Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: noise, canceling, headphones | Themes: Audio/Video Players, Digital Entertainment
4. Use and Listening Tests
The HA-NC250’s sensitivity is supposedly 2 db higher when the noise reduction is activated, which explains the music volume boost I heard when I switched the noise reduction on while listening to music. When no music was playing, I heard white noise when noise reduction was switched on, which sounded something like a very light rain. When switching on the Aurvana’s noise reduction while no music was playing, I heard a more pronounced hiss, similar to a breeze.
The Aurvana’s sensitivity is listed at 105 db/mW, which sounds about right compared to the JVC’s 102 db/mW (at 1 kHz). But that is with the Aurvana switched on. The Aurvana’s impedance is listed as 450 ohms on and 75 ohms off. Switched off, the sensitivity is considerably less. After my listening tests, I found the Aurvana sensitivity when off to be 95 db/mW.
| Table 1: Comparison of Common Specifications for Reviewed Headphones | |||
| Specification | Sennheiser HD 580 | Creative Aurvana X-Fi | JVC HA-NC250 |
| Type | Over ear, open | Over ear, mostly closed | On ear |
| Weight | 9.17 oz, 260g | 8.64 oz, 245g | 5.30 oz, 150g |
| Sensitivity, 1 kHz (off) | 97 dB/mW | 95 dB/mW | 100 dB/mW |
| Sensitivity, 1 kHz (on) | 105 dB/mW | 102 dB/mW | |
| Cord Detachable? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Impedance (off) | 300 Ohms | 75 Ohms | not listed |
| Impedance (on) | 450 Ohms | not listed | |
| Battery Life (claimed) | 9 hours | 50 hours | |
| Noise Reduction (claimed) | 20 dB | > 16.5 dB at 150 Hz |
Merely switching the Aurvana on, without noise reduction, definitely increased the presence of all recorded music to my ears, preferentially in the lower mid and upper bass range. This was most noticeable on the “Bob Dylan Unplugged” (MTV) recording, “Like A Rolling Stone” and “All Along the Watchtower.” On the JVC, switching on noise reduction mildly increased the presence of the lead instruments in Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” With the JVC, this frequency increase wasn’t objectionable; but it wasn’t merely an across-the-board sensitivity increase, either. Compared to my reference Sennheiser HD-580s, the NC250 sound was definitely more forward. Comparing my reference to the Aurvana, when I adjusted the sound for equal volume, the Aurvana sounded different, as if a lower midrange or loudness switch was on. This was not unpleasant for rock or pop, but dissimilar to my HD-580s.
I next listened to an old favorite, Keith Jarrett’s “The Köln Concert.” In Part IIa, Jarrett bangs the piano with his hand near the end. On the JVC, that slapping sounded very similar to that of my reference Sennheisers. Further, throughout Part IIa and IIb, Jarrett engages in some foot tapping. His tapping sounded very similar with noise reduction on or off, or between different headphones. Jarrett’s vocalizations, at seemingly random points throughout most of his improvisations, sounded only slightly muted compared to my reference Sennheisers.
The three reviewed headphones’ sizes and shapes compared.
In contrast, the vocalizations were noticeably muted on the Aurvanas, but Jarett’s foot tapping sounded similar. The thwack of Jarrett’s hand against the piano sounded as if it were coming from a different part of the piano.
When I compared the effect of the X-Fi button or the CMSS 3D, I was a little disappointed. Listening to uncompressed audio as above, with the X-Fi switch, I still detected slight frequency emphasis on certain instrumental and vocal sounds. My suspicion is that X-Fi doesn’t magically decide if the format is lossy or not, but applies a standard frequency mapping algorithm to any music played. My impression is that X-Fi sounds better when used with poorer quality mp3s, either because of compression or encoding.
I did not spend much time using the CMSS 3D switch. It altered music making it sound more distant and as if much of it was coming from just outside my head. That’s a weird experience when wearing headphones! I suspect this switch is best left for gaming and movies.
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Then I found in the ear models passive cancellation models from Etymotic and Shute. These are much smaller, much cheaper, cancel noise better and don't require batteries. To top it off, they don't alter the sound in any way. Both Etymotic and Shure make recording studio headphones and earplugs. This is an area where unaltered sound is very important. The only thing you have to get used to is the "deep ear insertion" required to get a good fit.
In other words, get a pair of Shure or Etymotic and you'll be just as happy, plus you can take your significant other out for dinner a couple of times with the money you saved.
As for the comment about shildren being to young to fly I was traveling with my parents before my first birthday and often after than and they never had a problem. I suggest rather than assuming the children are to young look at the parents and figure out what they are doing wrong or pitty the childs ear infection.
The JVC HA-NC100 Noise Canceling Headphones are my favorite because of the retractable cord which is always the perfect length. Noise caceling is minimally better on the big Bose model but the added convience of the retractable cord make the JVCs much more convient at about one fifth the cost. I hate the redundant cords of the other models and there isn't much difference in the noise canceling features.
You could have done some scientific test as well. Put a microphone inside a plastic head and give actual results how much background noise we can hear.
Do your review properly and complete, or rename the topic.
I would love to see a complete noise canceling headphone review.
Very informative review. On other forums it has also been reported that the earpieces of Bose QCII earpieces tend to shed small black bits after three years or so.
Separately, the closing remarks on kids in airplanes seemed a bit too flippant. The corollary is that parents should only take family vacations by car (assuming they own one) for the first seven years, and certainly never take a tropical beach vacation (which is about the only practical destination with young kids). It also suggests that a country's foriegn representatives and embassy staff should be inexperienced or lifetime childless, since a career diplomat who has a family must, of course, relocate. (That was me with the 3 year old on that 12 hour trans-pacific flight.)
If kids on planes are a problem for you, I suggest you look at the plane seating diagram and locate away from the crib locations (usually at the front wall of the economy section). Because babies are put there, airlines also tend to put other minors close by. Seating yourself at the back, or ponying up for business class, should help you out. If you have been using your frequent flyer privileges to book at the front of economy you may have been partly responsible for your own misery.
Also note that it is kids who will pay your future pension plan (even if you have are "fully funded" private plan), since investments and factories are useless if there is no one in the workforce to make things run. You can't live by eating your pension plan reports - there is a real economy behind the paper that needs a constant inflow of new workers to match the deaths and retirements. Families do a job for us all.
This comment makes me envision a grossly overweight unshaven AWESOME person reading 'Dangerous Women' that always gives dirty looks when something they dont approve of happens. Thanks for completely ruining this article with that line.
I agree with the poster above on the in-ear headphones (Shures and Etymotics). Way better sound, much smaller, and do a great job of blocking all noise. I used to use noise-cancelling headphones, now I use Shure E3c's.
Guess you don't have kids eh? Too bad your parents had some?
What're parents supposed to do, live under a rock for 10 years (assuming they have only one child). Travel is a necessity in todays world. I had to bring a 6 month old with a mild fever across country on a plane packed with male business travellers, and she wailed all four hours. It was more miserable for me by far than the people next to me, because I was the one so embarrassed. I apologized to the older gentleman next to me so much, he said "Listen, don't say you're sorry. That's what being a father is, and the baby can't help it. Anyone who gives you a hard time about that is selfish, and doesn't deserve your apology anyways".
You're old enough to travel at 6 months, and if it bothers you so much that people do, try first class, or a pair of these headphones - and try and be a little more emphathetic and professional when you close your article.
It was a decent read till the jab at the end.
People interested in peace & quiet who travel a lot are likely are of a mature age and so must find ways to include family in all that travelling, espeically with everyone so spread out over the world.
That would be the audience to write to; and to avoid writing not only incredibly snide but judgemental and uninformed opinions on their lifestyles as your punchline!
As for noisy kids on airplanes? .. take their parents earplugs out
Bose's second generation headphones hardly do any noise reduction at all. The noise reduction in the Bose QC2 and QC3 headphones (if it even exists) sounds just like the passive noise reduction in the Bose Tri-Port headphones that you get from a cover the ear design. You get considerably worse sound quality than the first generation Bose noise canceling headphones to boot. Uncompressed CD audio sounds like a 64K MP3 file on the Bose QC2 and QC3 headphones.
I thought, at the time, about buying noise-cancelling. But, didn't want the restrictions of sound quality, plus the hassles of batteries & battery life.
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I'm not sure why you didn't compare any of their noise canceling products.