[Deusdies]

Hi guys.
 
Till recently I had Sennheiser HD212 and it is with them that I realized how much I actually like good sound and good headphones.
 
Since my dad loves them also, I gave these to him and I'm now in the market for new headphones. The problem is that I am not sure whether I need noise cancelling headphones or not. If there's active noise cancelling, does the sound quality suffer?
 
For example, how does Bose QuietComfort 15 compare to Senn HD-212 ?
 
My price limit is $300, if there's anything else you would recommend (please no earbuds, just around-the-ear) noise cancelling or not, I'd appreciate it.
 
Thanks!
 
EDIT: A thing to note: I just moved to Minneapolis and by the looks of it, I'll be using public transit a lot. So noise cancelling might not be a bad idea after all? I also travel twice a year to Europe and back.

 

[1Time]

Welcome to Head-Fi.
 
Do you need portable headphones, headphones that block external noise, or headphones that are good at not leaking sound out? Or, are you not concerned with these issues?
 
What will you be using your headphones for - gaming, movies, rock music, etc?
 
What equipment will you be plugging your new headphones into?

 

[Katun]

If you take a lot of buses, planes, trains, or any kind of noise commute often, noise canceling headphones might be right for you.
 
Let me just clear something up real fast...
 
There are a lot of IEM's out there that will surpass the "noise canceling" capabilities of actual noise canceling headphone; all without any batteries or reduction to sound quality. Many don't see wearing something in your ear for "X" number of hours and option, they prefer something on top of their head, as it is more comfy. If this may be the case, than noise canceling headphones might be right for you.
 
To your original question. Noise canceling headphone aren't going to be good SQ wise as ones without noise canceling. But, the higher you pay for a NC model the higher SQ you can get. For instance, the PXC450 is known for it's fabulous SQ. Many users claims they have heard stuff in their music they haven't heard before. Headphones like the Bose, will actually be pretty good, although Bose SQ in general is quite questionable, as well as their durability, yet has been well known for it's excellent noise canceling capabilities. I would have to say the Bose does surpass the HD212, but I couldn't tell you how much.
 
There are also some models of NC headphones on the market right now that are 1/3 of the price of the Bose and Sennheiser, and being nearly as effective. The Audio Technica ANC7B and the Panasonic MC700 are two highly bought alternatives to their expensive brothers. Between those two, the Panasonic easily has the best NC capabilities though.
 
You should probably check out THIS video...
 
If you have any more questions, please just ask.

 

[Happy Camper]

If you want to keep your listening private, an IEM (in ear monitors) would be a good choice. The key to listening with low frequency mechanical noise is to keep your bones off any hard surfaces that will transfer through the body. That and a good seal and your good to go. Just don't expect to hear someone telling you it's a stickup. 
 
My wife bought me some Bose noise canceling phones and I took them back the next day. Then I found this place and learned how much I didn't know about quality and the world of possibilities. The reason I took them back was that in quiet parts of the music the noise canceling would produce a low frequency rumble. Since I wanted something to use at home as well, I got some IEMs for yard/noisy work environment, bud/clip-ons in environments that require me to communicate with people and open full cans at home. Different tools for different jobs.

 

[Deusdies]

Thanks folks.
 
I just went to the Bose store and tried QC15. I really wasn't that impressed with the SQ. NC was awesome indeed, but SQ was nothing, compares to my $20 JVC headphones easily.
 
I prefer Senns over Bose.
 
I'll head to the Best Buy now and see what they've got.
 
If anyone has any store suggestions (in Mall of America), please let me know, I'm right here right now.
 
Thanks

 

[Deusdies]

Quote:

Welcome to Head-Fi.
 
Do you need portable headphones, headphones that block external noise, or headphones that are good at not leaking sound out? Or, are you not concerned with these issues?
 
What will you be using your headphones for - gaming, movies, rock music, etc?
 
What equipment will you be plugging your new headphones into?
 
I'll be using it for movies, rock music, and gaming  
 
I'll be plugging it either directly into a computer, or into Logitech 5.1 system