A Heads Up On Noise Reduction

I love traveling, but flying on a long airplane flight can be a grind. The crying children, people talking loud or yelling at each other, or the jet engine noise can make it difficult to relax or fall asleep. On a recent overseas flight, I was fortunate enough to try a pair of noise reduction headphones. The technology is truly remarkable. Small microphones that are built into the headphones listen to the ambient noise around you and takes it away almost magically. While listening to the music on my iPod with these special headphones, it amazingly shut the rest of the world out, even to the point where I could not hear the flight attendant talking to me.

There are three noise cancellation headphones that I would recommend. For starters, there’s the Sony MDR-NC6. According to Sony, it reduces ambient noise by 70% (10 decibels). Weighing 5.29 ounces, and folding for easy storage makes it good for travel or a daily commute. The MDR-NC6 also functions as regular headphones when the noise canceling circuit is not activated. It also comes with a dual plug adaptor and retails for about $59.95 on www.sony.com.

The Panasonic RP-HC100 features an ergonomically designed headband and large foam ear pads for a comfy fit. It weighs 5.1 ounces and easily folds to fit in its carry pouch. Its large driver units and neodymium rare-earth magnet deliver a rich and powerful sound. Retail price is $79.95 at www.panasonic.com.

The Bose QuietComfort 2 Noise Cancelling® Headphones use Bose’s proprietary TriPort® technology, which allows the driver to create deep lows. That means you can hear balanced low notes while listening to your music. A little heavier than the Sony or Panasonic, its weight is 6.9 ounces and folds flat to fit in its zippered carrying case. Also, the cable can be removed so you can go “cordless” if you just want to reduce the noise. The price is $299 at www.bose.com.

Although all these headphones are great for trips on an airplane or noise in general, I highly recommend splurging for the Bose if you can afford it. The comfortable ear pads make it all worth it, and you’ll be in your own world.