Which Bose headphones should we get?

[Akilae]

I'm curious what our audiophiles think about the B&O headphones.

[PM4HIRE]

Bose's motto is " Better sound through marketing". I wouldn't spend a nickle on a Bose product, usually overpriced and underperforms in their specific market niche, Wave radio is my favorite example.

[David dP]

I have to agree. Don't waste your money on a Bose product. As far as headphones go, Sennheiser is usually a good place to start.

[eVolcre]

Normal, eVolcre. And thanks, dclawyer!

Either the Sennheiser PX100 or PX200. The PX100 lets in a little more surrounding noise while the PX200 are sealed - similar to noise canceling headphones. They both need to be burned in for at least 24 hours before shining.

PX100 http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PX-...297645&sr=8-10

PX200 http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PX2...297645&sr=8-13

They both go for USD 50 on Amazon, I bet you could find a better deal if you look around.

Hope this helps,

Krish

[eVolcre]

I'm curious what our audiophiles think about the B&O headphones.

I really don't describe myself as an audiophile. My ears can't tell the difference between 300 and 1000 dollar headphones. Or wire gauge. Or 1000 dollar toslink cables :)

I do like bang for the buck and have a simple rule when buying gadgets ... I have a mental purchase curve - every 10% increase in price should give me more than a 10% increase in quality. Make sense? I'm also a research fiend and prefer to find brand names that the mass market will never hear. You're the same, we're on a Tom Bihn site and not Targus ...

An example. My first home theater system was the Energy Take 5.1 http://www.energy-speakers.com/na-en...-5-1-overview/ I think I paid USD 550 back in 1998. In this category of speakers the next step up in terms of performance would have been Definitive Technology for USD 900 http://www.definitivetech.com/Produc...llSystems.aspx

It didn't meet my price vs performance criteria. I would have been jumping up to a level where a 25% increase in cost gave me *maybe* a 10% increase in perceived quality.

I buy electronics for performance, not brand. Cars, luggage, bags, clothes ... it's a completely different category. I drive a Porsche Cayman not a Nissan 350Z even though the latter probably beats my car in terms of sheer performance. (I didn't buy the Cayman S BTW because of my same purchase curve. The difference in HP/Speed wasn't worth an extra 10 grand)

Bang and Olufsen is a hybrid of both categories. It's a gadget so it needs to perform but its also a style statement. If you can afford it, go for it. I'm sure you can buy a tricked out cordless phone for 50 bucks but it won't look this like

Sometimes it's not about the sheer numbers or performance graphs ... if it was, I'd be driving the Nissan ...

:)

Krish

[maverick]

hi folks,

indeed, bose does have a healthy advertising budget.

at the same time, their products are not without merit. understand that a portion of what you spend helps to drive advertising.

do they make the best products in their space? no.

are their products lackluster? no.

you buy bose, and you get very good audio quality and style. and you pay for it.

while i haven't looked seriously at noise canceling headphones, i have tried what bose has to offer and they seem nice.

i personally prefer in-ear noise isolating earbuds for two reasons. they are more compact than headphones and take up less space, and they do a very good job of making things around me quiet.

i have bose's triport headphones, and these are more comfortable than the in-ear noise isolating earbuds that i have from shure (the se210's) if you're going to keep them on for more than a couple of hours.

how well do noise isolating earbuds work? i will leave them in my ears unplugged from any device on long haul flights to help me fall asleep. i've also worn them when staying over at someone's house when people are up and talking while i'm trying to sleep.

do noise isolating earbuds work as well as noise canceling headphones at blocking noise? no. but they also don't have the problem of causing pressure on your ears that noise canceling headphones have. while most people are not bothered by this, it is an issue for some.

[Akilae]

I'll be the first to admit I'm no audiophile myself... I use Koss KSC-75s and love them to bits, but I'll always remember the first time I saw a B&O hardware... form follows function indeed!

My first surround sound system was the first generation Klipsch Promedia set that DID teach me the difference between $20 and $150 dollar speakers. The speakers were underpowered and never meant to be listened to across the room, but what clarity! That same set also taught me the difference between $200 gold plated "speaker wire" and $15 Radioshack 24-gauge (there is none) and the importance of proper wiring (much more important than speaker wire).

So... back to headphones. I've also heard nice things about Klipsch Image S4s. At the end of the day, it's what you need out of the headphones and how much you're willing to pay. In-ear noise isolation appeals to the lightweight minimalist in me, while noise-cancellation appeals to the gadget hound in me.

[BPritchard]

I'm very happy with my JVC HANC250 High-Grade Noise Cancelling Headphones bought at Amazon for $89.99 paired with a Koss VC20 Volume Control for $7.82.

Volume control is great for adjusting volume in minute levels.
The JVC carrying case is semi-rigid with an inside mesh pocket for extra battery and connectors.
Size is 7" wide 8" height and 2" depth. Not a square but almost trapazoid in that the bottom and top is rounded. Fits well in the front section (under the flap) of my Ego.

[pretzelb]

This is a bad topic for me. I've had serious obsessive behavior with headphones over the past few years. Fortunately it's only been a passing fancy for me.

For those looking for something besides a Bose, you might want to try this link which has some decent info even if you don't want to buy from them. I have the AKG K 81 DJ and they were good for me for a while. I also tried some beyerdynamic (don't recall which model) and found them excellent. I think the key to search for is "sealed" as this should lead you to something that won't let in outside noise and won't offend those near you.

In general I think there is one very key factor when you look at spending extra money on headphones - power. Almost all iPods and the like cannot power a "decent" set of headphones. Even an average set of earbuds or headphones will sound better with an external amp. I used to drool over an extra amp for my iPod when I had the bug. I have a cheap one and even that made a big difference. But the bottom line is that all good or decent quality headphones need a certain amount of power and you don't need to be an audiophile to tell the difference. In fact, I'd say most people can't tell the difference because they never listen with the right amount of power.

When looking for headphones, if you are going to just use the iPod or player (and no amp) then look for something that doesn't require a lot of power.

[moriond]

For another alternative to the Bose QC 2 or QC 3 headphones, check out this recent iLounge review of the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7b QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones. Their conclusion was:

…this is the best pair of noise-canceling headphones available for the price, and a smarter purchase than Bose’s QuietComfort 2 or 3 models, which have various issues with fit, battery performance, and pricing that take them out of Audio-Technica’s league.

[kcee]

don't go bose.

trust me i have tried and owned dozens and dozens of headphones.
it does come down alot to personal preference of course.

but, i could not recommend these more :

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-...0698012&sr=1-1

do a few searches and you will find alot of good reviews.
they may seem like a bit of money, but when it comes to stuff like this you really get what you pay for.

the parts are easily changeable, and replaceable if need be.
i have had 2 sets, one of them i have taken with me everywhere and have held up really well under some rough situations.

you will see alot of live sports people on the tv wearing them, only with a mic usually attached.

they really are that good.
best bang for your buck for sure.
are there others out there that may look better, sure.
but there are not many in this price rand which will sound better.



i would recommend against any in-ear type of headphone, for many reasons.

[maverick]

but, i could not recommend these more :

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-...0698012&sr=1-1

...

you will see alot of live sports people on the tv wearing them, only with a mic usually attached.

...

i would recommend against any in-ear type of headphone, for many reasons.

hi kcee,

the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II Professional Headphones look interesting. curious whether the cord is detachable or whether it is fixed.

i helped with an event where there was live translation and the person translating was using a sennheiser headset with a microphone built in, and a cord that branched to an xlr connector for the microphone and a quarter inch connector for the headphones. i only tried them for the purpose of setting them up and not through the event, but they were quite comfortable. curious if the headphone technology was the same as in the ones you mention.

thanks!

[KarlJ]

hi kcee,

the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II Professional Headphones look interesting. curious whether the cord is detachable or whether it is fixed...

Yes, the cord is detachable.

[maverick]

hehe - okay, i've just placed an order for the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II Professional Headphones. i'm looking forward to hearing how they sound!

[maverick]

bose just announced the quiet comfort 15's, which replace the qc2's:

http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/09/08...ietcomfort.15/

i like the fact that it uses an aaa battery rather than the rechargeable battery used by the qc3's.