Earbuds that work on a plane?

[thesunray]

New here and really hope this is the right forum to ask this: I would like to get noise canceling ear buds but am wondering if they will connect to an airplane's entertainment system...so I can watch movies while flying. I know some carriers only use an app, but many long flights have video in the back of the seat....is there some kind of Bluetooth dongle I can use for this situation?


Thank you!!

 

[msing539]

New here and really hope this is the right forum to ask this: I would like to get noise canceling ear buds but am wondering if they will connect to an airplane's entertainment system...so I can watch movies while flying. I know some carriers only use an app, but many long flights have video in the back of the seat....is there some kind of Bluetooth dongle I can use for this situation?


Thank you!!

Most planes I've been on only have 3.5 out, either from the screen or front of the armrest.

I use wired IEMs on flights and the isolation is enough for me.

 

[thesunray]

Thank you for the reply, my hope is to reduce the weight and bulk of a big wired headphone (I have a pair of Bose QuietComfort IIs that work really well, they're just big and the cable gets pulled out if someone doesn't see it and tries to leave the seat). I guess there's no good way to do this? (I did, after posting, search for "Bluetooth Dongle" and apparently such a device exists...has anyone used one?)

 

[sleepdeprecation]

I think there are a number of bluetooth IEMs that have the ability to connect to a 3.5mm jack (I think specifically the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 s2 can do it, I don't know of any other brands off the top of my head with that functionality), but you can also get a bluetooth transmitter dongle like the 12South AirFly, which they specifically made for plugging into airplane audio or tvs at the gym. Not sure if it also comes with a legacy two prong airplane adapter, but you may already have one, or can probably find one on amazon for cheap.

There are probably other products out there, I would specifically look for "bluetooth transmitter" and not just "bluetooth dongle".

 

[T0pSEcRE7]

I use wired IEMs on flights and the isolation is enough for me.

Just wondering what IEMs you use. I am thinking of getting the Etymotic ER2XR for an upcoming trip with a lot of air travel.

 

[Cheesebuggah]

Just wondering what IEMs you use. I am thinking of getting the Etymotic ER2XR for an upcoming trip with a lot of air travel.

Msing's current IEMs are the Penon Serial and 7hz Salnotes Zero.

I have the ER2SE and they block out noise the best out of all the normal IEMs I have. I did a test playing low humming aircraft noises on s separate device and the ER2SE performed the. The Sony MH750 (average earbud) did around the same compared to the Galaxy Buds Pro with ANC. I looked up people who used the ER4/3/2 in air travel and they seemed to be satisfied.

It comes down to how much of a marginal benefit it is to you. I got the ER2SE from Adorama with a special link for $50 (I don't think the deal is there anymore). The earbuds were around $15 and you could snag the 7hz Zero at ~$20.

If you want more objective measurements, Soundguys have a category that tests noise attenuation based on frequencies.

 

[purplesun]

I use KZ AS10 or AS06 all-ba IEMs for flights. They seal out the pressure and noise quite nicely. I find the AS10's thicker bass response pairs quite well with the trebly sound signature of most in-flight entertainment. Hope this helps.

 

[msing539]

@Cheesebuggah is exactly right regarding the IEMs I use.

I fly fairly frequently, this year will be 12 roundtrip domestic and 2 international flights including 20 hours to Singapore. Any bassy or warm IEM that seals well and has a full sized shell does the trick for me.

Regarding the Etys, if you've never tried one, they can take some time to get used to.

 

[T0pSEcRE7]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I have never tried the Etsy but have a feeling I might like it because, with my 7Hz Timeless, I use the long tip and like to shove it in my ear as far as possible.

 

[cantcacheme]

New here and really hope this is the right forum to ask this: I would like to get noise canceling ear buds but am wondering if they will connect to an airplane's entertainment system...so I can watch movies while flying. I know some carriers only use an app, but many long flights have video in the back of the seat....is there some kind of Bluetooth dongle I can use for this situation?


Thank you!!

If you're willing to spend more money then a custom fit IEM could work, you get your ears measured then the IEM company makes the shell according to your measurements. This not only increases comfort but also noise isolation, my customs isolate considerably better than my universals.