Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

[SPS]

Give me your recommendations! After the Christmas break I've decided I can't do open office environments anymore.

Budget, top end ~£150.

Specs in order of priority.
Wireless.
Active noise cancellation quality.
Comfort.
Low frequency response < 30Hz.
Overall sound quality.


I've done a bit of research but headphones being quite a subjective topic and curious to hear any first hand reviews.

 

[AlienALX]

Just looking now, and £150 seems to be a very awkward price. What I mean is, everything under £150 so far seems to come from brands I've never heard of, and anything from brands I have heard of is like £170 (most with poor reviews).

I think you may have to rely on Amazon reviews, take a chance on something you've never heard of and rely on their return policy if you don't like them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-WH-CH...5&sr=8-7&keywords=noise+cancelling+headphones

They seem ok, with decent reviews. I've also heard of Sony and know that they do make decent headphones.

If you can find the extra £29

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bose-Sound...&sr=8-14&keywords=noise+cancelling+headphones

Are apparently very good.

 

[Warchild]

Strongly recommend the Bose ones above. We all had a set for Xmas from the company. Extremely good. Won't go into detail on subjective terms, but it certainly helps me focus on my work with all the loud mouths around,

 

[AlienALX]

Yeah I have heard a lot of good things about the Bose tbh. I have some Beats Studio (non wireless) but the OE and slight hiss would not let me recommend them. My ears get very clammy.

Also, just some advice. Keep some ear buds/Q tips by your desk because wearing headphones all day will leave you very susceptible to inner ear infections (like the lining of your ears) so make sure you keep your ears nice and clean. It can be terribly painful and throw you completely off balance.

 

[SPS]

Yeah those Bose ones are on my shortlist. I know what you mean about the price point, hence why I came to ask to see if anyone has anything personally that would fit the bill.

 

[AlienALX]

I don't know much about wireless or NC cans tbh. Firstly I hear (lol) that most of them have a slight hiss (not a problem with the ground issues I have) but obviously they are wireless and that means batteries or remembering to charge. Which I am useless at.

I don't need NC any way, as my cans are so loud as I have them set up that I could drown out a nuclear strike

But yeah of those I have read about the Bose are supposed to be ace.

 

[tinytomlogan]

Ive got the bose ones.........

 

[SPS]

Ive got the bose ones.........

Do you recommend?

 

[Dark NighT]

Yeah I have heard a lot of good things about the Bose tbh. I have some Beats Studio (non wireless) but the OE and slight hiss would not let me recommend them. My ears get very clammy.

Also, just some advice. Keep some ear buds/Q tips by your desk because wearing headphones all day will leave you very susceptible to inner ear infections (like the lining of your ears) so make sure you keep your ears nice and clean. It can be terribly painful and throw you completely off balance.

Last year i've had 3 seperate ear infections because of my in ear headphones, infection for a week, then month later again, and then again, since then i threw them away and been free of ear infections. Keeping headphones clean is important, but in ears are 10x more likely to cause infections as the surface of them can touch a lot of things that can be contaminated.

 

[SPS]

Last year i've had 3 seperate ear infections because of my in ear headphones, infection for a week, then month later again, and then again, since then i threw them away and been free of ear infections. Keeping headphones clean is important, but in ears are 10x more likely to cause infections as the surface of them can touch a lot of things that can be contaminated.

Yeah I had the same experience which is why I don't use them anymore.

 

[RobM]

im using kingston hyperx ones and love them

 

[looz]

How is the noice cancellation on the kingstons? What's the battery life like?

 

[SPS]

So.. been around shops today testing them all out and I have to say the mid ground is pretty rough where comfort and noise cancellation quality is concerned. After much deliberation I have purchased the Sony WH-1000X M3s lol. The ANC is just second to none. They aren't completely flat, they lean on the bassier side, slightly, but that suits my preference. I actually stumbled across a Sony shop amd managed to get them for £300 which is £30 cheaper than anywhere I've seen online so that sealed the deal.

 

[AlienALX]

Well worth it imo.

Headphones are like computers and it's always worth investing in the best you can afford.

 

[Warchild]

Last year i've had 3 seperate ear infections because of my in ear headphones, infection for a week, then month later again, and then again, since then i threw them away and been free of ear infections. Keeping headphones clean is important, but in ears are 10x more likely to cause infections as the surface of them can touch a lot of things that can be contaminated.

im 99% sure then, its because you leave them lying around, don't clean them as often as they should be cleaned and don't store them in their container.

I have used IEM ever since Shure released their 215SE, and not had a single infection. But probably because I am a little OCD on cleaning the ear pieces and storing them in their hard case when not in use.

I could just imagine, all the germs and nasty stuff you pick up if you leave them exposed on a desk... yuck.

Anyways. Going back to the Bose. I thoroughly recommend them for office use. But at the same time, some colleagues purchased their own Sony WH1000X. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

 

[tinytomlogan]

Do you recommend?

Wouldnt have bought them otherwise. Just keep in mind Bose is all about quality and not ear bleeding volume or bass

 

[SPS]

Wouldnt have bought them otherwise. Just keep in mind Bose is all about quality and not ear bleeding volume or bass

I tried them, but they don't have ANC so was pointless for me. The QCIIs didn't have as good ANC as the Sony XM3s. I know what Bose is about, but like I said, sound quality wasn't the primary feature here, but still the Sonys are almost completely on par with the Bose.

 

[Warchild]

I tried them, but they don't have ANC so was pointless for me. The QCIIs didn't have as good ANC as the Sony XM3s. I know what Bose is about, but like I said, sound quality wasn't the primary feature here, but still the Sonys are almost completely on par with the Bose.

You couldn't go wrong with either tbh. Congrats on your new purchase

 

[AlienALX]

im 99% sure then, its because you leave them lying around, don't clean them as often as they should be cleaned and don't store them in their container.

I have used IEM ever since Shure released their 215SE, and not had a single infection. But probably because I am a little OCD on cleaning the ear pieces and storing them in their hard case when not in use.

I could just imagine, all the germs and nasty stuff you pick up if you leave them exposed on a desk... yuck.

Anyways. Going back to the Bose. I thoroughly recommend them for office use. But at the same time, some colleagues purchased their own Sony WH1000X. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

According to my doctor.

Ears are an open orifice. This means they are prone to bacteria. Closing off those holes allow bacteria to breed faster.

The upshot? clean your ears daily. That's about all you can do really.


Have removed link, thought it was an article. Shall look for more info.

https://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/health/headphones-that-crank-up-volume-can-cause-bacteria-13066253

In ears are even worse it seems, glad I don't use them.

 

[grec]

I've never had an infection and I'm not sure if it's just luck or because of this, but cleaning your ears is generally considered a bad thing to do for avoiding infections, earbuds as in q-tips as in sticks with little cotton buds on each end are a big causer of ear infections, and ear wax is the main thing stopping you from getting an infection(It's anti-bacterial, and should constantly flow outwards from your ear, moving all the muck & alien dirt out from your canal to the external parts of your ear), so people might think it's dirty, but honestly you shouldn't be cleaning that stuff out, not cleaning your ears/with buds is a one-two punch for avoiding infections. The external part of your ear is fine though, you can even use a baby wipe for that, just don't go sticking stuff in there and cramming the wax with all the infectious stuff further down your canal.