Noise canceling wireless headphones/sets?

[don256us]

So I'm starting to research getting a set of wireless headphones that are noise canceling. I'd like to tune out my lawn mower when mowing and the airplane when flying. (Note: I mow far more than I fly.) I've seen really nice ones for upwards of $350 USD and as low as $50 USD. The $50 ones claimed to bring outside noises down but not eliminate them.

I don't think that I can make myself spend $350 even if I do get my promotion but I also want to reduce outside noise to a reasonably low level.... like ... silent if that's not too much to ask for.

I've never had noise canceling. I currently use noise blocking which is OK. I use noise blocking headsets with protective ear muffs but my mower still overcomes it. Note that I have a brand new Cub Cadet mower that is not as quiet as I had hoped.

I've been looking at several review sites but I don't know how to guage their relevance since no review seems to include a lawn mower test and few seem to take flying into account. Everyday street noise does not apply to my world of use.

If you have any experience weather you have learned or have used, good or bad, please point me in a direction. Any direction.

 

[freakdiablo]

Well I've currently got a pair of Sennheiser PXC550s (currently $235 on Amazon) as well as a $35 set of Monoprice branded noise cancelling phones. I'd say the MP cans are at the level of noise cancellation most of the higher end models were 10-15 years ago - good at blocking out constant tones, such as lawnmowers, not so much changing tones - think talking, babies crying, etc. But even best case they don't *completely* eliminate outside noise.

The Sennheisers are much better at noise cancelling all around, and you're probably looking at that price range ($200+) if you want anything close to true silence (but even then there's going to be a little sound leakage).

I'd recommend going the same route as I did, getting a cheap set ($35-50) and a nicer set as well, as most of them will be full on cans and I'm guessing most of the cheapos are in the same class as my MPs - will do a respectable job with lawnmowers. That way you don't pit out and/or damage a nicer headset and still have them for travel.

 

[UltraTaco]

When mowing, I would go for something like this:

View attachment 205824

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View attachment 205825

While mowing, you don't need ultra quality and all that sweat working up, you dont want it ruining good set of headphones. Remember, you're mowing in the sunny heat. When flying, get better ones

 

[don256us]

When mowing, I would go for something like this:



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While mowing, you don't need ultra quality and all that sweat working up, you dont want it ruining good set of headphones. Remember, you're mowing in the sunny heat. When flying, get better ones

This is what I'm already doing. I'm looking to upgrade. I think I'll combine these two replys and get a $50 set for mowing and then contemplate a $200+ set for flying.

 

[petteyg359]

This is what I'm already doing. I'm looking to upgrade. I think I'll combine these two replys and get a $50 set for mowing and then contemplate a $200+ set for flying.

FWIW I have a Sony WI-1000X. On a flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany last year they didn't completely eliminate the jet noise, but they did reduce it very significantly. They can also just do noise cancelling with no music or anything playing, you just need the phone app to control them. They come with an adapter to plug into a 3.5mm jack and still support noise cancelling when used that way. The only annoying thing about them is they can't charge and play at the same time (the adapter still works if the battery is dead, at least). The LDAC feature is nice and built into Android 8+ and gives significantly more bandwidth to play with than other Bluetooth audio protocols. I don't use the "DSEE HX" crap (aka Sound Blaster "crystallizer" or whatever other stupid brandings exist). I want my music like the recording studio intended, not with bass/treble imbalance and mushiness added.