[volcan199]

Hey there, so this may seem like a bit of a strange question but is there a pair of headphones out there that are completely noise cancelling, ie. when you put them on, all you can hear is silence. This can be from either well insulated headphones or some amazing new noise cancelling technology that I'm not aware of. The reason I need a pair of headphones like this is because my girlfriend suffers from a rare form of epilepsy called Misophonia (Wiki link). There are literally sounds that will send her into an epileptic attack. It's a pretty hard condition for her to deal with on a day to day basis because the sounds that set off her epilepsy are relatively common. She finds that one of the only ways to escape a bad epileptic attack in public is to put on a pair of headphones (or earphones) and play some music. The problem is that most headphones don't completely block out all the external sounds.
Because of her epilepsy, she has also developed an incredible sense of hearing (she's constantly listening for bad sounds) which has made her a bid of an audiophile. along with her hate of certain sounds, many other sounds are incredible to her in a way that most people never even hear. because of this, the pair of headphones i'm looking to get her should also be of decent sound quality and also have decent bass response. I'm looking to pay around $200 but if there's a pair out there that will do exactly what i'm asking then i'm willing to go with a higher price.
Thanks
Jonathan

 

[Parall3l]

So she needs isolation? The Shure SE215 IEM isolates a lot of noise. I heard that custom IEMs are even better. 

 

[volcan199]

Hmm, I'll have a look at those Sure earphones. Sorry I'm new to this audiophile thing, should i change the title of the thread to Extreme Isolation Headphones?

 

[Parall3l]

Try changing it too "Need extreme isolation for $200" or something like that. The Shures are intended for musicians on stage, so the isolation is high.

 

[ProjectDenz]

The Etymotic HF5 or ER4-P is about as high isolation as you can get with any universal iem or headphone, however, the bass quantity is light (but it's quality is very good).

 

[elecsheep9]

The Etymotic 4 series IEMs do an amazing job of sound isolation.  Although, like most IEMs, they can get uncomfortable after a while.
 
In addition, the sound, when you get a good seal, is almost perfectly flat.  Like almost uncannily flat.  Fantastic if that's what you're looking for, but not necessarily a "fun" sounding design.

 

[volcan199]

Those Etymotic earphones seem really good in the isolation department but as both of you have said, SQ is not exactly their strong point. I've been looking at a pair of sennheisers (HD 25-1 II) which seem to have pretty good Isolation as well as well as very good SQ. would these be a good choice to go with?

 

[dyl1dyl]

Customs are great at this and I believe some manufacturers like Ultimate Ears and JH will be willing to do a "special order" extra isolating pair for your girlfriend. However, they arent cheap and run at least about 400 before impressions. For close to 200, you might actually want to consider the Bose QC15 headphones. They arent the best sounding for the money but in my experience, they block out external sound better than any other closed back headphone plus they're pretty comfy and don't require a good DAC or amp to drive them.

 

[CaveManta]

  The Sennheiser HD 25-1 II has amazing isolation for a full-size headphone. But the problem, regarding isolation with full-size headphones, is that they cannot block out noise below 500hz very effectively. So when I put on my Audio Technica M50, which has okay isolation, all of the mids and treble of the real world soften up, but the bass around me stays the same or becomes even louder! I believe it is due to the fact that high-pitched notes reflect off of surfaces while bass shakes them.
  So I would wholeheartedly recommend inner-ear monitors for your girlfriend. I've tried Etymotic(their MC5), and it isolates amazingly. But, as others have said, Etymotics don't have the best sound quality, and they can get uncomfortable. Wearing them for three hours in a row is torture!
  A big advantage of Etymotic, I just realized, is that you can actually upgrade them to have custom ear-fittings! So you'll basically have a lower-cost inner-ear monitor with unbeatable isolation and comfort. I ought to try it one of these days..

 

[Il Mostro]

Quote:

Those Etymotic earphones seem really good in the isolation department but as both of you have said, SQ is not exactly their strong point.

 

 

[volcan199]

Quote:

 

Wow, thanks for making a newbie feel at home here. I'm not an audiophile, I barely know any of the technical terms used here and I'm just trying to help somebody I care for. If you don't have anything helpful to say, what is the point in coming here and patronizing me?

 

[volcan199]

Quote:

  The Sennheiser HD 25-1 II has amazing isolation for a full-size headphone. But the problem, regarding isolation with full-size headphones, is that they cannot block out noise below 500hz very effectively. So when I put on my Audio Technica M50, which has okay isolation, all of the mids and treble of the real world soften up, but the bass around me stays the same or becomes even louder! I believe it is due to the fact that high-pitched notes reflect off of surfaces while bass shakes them.
  So I would wholeheartedly recommend inner-ear monitors for your girlfriend. I've tried Etymotic(their MC5), and it isolates amazingly. But, as others have said, Etymotics don't have the best sound quality, and they can get uncomfortable. Wearing them for three hours in a row is torture!
  A big advantage of Etymotic, I just realized, is that you can actually upgrade them to have custom ear-fittings! So you'll basically have a lower-cost inner-ear monitor with unbeatable isolation and comfort. I ought to try it one of these days..

I've been reading a bit more on this and I think you're right. A set of in-ear monitors seem like the best thing to go with.
 

 

[elecsheep9]

I've owned two pairs of Ety 4Ps and (I think) the 5 (keep losing the damn things).
 
I disagree that sound quality is not their strong point.  To the contrary, they are excellent sound quality and, as I said, when you get a proper seal (which can take some practice) are almost perfectly flat. 
 
A big complaint about the Etys is that they are "bass light."  Most people who make that complaint either did not have a proper seal or are bassheads (they are certainly not for bassheads, just as with any neutral can.)
 
The discomfort over time is in the design of having a earplug in your ear -- it is not really due to listener fatigue, unless you play at excessive levels, which is never recommended with IEMs.
 
As for isolation, I can still remember the first time I walked the streets of NYC with the 4Ps -- it was the music, my breathing and, believe it or not, the internal sounds of my feet hitting the pavement.  The older design of the cable did have some microphonic issues, but the newer twisted cable, along with the shirt clip, helped to alleviate that to the point where it was not really much of a concern (especially if you loop over your ear).
 
I've strayed away from the Etys simply because I kept losing them and that's a good chuck of change to go missing.  But I definitely miss them.

 

[elecsheep9]

Quote:

Wow, thanks for making a newbie feel at home here. I'm not an audiophile, I barely know any of the technical terms used here and I'm just trying to help somebody I care for. If you don't have anything helpful to say, what is the point in coming here and patronizing me?

Don't be so sensitive.  I think what Il Mostro was responding to was your characterization of my and one other's comments that Ety sound quality was not their strong point.  Reread the posts and you will find that not to be the case.
 

 

[tk3]

He probably means that the ER4P/S are no slouch at all in the SQ department, they are some excellent earphones even if they are fairly dated, and relatively cheap.
And for isolation you really can't beat them with anything, IIRC they lower the SPL by something ridiculous like 40 dB when inserted properly.
You literally won't hear anything but your own bodily functions and the music.
 
And I wouldn't put too much weight on what people say about SQ as it's all subjective, and often people here write about stuff they've never even used.
Ultimately, the best way to judge it is to listen yourself.
 
Quote:

Wow, thanks for making a newbie feel at home here. I'm not an audiophile, I barely know any of the technical terms used here and I'm just trying to help somebody I care for. If you don't have anything helpful to say, what is the point in coming here and patronizing me?