Noise Cancelling Earphones

[gettin2dizzy]

yay or nay?
I think they're pretty new on the market but they have the potential of being great for a bike

[gettin2dizzy]

el linko
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDRNC11-Noise-Cancelling-Headphones/dp/B00007EDM0

[SoulKiss]

Would think they would be difficult/painful to wear under a well fitting lid.

Seinheiser X300's block most noise (like most of the in-ear ones these days) and cost about the same.

[G]

They work very well, but the noise level of wind/bike noise would not be drowned out that effectively with these.

We have used noise canceling speakers on oil platforms where machines are excessively loud, play an equal fequency noise towards the machines and you could be stood 10m away and just hear a hum, step into the noise zone and you need ear protectors or your ear will bleed.

[gettin2dizzy]

Reading a few reviews it seems these are pretty poo.
I had the sony in ear/ earplug style ones but didn't find them sufficient. Certainly no match for plugs. It seems the best solution is the super expensive shure range :(

[Steve_God]

Get some molded ear plugs with speakers built in.

Not cheap, but do the job properly!

[gettin2dizzy]

Probably no more than a set of Shure earphones (£100)

[southy1978]

Sennheiser cx400's are the dogs danglies! noise isolating like my old ear plugs were but deafen me with the music from the ipod instead!

[Sudoxe]

I've got a set of Shure e3cs. They work really well in most environments, on the train, planes, etc.

I've used them a few times on the bike and whist they work fine (no wind noise), and you get your music/gps directions etc. It can be a pain (and slightly painful) to get the lid on and off, as it tends to push the earphone into your ear more, or up/down.

But once they are in, and your lid is on, its the same as earplugs, with these attachements (http://www.jazztimes.com/guides/jazz_gifts/images/Etymotic_research_lg.jpg). I have a slightly different model to the photo but the principle is the same.

Off the bike, wearing them in the office, people have been standing behind me talking at me and i've had no clue. People don’t have to creep up on me they just wonder up normally and scare the hell out of me. They are that good.

Dan

[gettin2dizzy]

Awesome. More painful than normal headphones in a helmet? Apparently the new foam attachments are brilliant

[YoungMan]

Erm -I went out and bought some of these from Argos for 20 quid
http://www.shop.philips.co.uk/katalog/ctl3590/cp37233/si2421214/cl/?s_kwcid=philips%20shn2500|1349830838
I'll let you know how they get on when I ride to Squires tomorrow night. Going nowhere right now, tipping down in York all day *sigh*

[Ter]

If you wear a balaclava then getting your lid on and off is a lot easier!

Been using Sony in-ear ones for year now with no problems!

Ipod beats wind noise upto about 160-170mph, I've heard...

:-dd

[Ceri JC]

I emailed Sennheiser a while back about this. They recommended these:
http://www.sennheiser.com/nordic/icm_fi.nsf/root/500432?Open&print=
Does anyone have any experience of them?

I'll admit I have a bias towards them- I've got 3 pairs of sennheisers for other uses and in most respects, they shame other headphones in the same price range. I recognise that Shure are generally supposed to be the best for this and as I'll be doing a lot of boring motorway riding in the near future, I could do with some tunes to keep me occupied.

[carty]

I have Shure SCL2's http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shure-SCL2-Single-Isolating-Earphone/dp/B000TV6X74/ref=pd_sbs_ce_1 (same as E2C's)which once you have the correct fitting ear-bud block out pretty much all noise apart from the music. They fit as well as moulded headphones or wax earplugs and you don't need to turn the volume up high to get clear music. Somethimes I use them in the cardio machines in the gym (fancy ones with TV's in) and the person before has had the volume up to 10 to listen with their crappy ipod headphones. These give plenty enough volume on number 1 cos all you can hear is what you want to hear. Thoroughly recommended.

Also, I've used them daily for about 18 months and they have no sign of wear, they're really robust. It takes a bit of practice getting them to stay in your ear when you pull your lid on - I tend to put the earphones in tight, pull neck-warmer up over the back of my head, then slide helmet over and the neck-warmer stops the helmet pulling them out. Just don't expect to hear what anyones saying to you once you've got them on!

[gettin2dizzy]

I have Shure SCL2'sI'd get some, but I've had the Sony in-ear noise-isolating kind before and to be honest they were rubbish on the bike. A huge improvement over normal headphones, but I still needed the ipod on fll whack.

So... how do these compare at blocking noise out to normal earplugs?

[YoungMan]

Report back on the Phillips noise cancellers ...
Extremely good at cutting all engine noise and a fair amount of the ambient.
They don't keep up with the high frequency wind noise though.
They are fantastic everywhere else - office, planes, cars, trains ... switching the cancelling on and off in the office is quite spooky.