[mepds9]

I know one really can't compare nc headphones to high grade closed cans, and even less to open ones. But could headphones with really advanced driver designs present better clarity and quality than high performance closed cans? Take for instance, the Sennheiser PXC 450s are NC, but have really incredible duofol diaphragm technology and clarity. Also headphones like the dual-driver Klipsch Modes. How would these compare to high performance cans like the AKG K550 and the Denons d2000 sound quality (detail, soundstage) wise?? How would they compare to not-so-high-performance (but still great) headphones like the AT M50 or Klipsch Image One?? I think that definitely NC cans are more bass oriented (Senns maybe not), but in midrange and bass quality how would they fare? I hear both AKG and Denons are incredible for the price, and similar between them (I will personally always prefer German=Austrian over Japanese). Do these have better overall quality than NC headphones?? 

 

[ProjectDenz]

Noise cancelers are gimmicky. Hardly any of them do any good (in fact, Bose pretty much is the only one that does it properly but their headphones are just overpriced as hell). Your average pair of isolating iems would probably do a better job than noise cancelling headphones. And a good isolating closed back headphone won't be too far behind either.

 

[GigaFi]

I'm no scientist but I'm sure if you take the ANC out of any ANC headphone they will sound better.

 

[SpringBiscuit]

personally they are piece of technology, definitely it will mark up the selling price for the product, however for the price you paid, purely compare on the sounding, it's not worth it

 

[mepds9]

Very Interesting... I thought so too. But I wonder what owners of high quality headphones in the $100-$400 range, that have used any of these NC headphones would think about them. For example, take cheaper headphones like the M50s or Image Ones. How would these compare to any of these high end NCs?? How would HD 598s compare? K550s? B&W P5? D2000?? How would these compare in between them? Which closed one would be the best for the price (that's about the same)?

 

[SpringBiscuit]

ermm, i tried Sennheiser PXC450 before, splendid sound presentation, but i still admit they are overprice, as the same price range compare with HD650 and HD600, the later excel so much better.