back to article Can noise-cancelling buds beat headphones? We spent 20 hours flying to find out

For years, the first thing I've packed for any trip involving long-haul flights is a pair of over-the-ear active noise cancelling headphones. I adore the cocoon of quiet they create amid the constant noise of a jet – and appreciate the way they warm my ears and head while in the air. But even the slimmest and best-packaged …

  1. Raphael

    "to the Galaxy Buds I recently washed (dammit) and broke"

    I did the same recently to my Buds Plus. managed to get them, and the case, open cleaned and dried out and working again like a charm.

    1. Roland6 Silver badge

      This caught my attention, from a quick Google it seems the Galaxy buds are IPX2 and apple AirPods IPX4 rated - effectively not rated.

      Why did this catch my attention?

      Been doing some research into cochlea implants and noted the Cochlear Nucleus 8 on ear assembly is IP68 rated.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        My wife has a BAHA fitted, which is Bluetooth compatible. I linked it to her iPhone, so she could hear calls etc.

        Except I forgot to tell her I had did this, and it freaked her out a bit the first time she had a call!

    2. Sampler

      I accidentally washed (and driered) the "Galaxy Buds Live" that came with my last note as a pre-order bonus, ear buds survived just fine, but the case no longer holds a charge (will charge the buds through it, but its own battery has had it).

      Ended up buying a replacement as the weird little things fit my ears perfectly, never binged one out and the sound is a reasonable approximation to what it should be given the size and comfort - but it's a little ironic the free bundled earphones have (technically) outlasted the phone they came with as I now use them with my Xioami 12S Ultra.

      These A40's do look interesting though, may be I'll try them if these ever end up in the spin cycle again...

  2. emfiliane

    On the other hand, the Galaxy Buds are $109 (some colors even less), so we're not talking a big bargain for what sounds like a fairly serious setback in overall audio experience.

  3. Blackjack Silver badge

    This article convinced me headphones are better, not only the charge lasts longer but they are harder to lose. Also you had them since 2015! the easy to lose buds are nowhere as long lasting!

    1. werdsmith Silver badge

      Also, many of us can't stand wedging things into our ear canal.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I still prefer my headphones to have a cable that I can plug in to the device. One less device to charge up.....

      1. Dave K

        I have the Sony WM-1000XM4. You can run those in Bluetooth mode, or hook up a standard 3.5mm headphone cable to them if you prefer. For noise cancelling, you have to have something with a battery as they're active devices - 3.5mm jacks don't provide power!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          WM-1000XM4s aren't a recommended purchase if you have to use Teams on a PC, other parties can't hear you properly.

      2. GruntyMcPugh

        Same, I have a couple of pairs of inexpensive Sony headphones, one pair fold, the sound quality is fine. Problem I have with ear buds is as soon as I stick something in my ear, I become acutely aware of the pulse in my ear, so it's effectively increasing background noise.

      3. Sherrie Ludwig

        I still prefer my headphones to have a cable that I can plug in to the device. One less device to charge up.....

        And if they dislodge while you nap, you can follow the cord to retrieve them.

        1. Robert Carnegie Silver badge

          Noise cancelling 'phones usually run on their own power supply, so that runs out. However, well-made earphones may just plug the ear effectively. That may or may not totally cancel outside noise without using electric power to do it.

          Cordless earphones don't have to be cordless. You can tape and tie them onto string for safety or onto a necklace or clothing. There may also be a deterrence of theft, if your personal technology looks like ropey trash.

    3. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      I have some Sony in-ear phones on a cable with 15 hour battery life while playing music. When not use, the buds stick together like a necklace, so very difficult to lose. € 30. I wear glasses, which means over the ear is out, and cycle which means cableless buds are out, though I have a different pair with external drivers for navigating while cycling so that I can hear what's going on.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        So wireless earbuds with a string to keep them.together and connect them.to the phone so you don't lose them?

        It could catch on - you could even use it to charge them continually

        1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

          The one thing I would say about wireless with string phones is, that of course, the string itself is subject to wear and tear: I have a Jabra sport set where the cable on one side eventually wore out and these things are not really fixable on your own, even something like a fraying wire is pretty simple to fix.

      2. hittitezombie

        I've got a pair of those, blue-tooth capable, works very well and I will never lose them as easy as a bud - even then I manage to mislay them quite often!

        I am planning to get a couple more as backups at the current price point.

  4. llaryllama

    The best compromise I have found for compact travel/jobsite earphones that won't fall out when sleeping/working/exercising are the Sony WI-1000XM2 for around US$200 (they also have a cheaper/smaller WI-C600N). For some reason this style of neckband earbud is very unpopular so these can be hard to find but I think they are brilliant. Battery life is longer than true wireless style and most importantly you can run around, sleep or whatever and the earbuds will just dangle off the cord if they pop out.

    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      With you all the way. I've got the WI-SP500 for cycling (external driver, so you can hear what's going on) and the WI-C200 for everything else. My only gripe is that the cords are little short for my bullneck.

    2. goldcd

      If you've got an old decent pair of wired IEMs

      You can relatively cheaply pick up the 'the necklace part' of those and plug them in.

      Quite handy as codecs evolve, batteries wear out, wires snag - you just replace the cheap bit and can transplant your beloved earbuds across.

  5. sarusa Silver badge
    Happy

    Aeropex works great for outside

    For outside work and exercise, I much prefer the Aeropex Open Run. These are bone conduction, just loop over your ears and wrap around your neck. They're not going to come off. They even work great on the plane, I use them there too, they're much more comfortable than earbuds - but they're not going to noise cancel, so that's a not going to work if you need noise cancelling.

    But that's the other reason I prefer them outside - your earholes are still open so you can still hear whatever else is going on, like an auto or a crazed Tour de France cosplay cyclist coming at you. I've more than once avoided danger that way because I could hear what was around me, even as I was still able to listen to my Ice Age, Greyhawk, Gamma Ray, or whatever the heck I was binging on.

    1. Locky

      Re: Aeropex works great for outside

      Mine are so old they are still called Aftershokz. 8 years on and I wouldn't get on a bike without them

      1. sarusa Silver badge

        Re: Aeropex works great for outside

        Yes, mine are 'Aftershokz' too. And I totally understand why they gave up that cringey name. ;)

    2. AIBailey
      Pint

      Re: Aeropex works great for outside

      Have an upvote for Gamma Ray.

    3. Charlie Clark Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: Aeropex works great for outside

      I wear glasses so over the ear is out for me. The Sony WI-SP500 has external drivers which means I hear nearly everything around me. Have to stop to take calls, but that usually makes sense anyway.

    4. bigphil9009

      Re: Aeropex works great for outside

      As a Tour-de-France cosplaying cyclist I too like to use bone-conducting earphones. Although sadly they aren't any use at stopping the long unwashed hair of metalheads getting caught up in my expensive groupset.

  6. Neil Barnes Silver badge

    I'm curious

    How many people these days *don't* spend huge chunks of their time with ear/headphones playing music at them?

    I fear that I am the oddity, almost never listening to anything other than ambient sound and/or loudspeakers.

    1. UCAP Silver badge

      Re: I'm curious

      Well me for one. I have noise cancelling earphones that come out for flights and (most recently) a week-long stay in hospital. Other than that I never feel the need for them.

      1. David 132 Silver badge
        Happy

        Re: I'm curious

        Personally whenever I go out on the street I take my boombox with me. Hoick it up to balance on my shoulder, insert the week’s C90 mixtape… bangin’!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I'm curious

          Except it wasnt called a boombox back then :-|

          1. Little Mouse

            Re: I'm curious

            Back then in the UK it was a "Ghetto Blaster" - a curiously aspirational attempt at US cultural appropriation.

            And we didn't say "bangin'" in the Midlands either - it was "Bostin!"

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: I'm curious

              Still is bostin in the midlands now...

            2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

              Re: I'm curious

              In Manchester it just had to be baanging, alright! :-D

            3. David 132 Silver badge
              Thumb Up

              Re: I'm curious

              > And we didn't say "bangin'" in the Midlands either - it was "Bostin!"

              Really? Someone needs to tell local lads Slade :)

              (Icon: has S L A D E written on the fingers in biro)

          2. 42656e4d203239 Silver badge
            Joke

            Re: I'm curious

            >>Except it wasnt called a boombox back then

            Indeed it was called a "poor urban area dedicated to/inhabited by the population of one or more minority ethnicities blaster"

            1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

              Re: I'm curious

              Named after the Italian for foundry perhaps ?

        2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

          Re: I'm curious

          I was out cycling last week, with headphones (external drivers), and cycled past a thwaite with a boombox on his bike that was easily drowning out my headphones. The temptation to give the fucker a push was almost irresistible. 100 m on it looked like the police were ready for him…

          1. David 132 Silver badge
            Happy

            Re: I'm curious

            cycled past a thwaite with a boombox

            And now all I can hear is Rik Mayall as Richie… ”It’s pronounced ’Thwaite’!”

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'm curious

      I seem to have gone the Momentum tour in that I have both Sennheiser's over-ear Momentum 3 and the earbud Momentum things who come swith a remote control app to tune what they do.

      My experience:

      Over ear (which I started to use years ago): very good for sound isolation so I tend to use them with some music when I need to concentrate on a complex document (or Terms, but then I also need a lot of coffee). Excellent when cabled in planes, but with one problem - which would apply to the John Wick issues - these headphones are sensitive, and as a result of the noise suppression you don't need to dial volume all the way up to hear the sound of the movie. You will find out that cabon announcements tend to be done at a fixed volume WHICH IS VERY LOUD as it's set for the standard headset they supply. This is when you discover why they advise you to strap in when seated - you'd jump a foot in the air otherwise.. Most used feature: noise suppression, transparency not so much. Also used with Bluetooth, but IMHO too hot to have on my head during summer (I don't know how people managed it in the current weather). The buttons on the 3 are a sod to use, which is why I may spring for the Momentum 4 at some point.

      In ear: nice and cool, and very light. A bit of a faff to get them to seal right, but them they're excellent. I use these mostly on public transport, and when I'm in London it's an absolute must on London Underground where an honest Health & Safety study would shut down quite a few lines North of the West End as I have measured peaks of over 100dB (it really doesn't matter if you take it raw or apply A weighting, it's still WAY too much). So there I'm not listening to music, I'm using it to keep out harmful noise to boot. Not quite as effective in flight, and not hooked up to movies (OK, there are things you can buy to convert the jack into a bluetooth connection but my aim is generally to /reduce/ weight). Super handy to just chuck in handluggage, and the recharging case means you get quite a bit of time out of them although not continuous. On a long flight this means you'll take a hit at some point - as opposed to the over ears you can't add power via a cable, you'll need to charge in the case. Which means you'll have some time without. Most used feature: transparency mode which also auto-pauses playback. Noise suppression is almost always enabled and at home it means I don't even hear the otherwise very loud coffee machine (it almost fully kills the noise when it grinds beans, which is otherwise unsuitable for church use on account of probably waking the dead). Touch buttons on these work very well, as opposed to the Apple things I've tried as I'm never quite sure where the sensor is. And I think the sound quality is better, although my hearing is not quite as good as it was despite watching sound levels carefully after industrial noise damage - age matters too.

      So there, a mini review :).

      1. anothercynic Silver badge

        Re: I'm curious

        +1 for the Sennheiser Momentum range. My Momentum True Wireless 2s are an absolute delight in both the airport and on the plane (or on other public transport).

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I'm curious

          Poster above here: one remark about the True Wireless 3: the mics are absolute rubbish for phone calls. Don't even bother. The over ear Momentums are marginally better there, but if making calls is your thing you're better off with a Bose headset. Worse sound reproduction but they do an excellent job on calls.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'm curious

      I either have earmeltingly loud industrial metal on a proper stereo; or silence as my preference. The idea of less noise on a plane is appealing; however I’m acutely aware of how disgusting and problematic jamming something in my ear for 9 hours will be.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I'm curious

        If you take your "earmeltingly loud industrial metal" onto the plane you won't notice the plane noise either, of course.

        Just giving you some options :)

      2. Kernel

        Re: I'm curious

        "I either have earmeltingly loud industrial metal on a proper stereo; or silence as my preference. The idea of less noise on a plane is appealing; however I’m acutely aware of how disgusting and problematic jamming something in my ear for 9 hours will be."

        The day may well come when your musical volume preferences will lead you to either live with jamming something in your ears all day every day, or living in a world of near silence. If you aren't keen on wearing earbuds for nine hours on occasion, you certainly won't like hearing aids every day for for 13 hours or so.

        1. Roopee Silver badge
          Megaphone

          Re: I'm curious

          You beats me to it (no pun intended)...

          As someone blessed (and occasionally afflicted) with excellent and sensitive hearing, I am acutely aware how (relatively) poor a lot of people's hearing is - and not just old people (I'm nearly 60) - and how little people seem to care about protecting what they've got. I am the only person (I think) who always wears ear plugs in gym classes - without them the 'bangin' music would be painful. Even with them it seems overly loud to me! In Boxercise classes the crack of glove on pad at <1m makes my ears ring unless I have plugs in.

          I've been to numerous musicals and concerts where the sound level was unbearably loud without (and occasionally with) ear plugs. That level of sound MUST be, and clearly is, harmful. The H&S rules are obviously routinely ignored, and people don't seem to care.

          To add my hap'orth to the thread re earbuds - I don't use them but I can vouch for the fact that Apple's upmarket AirPods are wonderful as microphones - when my best friend rings me I can instantly tell whether he's using his upmarket iPhone (?13 Pro) with or without his AirPods - the AirPods sound so much better! They're also great on the London tube (which at times is literally deafening).

          For any audiophiles reading - for proper listening, I've not yet heard anything better than my own Bowers & Wilkins 603-based setup, but it's not very portable (or wife-friendly, if you have to worry about such things). I can't afford truly esoteric hi-fi, but I'd love to see if I can tell the difference...

          Icon - seemed the most appropriate :)

          1. anothercynic Silver badge

            Re: I'm curious

            @Roopee, getting ear filters tends to help. Volume is after all amplitude, so if you reduce amplitude without ruining the sound, you ought to be ok. There are some brands on the market that are pretty good. I used a pair of Sennheiser SoundProtex (the standard ones come with a single filter and a pair of stops, the Plus ones come with 3 filters of varying filter strength and a pair of stops) in the hell hole that is Luton Airport (with construction work going on) recently and I was very pleased with the performance of reducing the harsh noises whilst still being able to hear voices nearby.

    4. abend0c4 Silver badge

      Re: I'm curious

      I have a Kindle for plane journeys, but then I'm a cheapskate who only travels with the free 20L of luggage you get these days. I can't get on with earbuds - they either fall out or irritate my ears, headphones take up too much space and I find that once I've got into a book I don't really notice the noise.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I'm curious

        Oh yes, in addition to noise cancellers a Kindle is an absolute must on a long flight. It's highly likely that I have seen the inflight movies already (and in an uncut form) and a charged Kindle will comfortably work well beyond the time you spend in a plane. I used to carry a book, but with a Kindle I have a selection of books which is unlikely to ever run out..

    5. Handy Plough

      Re: I'm curious

      If your commute includes any kind of public transport, especially if you use the tube, NC headphones of any type are an absolute godsend.

    6. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: I'm curious

      When was the last time you were on public transport with some of the yoof and it's inane chat, video music?

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: I'm curious

        A gentleman always takes a sting quartet with them on public transport

        1. David 132 Silver badge
          Happy

          Re: I'm curious

          “Sting Quartet”?

          God no. One of him is annoying enough, without cloning him multiple times. Although hearing “I want my MTV…” in 4-part harmony might be worth something.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: I'm curious

            He did have a few fun bits in Dune though...

    7. GruntyMcPugh

      Re: I'm curious

      At home, when I listen to music I use speakers. In the car, it's the car speakers (why do some people wear buds / headphones whilst driving?) I only use headphone (old skool, wired) when I commute on public transport, and I haven't been a commuter for a couple of decades.

  7. MachDiamond Silver badge

    Over the ear, closed back

    I'm very happy with some cheap Chinesium BT headphones I picked up on eBay. I don't often find the noise cancelling feature that useful. Just the noise reduction from having proper headphones does the business well enough by itself.

    If you find you are missing some instruments and others are too forward, that likely means the frequency response is as jagged as a really jagged thing. In other words, they suck at sound reproduction. If you are listening to music, it can pay to buy brand name. I listen mainly to audiobooks and can get by with far less sonic accuracy. If I am listening to music with buds/phones, it's to mask out distractions. If I'm listening for pleasure, I'm sat in front of a pretty darn good stereo I have. BTW, speakers are the weak link so spend the money there rather than the electronics/cables.

  8. TonyJ

    I can't wear buds/in-ear headphones for long.

    I find no matter what size, they begin to hurt me after a short time. They also seem to get uncomfortably warm. Obviously some biological quirk of my ears rather than a problem with the headphones, but over-ear ones for me every day.

    1. werdsmith Silver badge

      Re: I can't wear buds/in-ear headphones for long.

      Yep, I find them unbearable even for a short time.

      Must be a physiology thing because many people are OK with jamming stuff into the hole.

      1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

        Re: I can't wear buds/in-ear headphones for long.

        Good phones come with different sized covers that fit different size earholes. I have small earholes and have to have small covers to avoid the feeling the doctor's trying to see if the light comes out the other side!

        1. werdsmith Silver badge

          Re: I can't wear buds/in-ear headphones for long.

          I've tried the different sizes, tried Comply, tried Sonic Foam. Decided it isn't for me.

          1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Re: I can't wear buds/in-ear headphones for long.

            How old are you?

            Many genX-ers built in the 70s aren't compatible with modern metric iems

          2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

            Re: I can't wear buds/in-ear headphones for long.

            You can get custom ones using a mould from your ear. I did once but I lost one of the covers… always get at least two sets!

            When cycling or on the train I can have the buds in for hours without discomort. The SP500 have very odd profiled covers and I was furious when I lost those because the list price for replacement parts was nearly as much for a new set. Fortunately, I found a website in France that had them for a tenth of that price so I ordered two!

    2. excperr

      Re: I can't wear buds/in-ear headphones for long.

      Wireless are active = warmer.

      Wired - passive = cooler.

  9. myxiplx2

    Cheap, comfortable and secure

    Our old earbuds died recently and I picked up a set of these from Amazon on sale:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09BN47YHV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

    While they're not noise cancelling, they're snug enough that I can listen to music comfortably on the London Underground, even on the noisier tracks.

    They're also the best fit of any earbud I've ever tried, even my wife finds them comfortable and she finds many earbuds simply don't fit. And the over the ear loop means there's never any worry about losing them. I wouldn't travel with a standard pair of buds, they're just too easy to loose.

    1. Anomalous Cowturd
      Thumb Up

      Re: Cheap, comfortable and secure

      Cheers for that link. Through it, I found a slightly different, but also slightly cheaper (£18) version.

      They arrived yesterday, and I'm very impressed. Four hours of use, no earache, 60% battery left.

  10. John Robson Silver badge

    Fit issues....

    Why does noone make a behind the ear style device? Yes, I mean like hearing aids... plenty of volume for a decent battery, and some good electronics, supported over the ear with a fine cable down to the driver(s) in your canal.

    Hearing aids are comfortable for extremely long periods (all day, every day), have multiple day battery life, never fall out, easy to have open driver designs as well as semi closed all the way to custom moulded.

    Instead we insist on balancing expensive electronics just outside the ear canal, with a sort-of fit with a generic shape of silicone tip hoping to hold it in place.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Fit issues....

      You'll find quite a few sports ones are designed that way.

      I am OK with 'regular' cabled buds, but I also have a couple w Bluetooth - once they're seated properly I can handle those for hours.

      1. John Robson Silver badge

        Re: Fit issues....

        You'll find quite a few sports ones are designed that way.

        Really? I've never seen any.

        Could you possibly link to a couple

        1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

          Re: Fit issues....

          See above: Aerospex, et al. They use bone vibrations so sound quality isn't great but they are ideal for outdoor use.

          1. John Robson Silver badge

            Re: Fit issues....

            Bone conduction is not behind the ear style, it's a completely different sound delivery concept and is usually on a head band in my experience.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Fit issues....

          Search for "sports earbuds wired" in Amazon and you'll see loads. For cordless, use "sports earbuds wireless".

          Glad to help (unless I misunderstood your description) :).

          1. John Robson Silver badge

            Re: Fit issues....

            Ok - there are a couple with hooks, but not actual behind the ear style devices.

            IEM style ear buds have the right cable route, but for obvious reasons that cable carries on.

            I'm talking about wireless devices, with the cable going over to a small package behind the ear (providing plenty of space for battery, antennae, electronics etc.) which means that there is no force on the "in ear" bit to come out of the ear at all. Of course you can also trivially engineer in the space required for a removable battery - heck, mine run on Zinc/Air batteries.

            Image of hearing aid

    2. Catkin Silver badge

      Re: Fit issues....

      Some of the ChiFi IEM brands make TWS adapters in this style. It's amazing how much they've improved in the past 5 years but, for every IEM that thumbs its nose at the established brands there's dozens of BA filled V shaped monstrosities that make Beats sound sensible. If you box clever with the connectors, you can pair up your favourite IEM from one manufacturer that doesn't make a TWS adapter with another adapter from a manufacturer that makes less desirable IEMs.

      My preferred IEM is the Moondrop Aria, which is so good that even with a high end Bluetooth DAC using LDAC, I prefer running it on wires from my DAP.

  11. Julian 8

    Noise Isolation

    Quite a few years ago I tried a number of noise cancelling earphones over the years, which when I was trying them I found good for audio books a lot of studio music, but I prefer to listen to live recordings and all the noise cancelling ones I tried had a problem with that - newer ones maybe better, by my last check a couple of years ago had the same issue.

    I then found some Noise Isolation earphones by Shure and never looked back. Yes, expensive at the time (and some of their current range is reasonable, some are still very expensive). Bluetooth is a bit of a problem.

    However, you can change the tips. I find the sponge ones the best as they mould to your ear perfectly, but do not last a great deal of time. Some of the rubber ones are OK (personally, I like the triple flange and cut the smallest flange off). I can wear these for hours and not notice anything

    I know you can get some real studio / stage earphones specifically moulded for your ears - though never needed to try those yet

  12. Gerhard den Hollander

    aeropex / aftershokz

    thumbs up to the ppl mentioning aftershokz

    Perfect if you go anywhere where being aware of your surroundings can be vital for your survival (which is pretty much everywhere outside the house, and quite a lot of places in the house)

    Also really nice when on the plane you can hear the stewardess is asking you something (not what they are asking, but at least that they are asking).

    Indeede, they are not noise cancelling, but unless you're in the back of a Tu-154 between the engines an appropriate playlist can drown out the background noise just as well (Helloween, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Tool, the mighty Mogwai)

    And since they're bone conducting, you can use any kind of earplugs to block out all the other sounds (or so they say, I've never tried)

  13. Mike Lewis

    During my last trip, my earbuds were losing the battle with the cabin noise. I found that noise-cancelling headphones are very expensive so I bought some hearing protectors to wear over my earbuds.

    1. MrBanana

      Yup, my cheapskate choice of noise cancelling headphones. I wonder how many people look at the DeWalt name, and think it must be some specialist audiophile company.

  14. Caver_Dave Silver badge

    Old school here

    Why spend £xxxx on noise cancelling headphones (not playing music) when you can get foam (<£1 for 5 pairs), gum/putty (£1 pair) or other inert ear plugs that do the job?

    I use them to sleep in a tent, even when it is blowing a gale with heavy rain - which is much louder than any commercial air transport I have been on (other than repurposed ex-military helicopters.)

    Serious question, as I have a trans-Atlantic flight in a few weeks.

    Are the headphone an unofficial "do not disturb" signal?

    1. Ken G Silver badge

      Re: Old school here

      If you're not going to be playing music or otherwise listening to some device then no, you don't need headphones. Personally don't like having ear plugs in when I'm changing altitude but that's down to your own tolerance and internal head plumbing.

    2. Crypto Monad Silver badge

      Re: Old school here

      Are the headphone an unofficial "do not disturb" signal?

      No.

      I will sometimes put a card in my shirt pocket saying "NO MEAL PLEASE", when I'm boarding a flight at 1am and don't want to be shaken awake by someone who thinks I want dinner at 2.30am.

      1. MrBanana

        Re: Old school here

        Last couple of long haul flights I've been on had an option in the infotainment system that allowed you flag that you were not to be disturbed. There wasn't an option to say if the bloke in the seat next to me didn't want his meal then I would have it. But given the appalling state of todays inflight meals, that's probably a good thing.

    3. PerlyKing

      Re: Old school here

      If the yellow foam earplugs do it for you, go for it!

      Over years as a biker I could never find anything off the shelf that worked for long, so I ended up with custom made earplugs for about £80. Which last for years and may end up cheaper than disposable ones. As long as you don't lose them....

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Old school here

        Nobody puts the disposable ones in properly.

        The correct procedure is weird enough that you think they are taking the piss - but if you ever have to do a safety course they teach you.

        1. Richard 12 Silver badge

          Re: Old school here

          Roll'em like a ciggy.

          There, now you all know and won't forget.

          1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Re: Old school here

            And reach over the top of your head with your other hand, pull your ear inside out and shove it further down than you would think

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Obvious?

    “So as I headed to Taiwan for the annual Computex conference I decided to take advantage of electronics' advance to the infinitesimal and try noise-cancelling earbuds to see if they could beat their bigger brethren.”

    No, because … battery. In ears maybe 4 - 5 hours. Over ears, entire flight. Plus as you indicated, you can plug the over ears into the headphone jack.

    I invested in AirPods Max specifically for use on flights and never looked back. My AirPods Pro’s are great for exercise and maybe short journeys on the tube but for everything else there’s Max.

  16. Jan 0

    I find that over the ear headphones (corded Sony MDR-V900HD) or even big on ear Bluetooth AKGs (No model no. on mine:) take away most of the noise without introducing strangely intrusive artefacts. Yes, they're bulky and don't come with suitable cases, but are worth giving up a little baggage space for.

    1. Ken G Silver badge

      I've never had any problem hanging them over the strap or handle of my case then around my neck when boarding.

  17. Annihilator

    Key observation

    "I reminded myself that noise-canceling kit is poorly named – it really smears out some background noise, rather than canceling it entirely."

    This sums up the industry in a nutshell. I don't seem to have much joy with noise cancelling, and I've used both the earbud and headphone version of Sony's XM4s which were generally deemed to be best in class a year or so ago. I was underwhelmed with both. They seem "ok" with static background noise, but introduce any dynamic sound and they collapse.

    In a relatively quiet office, I found that the over-ear ones would actually enhance the sound of someone talking on the phone 3 desks away, to the point that I'd switch noise-cancelling off if there was anyone talking in the vicinity.

  18. NXM

    lost earbuds

    Must be too old. I remember when earbuds used to come with a piece of electric string so they didn't get lost or go flat. How quaint.

    1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
      Gimp

      Re: lost earbuds

      Indeed.

      How's about using something like surgical tape to keep them in place? May be a fashion faux-pas, but, who knows, you could start a trend.

      Alternatively, use a headband, placed over the ears, or perhaps a balaclava or gimp mask. Though, on second thoughts, those last items are not very advisable in an airplane, or any public transport...

  19. that one in the corner Silver badge

    How about

    some tinnitus cancelling earbuds?

    Now those would be useful.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: How about

      Wouldn't that be nice. But it's not real sound. It's (commonly) the broken hearing follicles (don't recall the name) transmitting riiiiiiiiiiing as it is a broken sensor. I have not heard silence in 25 years.

      1. NXM

        Re: How about

        Me neither.

        Going to that Hawkwind concert in 1985 was a mistake.

      2. Annihilator
        Unhappy

        Re: How about

        I've had it explained similarly, that the damage you've got in that frequency has resulted in your brain turning up the gain in that frequency to maximum as it can't believe there is nothing there.

        I assumed losing hearing would be broadly just things getting quieter. I'm horrified to discover that it's actually a case of your imaginary background noise becoming too loud to hear things over.

  20. Eclectic Man Silver badge

    The sound of silence

    I have only ever achieved that with foam earplugs and over-ear active noise cancelling headphones. My old Bose headphones though pricey did not quite manage to cancel out sharp impact noise (say like some complete arsehole having put laminate flooring down without any soundproofing decides to walk around in clogs on MY ceiling, that sort of noise), but combined with foam earplugs - silence.

  21. Kurt 5

    Get decent NC Headphones

    If you use some decent Noise Cancelling Over the Ear headphones I think you'll find they do a pretty good (not perfect) job on longhauls. Finding Bose QC35s (or better) on sale is pretty easy. And some of the newer Sony products are apparently pretty good (I haven't tried those -- only Bose).

    1. Fred Daggy Silver badge

      Re: Get decent NC Headphones

      Recommend the Bose products, when on sale. Did need to replace the foam inserts - not a big problem and not a big expense either. Don't pay full price - never buy them at the airport!

  22. jollyboyspecial

    So you've tried one pair of ear buds against one pair of "old and tatty" cans and reached a conclusion of which type is better from that.

    On the same basis I can confirm that the UK is always warmer than the south of France because it is warmer today. I can also confirm that all Vauxhalls drive nicer than Fords because my Vauxhall is nicer to drive than my wife's (admittedly old and tatty) Ford.

  23. mark l 2 Silver badge

    "which at $99 occupy a price point I feel some fliers might tolerate as an investment."

    I suspect the A40s like all the othe wireless ear buds currently on the market don't have replaceable batteries, so once their current batteries are not holding enough juice to make them useful they become e-waste. So i would hardly call that an investment.

    Wireless earbuds seems to have been created to solve a problem the phone manufactures created themselves, the removal of the headphone jack. The phone manufactures realised because ear buds are essentially consumables they can keep selling you new ones every few years, where as I have wired headphone going back to the 1980s which still work fine 40 years later. I bet none of todays wireless ear buds will even be working in 10 years from now, never mind 30 years beyond that.

    1. Happy_Jack

      USB-C to 3.5mm adapters are relatively cheap. It's not some mysterious conspiracy theory.

      1. simmondp

        Buy the correct type

        Just make sure the type you buy has an in-built DAC - and you will find that many eBay advert lie! As many phones do not support a passive converter.

    2. MachDiamond Silver badge

      "I suspect the A40s like all the othe wireless ear buds currently on the market don't have replaceable batteries, so once their current batteries are not holding enough juice to make them useful they become e-waste."

      This is another reason I went with full size headphones. I figured if the battery life was pants, I'd open them up and install a bigger battery. I can also replace the existing battery when it has run its race. The all-in-one ear pods are limited by the battery life. Again, going with a name brand will likely mean higher quality batteries, but it's still not going to be great. When they're dead, you will once again have to spend the time to find good replacements since the make/model you have to bin won't be made anymore.

  24. Mahhn

    Game on

    I picked up some JBL Quantum 800 headphones 3 years ago for gaming and music. Brought them on a flight to test noise canceling on the plane - I take them every time now. Just amazing.

    I'm a tall guy, so it was important to me they don't squeeze my head, and they don't. They use of wifi and BT at the same time is pretty cool. And they have a button to turn NCC off and on without taking them off, if you want to keep listening but hear people talk. Looks like they have been superseded by the 810

    1. MrBanana

      Re: Game on

      There is a correlation between your height and the width of your head? Who knew.

  25. Portent

    Jabra Elite 75t Actives are where it's at

    I've yet to find anything that works better for me that the Jabra Elite 75t Active's. I've had mine a while and originally got them on a deal, although they are now quite cheap as they have been replaced with newer models. The case is small in the pocket, it won't break the bank if I lose them, they sound fantastic with a lot of base, clear but not overly bright high's, all the software bugs have were ironed out years ago, they have great battery life, have good multipoint connection, they had noise cancellation added in software, even after newer models came out, and the Active version is IP57 so waterproof. The only two downsides are the lack of wireless charging and that they run in a master/slave configuration so you can't have only the left earbud in. I think those two issues were resolved with the Jabra Elite 7 Pro's so I might try those when they come down in price, although I have heard that the sound quality isn't quite as good for some reason.

  26. simmondp

    Love my A40s

    I echo the sentiment, the A40s are great shorthaul, and on the (London) Tube. Longhaul then my Bose NCs are preferable. One problems is eating with earbuds, as I find the chewing action tends to loosen them and they can drop out - maybe peculiar to my anatomy??

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Different use cases

    I have both over the ear and pod style wireless noise reducing headphones. They both happen to be soundcore devices (older ones, but holding up fine). The noise reduction is basically the same on both - or at least near enough that it isn't a deciding factor.

    When I'm flying, the headphones are always what I use - they've got enough battery life to last a whole long haul flight, and they're able to be linked to the in-flight entertainment system using the optional 3.5mm cable (never tried connecting to those with bluetooth - if that's even possible). However, this only works because I have a hand luggage bag to put them away in afterwards.

    When I'm out and about in normal life I don't carry a bag, so I'm limited to what can fit into my pockets. Only the pods work for this.

    I use the pods about 99% of the time these days. I like having the option of the headphones for those rare cases when it makes sense (flights and longer train journeys), but if I hadn't bought the over the ear ones first I'd probably just make do with the pods all the time.

  28. Callum Winton

    Double Whammy

    No-one's mentioned the obvious yet, but noise cancelling earbuds under noise cancelling heaphones is possibly the best way to truly cancel noise and still consume content. Earbuds with NC+ connected to device via BT and the headphones on NC duty only.

    Works really well as long as the headphones are roomy enough. Plus they can help secure the earbuds in place so no fear on losing one on a long-haul flight. If the earbuds run out of juice then the overears will still keep cabin noises in check.

    If silence is important tho, I'd 100% recommend custom earplugs (e.g. Ultimate Ear sleep plugs).

    -31db with no batteries, no NC hiss and they're seriously comfortable

    Silence through insulation.

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like