[OldHooky]

Got the news the other day that a virus I picked up last year has caused permanent hearing loss in one ear, and I'm going to have to wear a hearing aid. 35 years too young for one!
 
Anyway, what it means is that I will probably be better off replacing my Klipsch Image X10 IEMs, which I love dearly, with some full-size headphones which could accomodate a h/aid.
 
I only use the Klipsch when I want to block out noise eg on a flight, train or the tube and listen to music of watch a film.
 
The obvious choice in Duty Free is Bose of course (ha ha!) - but what else is worth considering? I appreciate that SQ for NC/Isolation will mean it's not up to Grado or Linn standards.
 
Budget: under £300
Music preferences: Range from Editors to Jane Siberry, Blue Nile to Lost Prophets.
 
Thanks in advance

 

[OldHooky]

Bump

 

[OldHooky]

Blimey! No one able to offer any advice?

 

[Mr Joboto]

Audio Technica M50/Senn HD25 maybe? Sorry about your hearing loss!

 

[REB]

Sennheiser pcx 450 are worth a go. I like their sq and comfort.

 

[junkanoo]

As a long-time lurker I know there are older threads on this subject as I reviewed them before going the IEM route.
 
The Bose headphones tend to get beat up on this forum but not without some justification.  I had the QuietComfort 3's and two replacement cords and no sound out of the left side of the can later, I moved on.  The thing that is most annoying is that at their price point, the cord quality is quite literally a joke, with the quality of the cable more in line with something for a children's toy.
 
The plus side is the rechargeable battery and the battery life.  I travel quite a bit.  I've left the switch on at night (only to discover my mistake the following morning) have then boarded a coast-to-coast flight where I used them throughout and still had hours of more use on the charge (easily 24 hours on a battery charge).  Recharging the battery from empty takes less than 45 minutes.  
 
Other more informed users can speak to the sound versus options.   
 

 

[REB]

I travel also quite a bit (long intercontinental flights mainly) and the batteries of the senns have never let me down. I always bring a spare aaa battery, but if the battery in the headphones is new, I've never had to replace it during the flight. The good thing about the senns is that if you forget to charge the battery or leave the headphones running through the night, a spare aaa battery (sold at all airports if you don't bring it yourself) does the job. SQ-wise for me there is no comparison.

 

[OldHooky]

Thanks for the advice. I suppose my choice is partly made a little easier in that I'd only use this pair of phones when NC is required ie not for normal listening when SQ is all important.
 
NC has to be exceptional otherwise it undermines the SQ of the phone, so there would be no point in my buying a phone with excellent SQ but lesser NC?
 
The Klipsch have been outstanding as NC IEMs, and their (lack of) size and weight is a huge bonus when travelling. I'll miss them greatly.

 

[REB]

NC on the senns is outstanding, it's almost like there is no airplane engine roaring right next to you. I couldn't comment on the other phones, since I've never tested them during flights. FWIR, though, Bose, Sony and AT all perform adequately with regards to NC.

 

[Caphead78]

The Shure SRH840 is purported to have very good isolation and sound quality to match, though I haven't heard them (Yet!)

 

[colantra]

If you want noise isolation, then I wouldn't go for the the Bose QC3 (can't comment on the QC15), but I've found that while they are great at noise canceling for low frequency rumbles, they let too much of the higher frequencies through for me and that is distracting even with just the TV on.  I've decided to try the Audio Technica ATH-M50 and see how well they isolate noise from the outside!
 
Also sorry to read about your hearing loss.