[Galaxy358]

Hi there,

As the title suggest I'm currently looking for the best travelling headphone / IEM that I will use mainly on the airplane.

Right now i have an Audeze Sine, which to me sounds phenomenal but lacking in isolation. I'm looking for ANC / IEM / or any other headphone that offers much better isolation with the SQ that is at least as good as Audeze Sine or if not better.

As I side note I've tried the Sony MDR 1000X and QC35 using Bluetooth (no idea how they sounds wired though) to my iPhone 7 plus and to me they are not on the same level as my Sine in SQ. Maybe using wired will improve the SQ?

I have a budget of about 1200$, and currently have a Fiio E17K. I listen mostly on my iPhone 7 plus, with or without amp.

Tell me what you guys think or maybe I should just settle with the Sony or Bose?

Thanks guys

 

[tgx78]

Get a sony DAP with LDAC like zx100 and stream at full (990kbps) SQ mode to -> mdr-1000x will probably net best wireless SQ + ANC right now. Turn on the sound processing and play with DSP as well.

 

[Galaxy358]

Get a sony DAP with LDAC like zx100 and stream at full (990kbps) SQ mode to -> mdr-1000x will probably net best wireless SQ + ANC right now. Turn on the sound processing and play with DSP as well.

Thanks for the reply. I have tried it wired so I think it should sound uncompressed. Any other suggestions? Maybe IEM?

 

[larryblock]

With current technology, active noise-cancelling (ANC) will always interfere and cripple sound quality. A lot of folks like the rough (and IMO a little demeaning) claim that you're only getting 1/3 the money in SQ, i.e. the $300 Bose QC products are roughly equal to $100 headphones in SQ.
 
Trying to fine-tune ANC headphones to better SQ, will often render the ANC so weak that you might as well go without. Sony tried to make hi-res provisions with the 1000X, as mentioned above, but you've got to like their sound signature first - and god do I dislike hi-res era Sony sound. YMMV.
 
Here's a chart of isolation measurements on a few cans and IEMs.
You can see how strong the ANC products are with low frequency noise, and no passive isolation can rival them.
However passive isolation alone is enough to drop a significant amount of higher frequency noise.
 
It might help you to try and find out what noise you're sensitive to. Do you have any experience flying with IEMs and headphones beyond the Sine, that you can chew on for reference?
 
While my ears can discern better headphones and sources, my overwhelming concern is to isolate myself from the world, and I really need the lower frequencies gone, so I'm fine with the compromises of the QC series. But they're really still kind of a separate universe from the amps and the hi-fi world - I don't see much, if any, improvement coming with wired use either.

 

[Galaxy358]

With current technology, active noise-cancelling (ANC) will always interfere and cripple sound quality. A lot of folks like the rough (and IMO a little demeaning) claim that you're only getting 1/3 the money in SQ, i.e. the $300 Bose QC products are roughly equal to $100 headphones in SQ.

Trying to fine-tune ANC headphones to better SQ, will often render the ANC so weak that you might as well go without. Sony tried to make hi-res provisions with the 1000X, as mentioned above, but you've got to like their sound signature first - and god do I dislike hi-res era Sony sound. YMMV.

Here's a chart of isolation measurements on a few cans and IEMs.
You can see how strong the ANC products are with low frequency noise, and no passive isolation can rival them.
However passive isolation alone is enough to drop a significant amount of higher frequency noise.

It might help you to try and find out what noise you're sensitive to. Do you have any experience flying with IEMs and headphones beyond the Sine, that you can chew on for reference?

While my ears can discern better headphones and sources, my overwhelming concern is to isolate myself from the world, and I really need the lower frequencies gone, so I'm fine with the compromises of the QC series. But they're really still kind of a separate universe from the amps and the hi-fi world - I don't see much, if any, improvement coming with wired use either.

Nice reply and thanks for the article. IMO Sony MDR1000X -and QC35 sounds very artificial and not natural to my ears. For my IEM experience, I used to owna Dunu DN 1000 and took it to a few plane trips, before it broke down a year ago. The isolation is better than the Sine, but because the tip did not fit very well there's still a bit of leak. To me the rumbling / low frequency from the plane is the sound that bothers me. If passive IEM with a great fit maybe I'll save up and try to buy a high end CIEM. What do you guys think?

 

[larryblock]

AFAIK, Bose does internal equalizing to "sculpt" sound in all of their powered products, and Sony has also done this in a few products, so that's an artificial intervention. Then Bose also has a more laid-back signature sound to begin with - I feel they make the individual grains of sound less visceral on purpose. All of which goes against audiophile/purist principles, I'd imagine.
 
I normally love ANC cancelling out the drones and rumbles on a jet plane, but I've had one experience with a passive IEM, the Sennheiser Momentum in-ear. In the link I posted above it measured a very strong -45.22dB isolation in "treble" frequencies, and I had a surprisingly pleasant time with it on a Delta 777. So in my mind CIEM could be a strong option.

 

[Roen]

If it's an airplane you'll be using it on, ANC is the way to go, assuming you don't find their sound signature offensive.

Even the mighty Shures will suffer vs. constant low frequency drone.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I really enjoyed the QC35s, but the 1000X are better in pretty much every way except I give the comfort nod to the Bose headphones.

 

[Roen]

I really enjoyed the QC35s, but the 1000X are better in pretty much every way except I give the comfort nod to the Bose headphones.

Except bass, distortion and comfort?

 

[MacedonianHero]

Except bass, distortion and comfort?

Just comfort...sonics are clearly improved with the Sony headphones.

 

[Galaxy358]

Just comfort...sonics are clearly improved with the Sony headphones.

From your bio it seems that you got some awesome headphones. Do you think the Sony is worth 399$? Does it sound as good as any other headphone in it's price range? How would it compare to Westone W80? Thanks

 

[Roen]

Except bass, distortion and comfort?

Just comfort...sonics are clearly improved with the Sony headphones.

I'm returning my Sony MDR-1000X due mainly to lack of fulfilling bass response. I'm looking at the 100ABNs now that they're deeply discounted and I've read here and there that they perform better in the bass department than the 1000X. Anyone have input on this?

These posts seem at odd which each other.

 

[br4lin]

Since I don't think most traveling headphone are used for super-high-sound-quality applications, I lean towards QC35 for comfort.

 

[MacedonianHero]

From your bio it seems that you got some awesome headphones. Do you think the Sony is worth 399$? Does it sound as good as any other headphone in it's price range? How would it compare to Westone W80? Thanks

I absolutely think they are worth $399. I prefer them to pretty much every headphone in the $499 range for wireless/noise cancelling options. The W80s are a good deal more revealing, transparent and surprisingly more "open" sounding too. Don't let their small form factor fool you (although they do have 8 drivers per earpiece), they sound quite BIG.

 

[Maukey]

These posts seem at odd which each other.

I think once the infatuation phase wears off for many people, the 1000X's flaws will be seen and they will come back down to earth.

I purchased the QC35s when they were first released, sold them for the 1000X, only to have recently gone back to the QC35s. Reasons? Simultaneous Bluetooth pairing, Comfort, Build Quality, Bose Warranty Support, Firmware Upgrades, and Clearer, more natural sound at lower volume listening levels. I'm not saying that the 1000X is a bad headphone, it's not. It's the first ANC headphone to go blow for blow with the QC line in my opinion. And depending on what you're looking for, you may very well prefer it.

For me, my ANC headphones are used mostly at work, when I travel, and at home when my wife is watching TV/Movies and I need the silence. For these scenarios I prefer a relaxing, smooth sound signature that has great separation and sub bass. This signature lends well for movies and podcasts, as well as background music. The QC35s beat out the 1000X here for me. The thing is, I loved the 1000X for its technology (ambient sound, quick aware, optimizer, etc.). I also preferred it's sound when wired. However, I listen to my wireless headphones wirelessly 95% of the time. I mainly use my iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV. Under this scenario, using AAC, I felt the sound of the two were comparable at higher volumes (70% +). The Sonys are slightly more dynamic, punchier, and has a little more detail at these listening levels. The QC35s are slightly smoother and more natural with better separation and sub bass. When you turn the volume down, the QC35s steal the detail category and still maintain their other advantages. The Sonys become more congested and slightly muddier when turned down to my ears.

That's what frustrates me when some reviewers compare headphones, they don't detail they're setup or listening levels. I'm sure that if I were comparing these two headphones with an Android, or better yet, Sony device, the 1000X would win in sound quality because of its APTX and LDAC support. The QC35s support neither. That's however not my setup, I use Apple devices. And to my ears, the sound quality between the two is very close in this scenario. The main deciding factor for me was when I owned the Sonys, I couldn't answer my phone while listening to something on my iPad. I would have to take off the headphones and answer my phone the old fashioned way . The 1000X connects to one or the other, the QC35s connect to both at the same time. Watching a YouTube video on your iPad and get a phone call? No problem with the QC35s. Just hit the middle button and it switches over to your iPhone to answer the phone. Huge omission Sony!