[DoctorEvil]

Hi all,
 
Long time reader but first time poster.  I'm looking to buy noise cancelling headphones because of a noisy work environment.  I already have Ath-M50s, HD280 Pro, and HD555s for general listening so my main priority would be noise cancelling while listening to music/podcasts on my Android phone.  
 
Every review I read frames the model in terms of its price (i.e. Beats are not worth $200).  Here's my problem.  I can get ATH-ANC7Bs for $80-90, Panasonic RPHC720K for $90, MDR-NC500 for $150, and Monster Inspiration for $150.  All of these would be good value but which one of these would be most effective at noise-cancelling.  Bose is out of my budget.
 
My second question is impact of software music equalizers on the quality of the music.  For example, I rooted my Android phone and the new custom ROM has goodies built-in such as Dolby Pro-Logic, Beats, etc...To what degree would these EQs enhance the headphone quality.
 
Thanks for all your help.

 

[DoctorEvil]

I forgot to add that JVC HANC250 is also under $100.  I bought Soul SL300 for $85 but I'll be returning them as the build quality is suspect.  After a few weeks of daily usage, the compartment housing the battery is already loose.  

 

[ev13wt]

NC for isolation won't work well. It is for droning background noises, like tires on a highway, train rumbe, airplane.

People talking for instance, NC won't help one bit. In fact, NC can make it worse if you are on a plane. You then clearly hear all the people talking, instead of them being drowned out by the planes noise. :/

NC works best for constant noise.

I don't know what noise pollution you have at your workplace, so I am just throwing this out there.

I'd go for closed back or in ears for loud environments with variable noise pollution, unless you need to hear people talking for safety reasons.


EQ doesn't enhance sound quality, it changes the frequency curve. If a recording or file is of bad quality, EQ won't really help. You can make a dull sounding recording brighter, or vice versa, but you cannot bring out details that aren't there to begin with. The beats EQ for instance boosts the bass and treble but you can't adapt it.

Look around here, there are many EQ threads floating around.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I like this source:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparative-review-high-end-noise-canceling-headphones
 
With my ears no longer working with IEMs, I've needed to pick up a set of NC headphones...long story short, I've got the Bose QC15s (again). 

 

[DairyProduce]

MH: so in the end, the decrease in NC ability wasn't worth the sound quality upgrade in some of the other NC headphones?

 

[MacedonianHero]

There really was no "upgrade" in sound quality with the other headphones except for maybe the PSB M4U 2 (but that was minimal). But they were big/bulky and the NC was quite poor in comparison. Actually, the QC15s were amongst the best sounding of the NC headphones to my ears.
 
FWIW, here's a thread I've been updating:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/672743/comparisons-psb-m4u2-senn-momentum-sony-mdr-1r-bose-qc15-beats-executive-dt1350-ue9000

 

[DoctorEvil]

Thanks for all the comments!!!  I didn't realize my own confusion.  If the prices for the models described above are below MSRP, then which of these models would be considered a steal.   
 
Is Monster Inspiration considered a bargain because it's available for $150 or is the ATH-ANC7B considered a better choice because it's available for $100?  If my first priority is noise cancelling, is the Sony MDR-NC500 the best option for $150?

 

[DairyProduce]

Thanks!

 

[Ashade]

If your main priority is NC I would buy QC15 as well. If they are very expensive for you I would (as I did) buy them used. There's a lot of people throwing theirs out at reasonable prices.