[mrfizzed]

I had my wife buy me bose oe2 headphones for christmas because I assumed this was a good thing to do.  Obviously I am far from an audiophile but need some help.  I had Sony in ear headphones that I thought sounded good (about $40) but the main reason for me wanting new headphones is because I end up on tour buses a lot coaching collegiate and high school sports.  that being said I am worried that these bose headphones will not be "loud enough" for me.  Just sitting in a store with the headphones on I need to turn the volume on my iPhone up to about 70% or so to get decent sound and sometimes up to about 90%.  I am afraid that even at 100% on a tour bus these will not be loud enough.  Also even at 100% volume if they do sound "good' wouldn't this be base for my ears down the road?  Any suggestions for something around $80-150 or so that would be better at maybe noise canceling without a $300 price tag and something that would suffice for my tour bus listening?  Thanks in advance.

 

[PomPWNius]

I had my wife buy me bose oe2 headphones for christmas because I assumed this was a good thing to do.  Obviously I am far from an audiophile but need some help.  I had Sony in ear headphones that I thought sounded good (about $40) but the main reason for me wanting new headphones is because I end up on tour buses a lot coaching collegiate and high school sports.  that being said I am worried that these bose headphones will not be "loud enough" for me.  Just sitting in a store with the headphones on I need to turn the volume on my iPhone up to about 70% or so to get decent sound and sometimes up to about 90%.  I am afraid that even at 100% on a tour bus these will not be loud enough.  Also even at 100% volume if they do sound "good' wouldn't this be base for my ears down the road?  Any suggestions for something around $80-150 or so that would be better at maybe noise canceling without a $300 price tag and something that would suffice for my tour bus listening?  Thanks in advance.

Get an IEM for the best sound isolation. I recommend the Etymotic HF5, but it depends what you listen to. Also, if you have to turn the volume up to 100%, you will be going deaf. IF you really need more volume you can get an amp, but you will kill your ears, better to get isolation.

 

[Codefox]

I fly quite a bit and I love my Shure SE215s.  The sound isolation on them is amazing.  They do an excellent job of blocking out noise on a plane so I suspect they'd do well on a bus.

 

[mrfizzed]

so are yu saying that the only thing that will really work will be the in ear headphones and there aren't at full size that will do the job?

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Like another poster suggested, the Etymotic earphones have extreme amounts of isolation, so that would work for you. For headphones, from what I've heard the Bose QC15 is pretty good noise cancelling as well as the Sennheiser PXC 450 (I would probably go with this since sennheisers usually have better sound quality than Bose products)

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

so are yu saying that the only thing that will really work will be the in ear headphones and there aren't at full size that will do the job?

IEMs will almost always isolate better an full sized.  If you are looking for full sized, try to find some active noise cancelling ones (although they still won't be as good as IEMs).  As stated before, Etymotics are the equivelent of using earplugs (all isolate well, EtyKids, MC-series, HF-series, ER-series).  The MEE CC51s, ADDIEMs (apple in ears) isolate very well, Brainwavz B2s, ACS T15.  Sorry, I didn't get your price range for anything, so I'll stop at 215 .  Even the Dunu Tridents have decent isolation.

 

[mrfizzed]

ok so thanks for chiming in everyone...i should have noted that i feel uncomfortable wearing in ear buds and they tend to actually hurt my ears after about 45 minutes or so.  that is why i am leaning towards full size headphones.  the sennheiser 450 seems pretty good at $350?  seen them on ebay for around $250.  is that a good headphone for $250 i assume?

 

[JK1]

How about the Sennheiser HD25-1 mk2 for around $185? It is compact and isolates well.

 

[AznInvasion138]

I have the Bose QC15 and they do a really good job in canceling the ambient noise around you. The sound quality is still pretty good but I haven't heard the Sennheisers. The Bose are also very comfortable and well made, only downside is that they use 1 AAA battery to power on and that lasts for about 30-40 hrs. 

 

[bubsdaddy]

I have some Bose OE (1st version) and they isolate well for an on ear. The volume they produce is quite sufficient out of an iPhone 4. 

 

[mrfizzed]

impedance?  now i am reading a lot about impedance and ohm ratings on headphones, especially those being used with iPhone, iPod etc.  seems as though something in the 24-32 range would work better with the iPhone?  the sennheiser hd 280 which i have found for $60 online looked great but they are 64 ohm.  is this something i should ignore.  how about the sennheiser hd 218i vs sennheiser hd238i and comparing both to the bose oe2 i already have.  seems as though most people would agree the bose oe2 i have is a "good" headphone but that i basically overpaid and that for the money i could get something much better or from what I have read could spend less on a say sennhiser and get comparable quality.  thoughts?

 

[JK1]

I don't have an iphone, however most portables should probably power the HD280 to decent levels. I just thought of a very efficient headphone with good isolation that is just 32 ohms, and is also cheap, the $40(Amazon) JVC HAM750. I think that might be a good headphone for you.

 

[mrfizzed]

I found Sennheiser HD 228 at a local store believe it or not almost by accident for only $29.  For $29 am I going to find a better pair of headphones?  How would these that I thin khad retail of around 

 

[JK1]

I was looking at the HD228. It is very bassy and very inefficient. The HAM750 is very efficient.
 
In this thread, Joker gives the HAM750 a 6.5 out of 10 rating for sound, and 8 out of 10 for isolation, while the HD228 is given only 5 out of 10 for isolation, and 6.5 out of 10 for sound..
The HAM750 is 115 db/mw 32ohms, while the HD228 is 110 db/V 32 ohms, which equals just 95 db/mw. So the HAM750 will play so much louder with low power. Many complain that the HD228 doesn't give enough volume with a low powered portable.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/433318/shootout-96-portable-headphones-reviewed-v-moda-m-80-added-11-27-11
 
 
 

 

[mrfizzed]

i hate to sound stupid or ignorant but what does 
 
 HAM750 is 115 db/mw 32ohms, while the HD228 is 110 db/V 32 ohms, which equals just 95 db/mw
 
mean?