better. I also don't find the QC15 as comfortable as everyone says. They don't work for me on any level. If you want comfortable, look at something like the B&O H6. Any noise cancelling would be passive, but if you want comfort, I'd put them on your short list.
 
You may want to check out this thread I started: http://www.head-fi.org/t/639292/noise-cancelling-shootout-sony-mdr-1rnc-vs-sony-mdr-nwnc200-vs-akg-k490nc

 
Actually pretty good SQ, fantastic comfort and the best NC is how I would describe the QC15s.
 
Oh, and I've done my own comparison in case you're interested:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/672743/comparisons-psb-m4u2-momentum-mdr-1r-qc15-beats-executive-dt1350-ue9000-beats-studio-2013-kef-m500-and-skullcandy-aviators
 
Here's another data point:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-noise-canceling

 

[FenderP]

   
Actually pretty good SQ, fantastic comfort and the best NC is how I would describe the QC15s.
 
Oh, and I've done my own comparison in case you're interested:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/672743/comparisons-psb-m4u2-momentum-mdr-1r-qc15-beats-executive-dt1350-ue9000-beats-studio-2013-kef-m500-and-skullcandy-aviators
 
Here's another data point:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-noise-canceling

The QC15 is in my comparison in that thread. You could give me a pair - I wouldn't take 'em. As I put in my conclusion on those, if noise cancelling is at the top of your list, then they're your cans. I didn't find them particularly comfortable in comparison to anything else. The 1RNC was better for me. I tried them before that time and had the same impression.
 
I'm curious about the new MDR-1RNCmk2 and the MDR10NC versus the MDR-1RNC. If the MDR-10NC sounds close to the 1RNC and is more comfortable, Sony will have a winner.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  The QC15 is in my comparison in that thread. You could give me a pair - I wouldn't take 'em. As I put in my conclusion on those, if noise cancelling is at the top of your list, then they're your cans.
 
I'm curious about the new MDR-1RNCmk2 and the MDR10NC versus the MDR-1RNC. If the MDR-10NC sounds close to the 1RNC and is more comfortable, Sony will have a winner.

 
The MDR-1RNCMK2 is a costed down poor man's MDR-1R. The MDR-1NC is pretty bad and doesn't sound as good as the MDR-1R. 

 

[FenderP]

   
The MDR-1RNCMK2 is a costed down poor man's MDR-1R. The MDR-1NC is pretty bad and doesn't sound as good as the MDR-1R.

 
I disagree on the 1RNC (there is no R-1NC). I listen to it often without NC on and it sounds good. While the active NC circuitry does affect the sound, it's way better than the Bose in more ways than one (as I talk about in my link).
 
The MDR-10 series is the lower cost MDR-1R series. The new MDR-1Rmk2 series is coming in at the same price as the old versions. For example, the MDR-1R in Japan is now 24,800 yen; the MDR-1Rmk2 is 25,000.
http://pur.store.sony.jp/Qnavi/Main/av_000002/
 
So I think you're a bit off on that one.
 
EDIT: same for the 1RNC vs. 1RNCmk2
http://pur.store.sony.jp/Qnavi/Main/av_000016/

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
I disagree on the 1RNC (there is no R-1NC). I listen to it often without NC on and it sounds good. While the active NC circuitry does affect the sound, it's way better than the Bose in more ways than one (as I talk about in my link).
 
The MDR-10 series is the lower cost MDR-1R series. The new MDR-1Rmk2 series is coming in at the same price as the old versions. For example, the MDR-1R in Japan is now 24,800 yen; the MDR-1Rmk2 is 25,000.
http://pur.store.sony.jp/Qnavi/Main/av_000002/
 
So I think you're a bit off on that one.
 
EDIT: same for the 1RNC vs. 1RNCmk2
http://pur.store.sony.jp/Qnavi/Main/av_000016/

 
Yeah, that was a typo. 

 
The measurements on the NC version of the MDR-1R get really wonky:http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SonyMDR1RNCActive.pdf
 
Here's Tyll's review. The only reason I bring it up is that it matches my experiences too. As they say YMMV.
 
Sony MDR-1RNC
This model is a bit of a failure in the sound quality department. In the un-powered passive mode, the headphones had a strong warm tilt, making them sound murky and dull. While the treble articulation was good, and the mid-range was fairly even sounding, both were cast aside with too much warmth in the sound.
Once the active noise canceling was turned on, the bass bloat was slightly reduced, but the treble became disturbingly more emphatic. I suppose one could argue that in high noise environments emphasizing the high frequencies improves speech intelligibility. The problem is that I spent some time in front of my desktop speakers playing crowded bar noise, pink noise, and brown noise, comparing the Sony MDR-1RNC and the Bose Quiet Comfort 15, and I finished the listening session absolutely convinced that the Bose had significantly better noise canceling and sound quality in noisy environments.

 

[FenderP]

   
Yeah, that was a typo.

 
The measurements on the NC version of the MDR-1R get really wonky:http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SonyMDR1RNCActive.pdf
 
Here's Tyll's review. The only reason I bring it up is that it matches my experiences too. As they say YMMV.
 
Sony MDR-1RNC
This model is a bit of a failure in the sound quality department. In the un-powered passive mode, the headphones had a strong warm tilt, making them sound murky and dull. While the treble articulation was good, and the mid-range was fairly even sounding, both were cast aside with too much warmth in the sound.
Once the active noise canceling was turned on, the bass bloat was slightly reduced, but the treble became disturbingly more emphatic. I suppose one could argue that in high noise environments emphasizing the high frequencies improves speech intelligibility. The problem is that I spent some time in front of my desktop speakers playing crowded bar noise, pink noise, and brown noise, comparing the Sony MDR-1RNC and the Bose Quiet Comfort 15, and I finished the listening session absolutely convinced that the Bose had significantly better noise canceling and sound quality in noisy environments.

 
I also say in my review that the QC15 had better NC, but not better SQ. The boxiness of it absolutely kills it for me. I spend a ton of time on planes and trains so I've had a fair amount of time to evaluate all of the cans I have in that thread (including the Momentum). The QC15 isn't amazing on NC, it just does a bit better job than everything else. The Momentum comparison I do points out that the Momentum is more accurate, so I have no illusions about what the 1RNC can and can't do, but all things considered, it's a better can for me than most other things for where I use it.
 
The reason the 10NC interests me is that it's lighter and a bit smaller.
 
I never go by numbers to be honest. I go by what my ears tell me. I wish I could get the equivalent of the 7550 in a noise-cancelling friendly over ear.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
I also say in my review that the QC15 had better NC, but not better SQ. The boxiness of it absolutely kills it for me. I spend a ton of time on planes and trains so I've had a fair amount of time to evaluate all of the cans I have in that thread (including the Momentum). The QC15 isn't amazing on NC, it just does a bit better job than everything else. The Momentum comparison I do points out that the Momentum is more accurate, so I have no illusions about what the 1RNC can and can't do, but all things considered, it's a better can for me than most other things for where I use it.
 
The reason the 10NC interests me is that it's lighter and a bit smaller.
 
I never go by numbers to be honest. I go by what my ears tell me. I wish I could get the equivalent of the 7550 in a noise-cancelling friendly over ear.

 
I don't go with just numbers, but when they match what I hear, I really have to pay attention. 

 

[FenderP]

   
I don't go with just numbers, but when they match what I hear, I really have to pay attention.

 
Putting it in perspective: I flew over 100k miles last year. I would never buy the Bose. Glad you like 'em, though. The Sony isn't the be-all-end-all either, trust me. The H6 doesn't match well with my Walkman and I'm not carrying an amp, so it's not a possibility for me. That would be the can I would go for otherwise.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
Putting it in perspective: I flew over 100k miles last year. I would never buy the Bose. Glad you like 'em, though. The Sony isn't the be-all-end-all either, trust me. The H6 doesn't match well with my Walkman and I'm not carrying an amp, so it's not a possibility for me. That would be the can I would go for otherwise.

 
If I travelled that much, I'd definitely get the QC15s for their comfort and world leading NC. They sound pretty good too...and better to my ears than the NC Sony's. The regular MDR-1R does sound better than either. 

YMMV.