[overh]

Hi everybody,
 
I apologize if my first post is a help request, but I'm quite new to this and suggestions from experts are always priceless (plus, an automated private message told me to post here first, so ). I'll try to be brief since nobody likes long blobs of text.
I'm looking for headphones to do a specific job: give me some quiet and tranquillity while I'm studying/working. I know it's a strange request but I'll try to explain.
I live in a very very very noisy and small house. The TV is constantly on with mid-high volume, there are always people talking (sometimes kids screaming), and the outside isn't less noisy. I managed to work around this till now, but I'm at the point where things aren't bearable anymore. I'm an university student and I need silence (or if not complete silence at least calm) to get things done.
For these reasons I'm looking for a pair of headphones with a decent noise reduction even if I have the music's volume very low. I tend to listen to classical music while studying (Einaudi above others) since everything that has vocals distract me. I also found that soft noises like these here: http://www.noisli.com/ are quite good, but with my current earphones they don't cover the surrounding noise neither at the maximum volume.
So, I spent the entire evening reading reviews over reviews from Geoffrey Morrison, TheWirecutter, CNET, About, Sound & Vision, InnerFidelity, this website and so on and so forth, but I ended up posting here because I still have some troubles.
Anyway, the problem here is that I don't have a wide budget (100€ for me is quite a lot), but I plan to buy a couple of headphones on black friday when (I hope) prices will drop. Till now I selected these models:
 
- Sony MDR-7506
- Creative Aurvana Live
- Monoprice 8323
- Onkyo ES-FC300 
- Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
 
I know that low budget and noise reduction/isolation can't go in the same sentence, and for this reason I know that I can't ask for noise-cancellation like in that model from Bose at 300$. I just aim for the "best I can get", and even if it's "not that much" I think it would still be a significant improvement from my 5€ earphones.
I don't want any special feature: I don't need wifi or bluethoot headphones, I don't need a microphone, I don't need volume control built in the cable etc. The most important thing is noise isolation/reduction (and maybe that the headphones have not-so-warm earcups), and since I'm used to my earphones I think that almost anything will sound better, right?
Among the list here my first choice was the Sony model since everybody praise them, none of the reviews I red talked about noise isolation, so I don't know.
 
Okay, I really wrote too much I'm sorry. I hope you will help me choose something (don't have to necessary be in my list of course).
 
Thanks in advance for everything.

 

[ri_toast]

Every model you've chosen is headphone not an in ear monitor which would have better isolation natively. I'll assume that's intentional until you say otherwise.
Add the Logitec UE 6000 to your list. Great sound quality, passive isolation or powered noise reduction and really cheap right now at the end of a product cycle. Overstock, closeout or refurb like this :
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104852&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-All+Headphones+%26+Accessories-_-N82E16826104852&gclid=Cj0KEQiA-PGiBRDRz4jH9o39yZwBEiQAWCBZNcoPNUSqv-AezgPXtyrqcYX2vgfRgpbJ8ppc6ZzqsR8aAoNK8P8HAQ

 

[Head Injury]

InnerFidelity has headphone measurements, including noise isolation, you might find useful. There's graphs in the upper right of each PDF, and a broadband value in dB at the bottom. They won't have every model you look at, but you can make some substitutes to get an idea. Here's the ones you're looking at:
 
Sony MDR-7509HD (close enough to 7506)
Creative Aurvana Live!
Monoprice 8323
Onkyo ES-FC300
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x (close enough to M40x)
 
Of these, the Onkyo has the highest broadband noise isolation, and it or the Monoprice will serve you best in isolation at the 1-3 kHz range where you might hear a lot of the screaming and TV noise.
 
You really should consider in-ears though, if isolation is most important. Etymotics and Shure are isolation champs, and their budget in-ear options curb-stomp anything an on-ear or over-ear can offer without Bose noise cancelling. They'll be as much as 4 times quieter than the Onkyo on-ear, for example.

 

[overh]

  Every model you've chosen is headphone not an in ear monitor which would have better isolation natively. I'll assume that's intentional until you say otherwise.
Add the Logitec UE 6000 to your list. Great sound quality, passive isolation or powered noise reduction and really cheap right now at the end of a product cycle. Overstock, closeout or refurb like this :
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104852&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-All+Headphones+%26+Accessories-_-N82E16826104852&gclid=Cj0KEQiA-PGiBRDRz4jH9o39yZwBEiQAWCBZNcoPNUSqv-AezgPXtyrqcYX2vgfRgpbJ8ppc6ZzqsR8aAoNK8P8HAQ

 
Pardon, but I don't even know what you mean with "in ear monitor". If you mean the fact that there aren't in-ear earphones in the list well, yes, it's kind of intentional since I think (actually, I red) over-hear headphones would be more comfortable to use for continuative hours during the day and won't cause me headaches. But I'm open to everything. If you think there are in-ear models in the same price-range with a better noise isolation, then I'll take them in very serious consideration thanks! I can sacrifice a bit of comfort over much better noise isolation.
 
Anyway thanks for the suggestion, I added them to my list!
 
 
Quote:

  InnerFidelity has headphone measurements, including noise isolation, you might find useful. There's graphs in the upper right of each PDF, and a broadband value in dB at the bottom. They won't have every model you look at, but you can make some substitutes to get an idea. Here's the ones you're looking at:
 
Sony MDR-7509HD (close enough to 7506)
Creative Aurvana Live!
Monoprice 8323
Onkyo ES-FC300
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x (close enough to M40x)
 
Of these, the Onkyo has the highest broadband noise isolation, and it or the Monoprice will serve you best in isolation at the 1-3 kHz range where you might hear a lot of the screaming and TV noise.
 
You really should consider in-ears though, if isolation is most important. Etymotics and Shure are isolation champs, and their budget in-ear options curb-stomp anything an on-ear or over-ear can offer without Bose noise cancelling. They'll be as much as 4 times quieter than the Onkyo on-ear, for example.

 
Thank you very much for the graphs, but I'm sorry to say that I can barely read them. I don't know on what frequencies are the different kinds of sounds/noises, thus is difficult for me to get any information from them. For this reason thanks for the comparison! I'll put Onkyo and Monoprice models on top of my list
 
As I said above, I didn't consider in-ear since I red they are uncomfortable compared to over-hear headphones, but again, I can sacrifice a bit of comfort if the advantages in noise isolation are as high as 4 time an over-hear model.
 
 
Just a side note: unfortunately I'm in Italy, for this reason shops like Newegg, Amazon.com and the US online shops of the various brands don't let me buy due to shipping problem. So I'm confined to amazon.it (that, as a side note in the side note, has higher prices than amazon.com :/) or somewhere else. But this is my problem I assume, I'll manage to have it solved

 

[crossidmary]

Hello,
In your position, I would strongly consider Etymotic mc5 or hf5 with Comply foam tips.
If it's isolation from noise you seek - this combo can't be beat. I can verify from experience that they are comforable for several hours (5-6) at a time and isolate the outside world almost entirely.
Every ear is different but *most* boast of the comfort and isolation of Etymotics.
Good luck in your search!
Check ebay if none can be found on your Amazon store.

 

[overh]

Hello,
In your position, I would strongly consider Etymotic mc5 or hf5 with Comply foam tips.
If it's isolation from noise you seek - this combo can't be beat. I can verify from experience that they are comforable for several hours (5-6) at a time and isolate the outside world almost entirely.
Every ear is different but *most* boast of the comfort and isolation of Etymotics.
Good luck in your search!
Check ebay if none can be found on your Amazon store.

Thanks for your reply! Just to be sure, the Etymotic HF5 are the one the brand website says are for kids?

 

[crossidmary]

Etymotic does have a version with volume limitations for kids coined "Ety-kids".
That's not the hf5. The hf5 is their mic/remote free single balanced armature earphone. The mc5 is their mic/remote free dynamic driver (moving coil) earphone.
Both are top notch as far as sound quality and each have their advantages. Really it boils down to preference. The hf3/mc3 are their earphones with mic/remote for ios devices.
Hope that helps.

 

[overh]

Etymotic does have a version with volume limitations for kids coined "Ety-kids".
That's not the hf5. The hf5 is their mic/remote free single balanced armature earphone. The mc5 is their mic/remote free dynamic driver (moving coil) earphone.
Both are top notch as far as sound quality and each have their advantages. Really it boils down to preference. The hf3/mc3 are their earphones with mic/remote for ios devices.
Hope that helps.

Oh okok, I see.
I really don't know what are the differences between "single balanced armature" and "dynamic driver (moving coil)", but I trust you. With these assumptions I think I will go for the most affordable model. If I'm not too bothering, can I ask you if the two models have resistance/resilience differences?
And thanks for pointing out that hf3/mc3 are for idevices so that I can avoid them.
 
Thanks for your answers! If somebody else has others suggestion everything is welcome.

 

[crossidmary]

Are you able to find the Ety to buy where you are at?
Not sure about that question... are you asking about durability or impedance?

 

[overh]

Are you able to find the Ety to buy where you are at?
Not sure about that question... are you asking about durability or impedance?

I found the official brand's website in US and in UK, but in both cases they end up adding (44$ the former and 29£ the latter) as shipping fees (without considering possible import duties). And this, plus the price (128$ for the HF5 model on the US website, 94£ on the UK website) makes me realize I can't really afford them and hope for a discount of any type on black friday/cyber monday/whatever. (I also found the HF5 on amazon.it but right now the website says they are out of stock 'till 14 november. For now, it's the only place where I can hope to get a discount).
 
Anyway sorry for not having been clear: I was asking about durability. Some reviews on amazon.it said that the MC5 model fizzles when you move the head. So I was asking wich of the two is the most resilient and durable.
 
Thanks for your patience.

 

[crossidmary]

Not a problem at all. Hopefully you find them on sale. I've owned the mc3 and the hf3. Both have given me years of trouble-free use.
Both are constructed similarly, so either would be equally durable. The plug and the cables are identical I believe. Etymotic offers a 2 year warranty so they stand behind what they sell.
As you can tell, I'm a pretty big fan of Etymotic. I have no reason to push their product other than I believe they will serve your purpose perfectly.
Good luck with your search!

 

[overh]

Not a problem at all. Hopefully you find them on sale. I've owned the mc3 and the hf3. Both have given me years of trouble-free use.
Both are constructed similarly, so either would be equally durable. The plug and the cables are identical I believe. Etymotic offers a 2 year warranty so they stand behind what they sell.
As you can tell, I'm a pretty big fan of Etymotic. I have no reason to push their product other than I believe they will serve your purpose perfectly.
Good luck with your search!

Oh, thanks for the explaination. I don't know why but I seem to like more the HF5 model, but if they are almost the same I think I will go for the cheaper one (that is MC5).
Thanks again for your clarifications and your answers!