Earphones

[Monoriu]

I personally have bought Bose noise cancelling earphones, and my feeling is that they work to some extent.  Obviously they don't cancel all noise, and they work better in some situations.  But my opinion is that I am better off with them in most situations.  As with a lot of audio stuff, it all boils down to personal feeling, and it is pointless to argue about whether they "work" because I imagine different people will have different opinions.  Just like different people will have different views on if certain food tastes good.  My wife can't stand them.  As soon as she puts them on, she says she is not comfortable.  Somehow.

So I think the best way is to try them out yourself.  The Bose shop did let me try them on for a few minutes to test their effectiveness.  I suggest that anybody who is interested should do the same. 

[Liep]

So I think the best way is to try them out yourself.  The Bose shop did let me try them on for a few minutes to test their effectiveness.  I suggest that anybody who is interested should do the same. 

Indeed, but if you're trying them at the shop be aware that it won't cancel most shop noises (televisions, talking, etc). Go out on the street and notice the lower noise from the traffic.

[Monoriu]

So I think the best way is to try them out yourself.  The Bose shop did let me try them on for a few minutes to test their effectiveness.  I suggest that anybody who is interested should do the same. 

Indeed, but if you're trying them at the shop be aware that it won't cancel most shop noises (televisions, talking, etc). Go out on the street and notice the lower noise from the traffic.

Going out on the street while testing out a product may invite suspicions that you are trying to run away with it though

[Josquius]

Current consideration: 50 quid cheaper qc 15 vs qc 25

[Maladict]

Well...I didn't expect this thread to turn out like this...

I know 
After browsing Languish I feel like a perfectly normal human being again.

[Josquius]

I eventually went with the Bose QC25s.
They are rather good.
On my plane this morning I couldn't hear the crying baby or the background aeroplane noise.
One small complaint is that the removable audio wire comes out a bit too easily if you jolt them.

[Liep]

So does anyone have recommendations for in-ear earphones preferably with a mic (also noise cancelling, need them for train rides primarily).

[Syt]

I like my Philips SHE9000 In-Ear buds; I bought Comply foam tips to replace the soft default ones and love them on my morning commute - blocks out most conversations and a lot of ambient noise. No mic, though.

The SHE9005A/00 variant are with hands free talking for Android devices. Costs about €50 on Amazon (doesn't seem to have a mic, though). There are other Philips in ear head phones with mics, but they seem to be of slightly different make than what I have.

[lustindarkness]

I'm planning to buy some in the ear sweat proof running ones. Jaybird BluBuds X @$125.

[The Minsky Moment]

I've been riding a bus pretty regularly for commuting purposes lately and thought of this thread.

The Bose (QC35 for me) really do work.  You can still hear the engine sound, but it very muted and almost unobstrusive.  I initially resisted the Bose, because in my mind they had a rep for making overpriced bassy headphones.  The QCs are pretty pricey but they sound pretty good.  In a low noise environment they can't compete very well - my $99 open-backed headphones sound better.  But they are more than good enough for the high noise environments they are designed for.   Also light and very comfortable to wear.

That said - I also recently replaced my (lost) Westones with Etymotics - these are "deep insertion" IEMs.  Using them requires getting the over the hurdles of sticking the things pretty deep in the ear canal, which is an uncanny sensation.  But if you do it - they cut down noise almost as well as the Bose with the active NR.  In my subjective opinion (FWIW) they also give a more detailed sound than the Bose.  More importantly, they have low end and mid-range models that go for around $50 or $100 respectively, which is a lot less than the Bose (their highest end model costs about the same as the QCs).   

Bottom line - if money matters and you can tolerate the weirdness of deep ear insertion, the Etys are probably the best value for noisy area music listening.  That said I still use the Bose more often b/c its just more comfortable.

[Ed Anger]

Tamas uses two beets connected with a stick.

[11B4V]

They should have earphone plugins on scooters nowadays.

[PDH]

Now that I am in Santa Cruz I need to ask - do they have weed-stink cancelling earphones?