[slackerinabox]

I'm on the fence about going with an in-ear model or an over the ear with noise cancelation. I like the sound of over the ears better and think they're very comfy, but I'm not sure if I can afford a decent nosie canceling model... So here are my options for a less than $150 budget - please and your thoughts and recommendations that are not on the list.
Thanks!

(As a frame of reference, I love the warm, earthiness of the grado sr60s/sr80s)

Etynomic er6is - Owned them, loved them, a bit shrill though. Want something a bit warmer and liss tinny in the high end. They broke, sadly.

Shure e2s - In my budget but how do these compare to the 6is?

Shure e3s - worth the extra money over the e2s for ipod use?

Panasonic HJE70s - The wild card. Don't know much about them, anyone? Owned the HJE50s and liked them but want something a bit more upmarket.

Any over the ear headphones with noise cancelation for less than $150?

Thanks thanks thanks!

 

[Ypoknons]

There is a consensus in both Head-fi and Headroomthat that active noise cancealling headphones do not sound or isolate as well as passively sealed phones or IEM's of the same price. That said, the Sennheiser PXC150 and PXC250 are overtheear active noise cancealling are in your price range, if you insist on them.

But most people prefer in-ear monitors. e2c's are said to be inferior to the ER-6i; the e3c is a decent phone (less shrill) but the Westone UM1 is a very similar phone for less - they are pretty warm sounding too. The super.fi 3 should also be looked at but I have no experience with those.

Your subway is the New York subway, right? Noisest underground train of all when on the platform, I must say. Creeky rails.

 

[depaulhifi]

A bit out of your given price range, but my UE Super.fi 5pro's isolate all the subway noise at moderate volumes. I would think the super.fi 3 would do as good a job.

 

[fureshi]

since you mentioned noise canceling headphones, i can only assume that you're referring to the bose choices. for the money, any of the mentioned iems on this forum is going to sound better than the bose qc2. the problem with the bose is that they won't block all the noise from the subway. neither will an iem but it will perform better than the bose.

if you're looking for cheap then the e2c and um1 are both pretty good. the e2c is a bit veiled and won't have the shrill highs that you're complaining about. i don't have experience with the um1 but from what understand, they're a great alternative to the er6i.

 

[LaBreaHead]

What tips did you use with the Etymotics? I used the flanged tips for my ER6's (not the ER6i's), and I agree that the sound seemed relatively "shrill" ... but the isolation was very impressive (maybe foamies will alter the trebly sound a little bit).

I currently use Shure E3C's with foamies, and find them physically comfortable, sonically more "normal," and physically more sturdy than the Etymotics. The Shure's isolation is impressive, but not as amazing as the Etys with the flanges ... but somehow I'm more comfortable with the Shures, which don't "violate" the ear canal as totally as the deeply implanted Etys do. (From what I've read, the Shure E2's are about as different from the Etys as night and day, for better or for worse. I think you're right to at least consider the E3C's.)

The Shure E3C's seem like a good, robust set of earphones in your price range, but do look into the Westones if you can -- still not enough user reviews of those, but they're supposed to be good.

 

[Firestarter]

there seems to be a consensus about what is the best pair of portable 'fullsize' closed headphones: the Sennheiser HD 25-1's

do a search on them and you might find them to your liking. i love them

edit: they ain't noice-cancelling but they do a damn fine isolating job

 

[rextrade]

Try to see if you can get a good deal on the super.fi 5. The strong bass is good on a subway, where the low noise vibrations can drown out bass.

 

[Julz]

The Super.Fi 3's actually isolate very well (tested on the NYC subway !) and are a bit of a bargain, IMO, at $82 and change from Earphone Solutions. They won't give you the sweaty dirtiness...uhm, "warm earthiness" of the Grado's tho'. They're kinda thin on bass, but respond to EQ very well.

 

[xtr3me]

I have a pair of etys er6i, and like them a lot.
When it comes to isolation I use the triflanges (like them better) and have no problems isolating surrounding noise (I almost only use them when I'm on the street).
In terms of sound, I like them because they're very detailed, but you are right when you say they're maybe a bit "thin" and lacking a little bass, but that's mainly because you listen to the bass instead of feeling it (which sometimes sucks).

Since you had them already, and you're looking for something else, I'd recommend you westone UM1 or super.fi 3.

 

[walkman666]

I use the Shure e4s amped and the e5s unamped on the subways in NYC, almost daily, and love them. I think "the IEM of your choice" (based on sonic character) will be what you most want/prefer for NYC subway usage.

- walk

 

[Spiritboxer]

Best subway cans I own are the UM2 and the HD 25-1. Now the UM2 is over budget but I picked up the Senn's for $120 on the FS/T Forum and you might possibly luck out the same way. Put up a WTB, you never know!