Best noise cancelling headphones for flying?
#196
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: DL, UA, AA, VS
Posts: 5,226
Yes, that's a good practice. Although it takes quite a longg time to fully experience what they're like.
After 30 minutes to 1 hour of wear on the Sony, I can feel it get a bit stuffy and sweaty due to the really soft pads and tight sealing. But the fit itself is comfortable, with very light pressure.
After 30 minutes to 1 hour of wear on the B&W, I feel a bit more pressure from the stronger clamping. But the pads themselves feel more breathable.
Another thing about the touch controls is that when the Sonys are around my neck, even a light brush from my chin triggers them to start playing music again. That's very annoying.
After 30 minutes to 1 hour of wear on the Sony, I can feel it get a bit stuffy and sweaty due to the really soft pads and tight sealing. But the fit itself is comfortable, with very light pressure.
After 30 minutes to 1 hour of wear on the B&W, I feel a bit more pressure from the stronger clamping. But the pads themselves feel more breathable.
Another thing about the touch controls is that when the Sonys are around my neck, even a light brush from my chin triggers them to start playing music again. That's very annoying.
Hmm, B&W says free 30 day returns. Shipping back would probably be a pain though.
#198
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Pleasanton, CA
Programs: UA MM ; HA Pualani Gold, SWA A-List; Aloha Silver (RIP); HH Gold
Posts: 435
For the past couple of 5 hour hauls SFO-HNL and back I've been using my Bose QC30's since they are easier to use for me while using a mask and glasses while eating/drinking. For a wired connection, I use my QC20's
#199
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,471
How do the two of those compare for noise cancelling and comfort?
#200
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My auditory senses are so refined that I need to spend $550+ on those headphones so as to be able to tell the difference between whether I am listening to a Stradivarius or a 1980s' Chinese SOE-manufactured violin when listening to some random Itzhak Perlman-wannabe trying to play that most famous section of WA Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on the fiddle.
Ok, now back to reality and a more realistic price: something available at the local Target or phone store already. There are even some more-than-decent Sony headphones available for half the price of the Airpods Max: https://www.sony.com/electronics/hea...nes/wh-1000xm4
That said, I just can't be bothered to run around with headphones that don't easily fit into a small pocket. And although I sometimes entertain the idea of taking my OTE Bose headphones on flights, I almost never do take them on flight trips during the last few years.
Ok, now back to reality and a more realistic price: something available at the local Target or phone store already. There are even some more-than-decent Sony headphones available for half the price of the Airpods Max: https://www.sony.com/electronics/hea...nes/wh-1000xm4
That said, I just can't be bothered to run around with headphones that don't easily fit into a small pocket. And although I sometimes entertain the idea of taking my OTE Bose headphones on flights, I almost never do take them on flight trips during the last few years.
Last edited by GUWonder; Dec 9, 2020 at 5:55 am
#201
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
My auditory senses are so refined that I need to spend $550+ on those headphones so as to be able to tell the difference between whether I am listening to a Stradivarius or a 1980s' Chinese SOE-manufactured violin when listening to some random Itzhak Perlman-wannabe trying to play that most famous section of WA Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on the fiddle.
Ok, now back to reality and a more realistic price: something available at the local Target or phone store already. There are even some more-than-decent Sony headphones available for half the price of the Airpods Max: https://www.sony.com/electronics/hea...nes/wh-1000xm4
That said, I just can't be bothered to run around with headphones that don't easily fit into a small pocket. And although I sometimes entertain the idea of taking my OTE Bose headphones on flights, I almost never do take them on flight trips during the last few years.
Ok, now back to reality and a more realistic price: something available at the local Target or phone store already. There are even some more-than-decent Sony headphones available for half the price of the Airpods Max: https://www.sony.com/electronics/hea...nes/wh-1000xm4
That said, I just can't be bothered to run around with headphones that don't easily fit into a small pocket. And although I sometimes entertain the idea of taking my OTE Bose headphones on flights, I almost never do take them on flight trips during the last few years.
#202
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,862
I've got a couple of long hauls coming up, so I dusted them off last night. The firmware was upgraded, and I listened for a while.
The ANC is incredible - the best I've come across. I couldn't hear my keyboard as I was typing (it's quite clicky / noisy). They are less than half the price of the Air Pods Max.
I do do love the Air Pods Pro for general listening, but I'll skip the Max thank you very much.
#203
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,923
it’s going to be an instant status symbol and sooooooo many Chinese clones of that is going to pop out, in the same way earbuds all became white after the iPod, and now there are a billion AirPods facsimiles out there
#204
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,148
Got my QC35s about a year ago for $200 (similar sale happened earlier this year). I've worn those things on flights to all corners of the planet and have spent the last few months wearing them off and on in the new COVID work from home mode. The AirPod Max would need to come with an iPad included to convince me it was worth spending the extra money.
Also curious what this means for Beats by Dre brand -- are they going to kill it? Are they going to use it as a mid-tier offering? Are they going to re-brand it?
Like others, I love my AirPods (I've got Gen 2 with the wireless case) for exercise and using when walking the dog, etc., but this seems like a step too far -- even for Apple.
Also curious what this means for Beats by Dre brand -- are they going to kill it? Are they going to use it as a mid-tier offering? Are they going to re-brand it?
Like others, I love my AirPods (I've got Gen 2 with the wireless case) for exercise and using when walking the dog, etc., but this seems like a step too far -- even for Apple.
#205
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,094
Got my QC35s about a year ago for $200 (similar sale happened earlier this year). I've worn those things on flights to all corners of the planet and have spent the last few months wearing them off and on in the new COVID work from home mode. The AirPod Max would need to come with an iPad included to convince me it was worth spending the extra money.
Also curious what this means for Beats by Dre brand -- are they going to kill it? Are they going to use it as a mid-tier offering? Are they going to re-brand it?
Like others, I love my AirPods (I've got Gen 2 with the wireless case) for exercise and using when walking the dog, etc., but this seems like a step too far -- even for Apple.
Also curious what this means for Beats by Dre brand -- are they going to kill it? Are they going to use it as a mid-tier offering? Are they going to re-brand it?
Like others, I love my AirPods (I've got Gen 2 with the wireless case) for exercise and using when walking the dog, etc., but this seems like a step too far -- even for Apple.
When I first got the Airpods Pro, I used to keep on often using my regular old AirPods. Now, however, I find myself trying to avoid using the old AirPods and sticking with the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Max are too big for that to be the case this time around for me.
#206
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 166
Has anyone had to glue their QC20s back together?
I've owned the QC20s since November 2018. As I was taking them out, I got a terrible squeal from the right side—the 'shell' had come apart. It appears the glue had dried out. I very gingerly put a few pieces of scotch tape on it, just to hold things together. The wiring looks like it's a molecule thick. I did a quick test and they still work.The Bose factory store just outside Toronto said there was no repair service offered for it, and offered another set for $215CDN (regular price is $329).
This is the second Bose product I'd had fall apart (the first was a set of AE2 headphones—literally crumbled to bits as I put them on). I'm pretty careful with my gear, but I'm now very iffy on the build quality. I'm torn. I do love the sound from the QC20s but now reluctant to pay the premium.
I'll attempt a repair with some Gorilla Micro Precise glue. Looking forward, I may try the Airpod Pros. I would not call myself an audiophile, and probably couldn't tell the difference between an mp3 and some hi-res format.
This is the second Bose product I'd had fall apart (the first was a set of AE2 headphones—literally crumbled to bits as I put them on). I'm pretty careful with my gear, but I'm now very iffy on the build quality. I'm torn. I do love the sound from the QC20s but now reluctant to pay the premium.
I'll attempt a repair with some Gorilla Micro Precise glue. Looking forward, I may try the Airpod Pros. I would not call myself an audiophile, and probably couldn't tell the difference between an mp3 and some hi-res format.
#207
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: RDU
Programs: Marriott Platinum. AA and UA as well, but I don't care about them anymore.
Posts: 309
I've owned the QC20s since November 2018. As I was taking them out, I got a terrible squeal from the right side—the 'shell' had come apart. It appears the glue had dried out. I very gingerly put a few pieces of scotch tape on it, just to hold things together. The wiring looks like it's a molecule thick. I did a quick test and they still work.The Bose factory store just outside Toronto said there was no repair service offered for it, and offered another set for $215CDN (regular price is $329).
This is the second Bose product I'd had fall apart (the first was a set of AE2 headphones—literally crumbled to bits as I put them on). I'm pretty careful with my gear, but I'm now very iffy on the build quality. I'm torn. I do love the sound from the QC20s but now reluctant to pay the premium.
I'll attempt a repair with some Gorilla Micro Precise glue. Looking forward, I may try the Airpod Pros. I would not call myself an audiophile, and probably couldn't tell the difference between an mp3 and some hi-res format.
This is the second Bose product I'd had fall apart (the first was a set of AE2 headphones—literally crumbled to bits as I put them on). I'm pretty careful with my gear, but I'm now very iffy on the build quality. I'm torn. I do love the sound from the QC20s but now reluctant to pay the premium.
I'll attempt a repair with some Gorilla Micro Precise glue. Looking forward, I may try the Airpod Pros. I would not call myself an audiophile, and probably couldn't tell the difference between an mp3 and some hi-res format.
On my old ones, I just glued them back together with a tiny amount of gorilla glue and never had a problem afterwards.
A note about the AirPod Pro though, they only last a few hours per charge, and it annoys me to not have ANC in-flight, so I keep my AirPod Pros for daily use once I'm wherever it is I'm headed, much more convenient being cordless when out jogging, hiking, shopping, etc. Apple says "up to 4.5 hours listening time" and that is largely accurate for listen only (I have used them on a cross-country) but more realistically I get closer to 3.5-4 hours per charge. They do recharge relatively fast though, so there is that.
#209
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 166
I had to do that with my first set of QC-20i earbuds but that was after a few years and a LOT of long-haul usage. I then replaced them with a new set when the battery life had degraded to the point that i wasn't able to last a 15 hour flight on a single charge (the QC-20s on a full charge will work for me with ANC on for a full flight from the US to Taiwan or back, which is between 12 and 15 hours each way). My second pair has lasted well and still works great, and I also use them daily for meetings and such for work. I'll probably buy another set just to keep in reserve for when I wear these out, as I haven't seen any indication that they have an upgrade planned (the other earbuds just don't have the battery life I need for those trans-pacific flights).
On my old ones, I just glued them back together with a tiny amount of gorilla glue and never had a problem afterwards.
A note about the AirPod Pro though, they only last a few hours per charge, and it annoys me to not have ANC in-flight, so I keep my AirPod Pros for daily use once I'm wherever it is I'm headed, much more convenient being cordless when out jogging, hiking, shopping, etc. Apple says "up to 4.5 hours listening time" and that is largely accurate for listen only (I have used them on a cross-country) but more realistically I get closer to 3.5-4 hours per charge. They do recharge relatively fast though, so there is that.
On my old ones, I just glued them back together with a tiny amount of gorilla glue and never had a problem afterwards.
A note about the AirPod Pro though, they only last a few hours per charge, and it annoys me to not have ANC in-flight, so I keep my AirPod Pros for daily use once I'm wherever it is I'm headed, much more convenient being cordless when out jogging, hiking, shopping, etc. Apple says "up to 4.5 hours listening time" and that is largely accurate for listen only (I have used them on a cross-country) but more realistically I get closer to 3.5-4 hours per charge. They do recharge relatively fast though, so there is that.
For the glue, did you put a bead all the way around the rim? I read a post about the halves needing to be completely sealed in order for the acoustics to work properly, or something like that.
#210
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: RDU
Programs: Marriott Platinum. AA and UA as well, but I don't care about them anymore.
Posts: 309
For the glue, yeah, very carefully (all those years as a kid building plastic models paid off, apparently), because they do need to be sealed.
My first set were QC-15s and I carried those until the QC-20 first came out. I loved the -15s but Over the Ear don't work so well for me, they just get too hot and uncomfortable after extended periods, and I also couldn't sleep with them on, even leaning against the fuselage with a pillow was problematic. With the -20s I can actually sleep even when I'm lucky enough to score a business or first class upgrade (not that I sleep that well in Econ or Econ+ to begin with). The airpods I got more for jogging and walking, and I use them pretty heavily (moreso than my Bose which I usually just use for work and flights).
Also, I should add, the glue issue only happened to me on my first set. The newer set I bought after the battery started to go have been problem free and I've used them for ... 2 or 3 years now without issue.
My first set were QC-15s and I carried those until the QC-20 first came out. I loved the -15s but Over the Ear don't work so well for me, they just get too hot and uncomfortable after extended periods, and I also couldn't sleep with them on, even leaning against the fuselage with a pillow was problematic. With the -20s I can actually sleep even when I'm lucky enough to score a business or first class upgrade (not that I sleep that well in Econ or Econ+ to begin with). The airpods I got more for jogging and walking, and I use them pretty heavily (moreso than my Bose which I usually just use for work and flights).
Also, I should add, the glue issue only happened to me on my first set. The newer set I bought after the battery started to go have been problem free and I've used them for ... 2 or 3 years now without issue.