[KlingKlang]

Hello, phonephiles. Greetings from a newbie.

Here's my story -- I'm a writer and I work in a cubicle-filled office. One of my cow-orkers has long fake fingernails and types at, oh, I guess about 100 wpm on the clackingest keyboard ever manufactured. I think I'm developing OCD; every time she starts, I can feel my whole body tense up painfully. Honestly, I can't take any more.

I listen to all kinds of music, but at work, it's mostly trip-hop, slow-core, or classical (usually choral). There is no way to drown her out with volume, though I've tried (to the detriment of my ears). The source is usually CDs on my portable or Live 365 Pro on my Dell, so you can see that serious audiophile considerations don't enter into the question.

I'm looking for headphones that:

1. Seriously muffle outside sounds, even sharp, clacking ones

2. Are comfortable to wear for hours at a time (I have moderately large, though not huge, ears)

3. Are inexpensive enough to leave at work (preferably <$75, though I'd consider more expensive ones)

Sound quality is secondary for this application.

Can anybody help before I become one of those crazy "disgruntled ex-employees"?

 

[pHantasmagoria]

hi there,

I think you should buy your co-worker a soft touch keyboard

or try out the Etymotic Research ER-20 High-Fidelity Earplugs click here

hope this helps

 

[KlingKlang]

Thanks, pHantasmagoria, but those won't really work for this application. (Though I do own a pair and they're not at all bad.)

I need something I can take on and off quickly to answer the phone, talk to people coming in and out of my office, etc.

 

[pHantasmagoria]

Sorry,

I didn't know. well you can try bose's line of headphones or the AKG K271 Studio

Hope this helps

 

[Patrickhat2001]

Well around $75 I think the only phones with decent sound and enough isolation would be the Sennheiser HD280 and Shure E2. Other closed phones in this price range (V6, used D66) or lower (PX200) probably won't isolate enough to save you from madness.

Sony Ex71s isolate quite a bit if you can get a good fit with them (they're earcanal phones like the Shure E2) but they have bass which is WAY over accentuated and which makes the midrange and highs sound recessed in comaparison. Still, though, if isolation is primary and sound secondary they wouldn't be a bad choice at $40.

 

[lindrone]

There's also the Sony Eggos (D66), if you can find them for about $75 used.... Or if you want to go a little higher, at just about $100 you can get the ATH-A500. Which should trounce any of the other options mentioned up until now in sound quality.

Shure E2c though, blocks out by far the most sound, and I think it probably offers the best midrange resolution (although it lacks the high-end) out of any of the options here. One thing you may or may not like about them, is that they're canalphones. They need to be inserted into your ear, much like earplugs.

The good thing is, canalphones are the best isolation headphone you can get, and they often work better than the best noise cancellation headphones.

 

[bangraman]

The overall response may not be quite to your tastes (burn them in thoroughly prior to using) but the Sennheiser HD280 sounds like the phone for you. They offer maximum isolation with reasonable comfort.


The AKG K271 can be taken off normally of course, but you have to put them somewhere and they're over your budget. You can simply slide the HD280 off your head and onto your neck. The D66 doesn't isolate you from outside noises, and any of the ear-phones, even those like the Sony EX71 are as you say a pain to keep re-inserting. The Audio-Technica full size phones don't isolate that much either.

 

[tmesis]

KlingKlang,

If your primary goal is to block out noise, you could try a combination of earplugs and closed headphones. It's not a very elegant solution, as your music will be muffled and you won't be able to talk with your colleagues without taking your plugs out. But it should be pretty effective -- Hearos plugs are rated for 32 decibels, and the headphones should block out outside noise further.

Hearos plugs, 40 pk: $10

Sennheiser px200: ~$30 after current rebate at ecost.com

 

[Jasper994]

Quote:

Originally posted by Patrickhat2001 Well around $75 I think the only phones with decent sound and enough isolation would be the Sennheiser HD280 and Shure E2.

I'll second the 280's with them on I can't hear myself typing at all (provided that the music is going).

-EDIT-

Just remember, it takes about a week or two in order to break in the headband so they're comfortable.

 

[Jasper994]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman [BYou can simply slide the HD280 off your head and onto your neck. [/B]

You must have a big head... if I do that they end up choking me.

 

[KlingKlang]

Thanks so much, all, for the info so far. I'm looking into all the recommendations, particularly the HD280. It sounds like it's probably the closest thing to what I'm looking for, namely, a very sound-muffling "normal" pair. And I have a big ol' cranium, too, Jasper, so maybe they'll fit just right!

It's been a long time since I had closed headphones -- to give you a hint, I used to listen to "The Wall" for hours on my Koss pair... And that's when it was the latest thing!

On vinyl, no less!

 

[Phloodpants]

Go back to the source. This is your solution if she will accept it...

http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=FLEXKYB-BLK

This might not be acceptable to a fast typist like herself, but maybe a regular soft touch keyboard? She might be using an old IBM Model M type, which have the really clacky keys. These are the best keyboards ever made by the way. I'm typing on one right now. It's from 1989 and works the same as the day it was made.

 

[Rizumu]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jasper994 You must have a big head... if I do that they end up choking me.

*points to bangraman's sig* ---> "Team Titanic Noggin. "

HD280's isolate a lot, I would get those. And they can be found for ~$75 as far as I know.

 

[bangraman]

HD280 at full extension, no less. I think the only phones I haven't worn fully stretched would be the Sony 750X and the V700/V500.