[iMore.com]

An excellent pair of noise-cancelling headphones helps you drown out the world around you and focus on what you want. If you're looking for some piece and quiet this semester, here are our favorite over-the-ear noise cancelling headphones.

Full story from the iMore Blog...

[Just_Me_D]

My Bose model QC35 does the job quite well when it comes to noise cancellation, and I don’t plan on getting rid of them anytime soon.

[imwjl]

My Bose model QC35 does the job quite well when it comes to noise cancellation, and I don’t plan on getting rid of them anytime soon.

Earlier shopping at least 2 years back and farther had me feeling it had to be Bose. The Sony WH-H900N next to Bose 35s in a store blew me away with really good noise cancelling and nicer sounding music options at a lower price. At this point I'm trying to sort out of the Bose are worth a $120 - $170 jump just for noise cancellation.

My Bose purchases have always been fine - Acoustimass stereo system, their high end Companion computer system, and bluetooth speakers. OTOH, I've had a lot of fine Sony stuff over decades. Low and high end buds and cans from them seem really good. A friend has a Sony bluetooth speaker that's really great even though it might not be the brand name many rush to.

[evanking527]

I have a question, which are the best wired noise cancelling headphones? I need them plugged up and not Bluetooth. But many times this will mean active noise cancelling headphones won’t work because they only work with Bluetooth

[Just_Me_D]

Earlier shopping at least 2 years back and farther had me feeling it had to be Bose. The Sony WH-H900N next to Bose 35s in a store blew me away with really good noise cancelling and nicer sounding music options at a lower price. At this point I'm trying to sort out of the Bose are worth a $120 - $170 jump just for noise cancellation.

My Bose purchases have always been fine - Acoustimass stereo system, their high end Companion computer system, and bluetooth speakers. OTOH, I've had a lot of fine Sony stuff over decades. Low and high end buds and cans from them seem really good. A friend has a Sony bluetooth speaker that's really great even though it might not be the brand name many rush to.

Although the Sony headphones you reference may sound better, that’s not enough for me to go out and purchase a pair. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with my QC-35s and I’m more than pleased with the sound they emit. Now if they were crap out on me then I would consider the Sony, but not until then. Know what I mean?

[Just_Me_D]

I have a question, which are the best wired noise cancelling headphones? I need them plugged up and not Bluetooth. But many times this will mean active noise cancelling headphones won’t work because they only work with Bluetooth

Probably the Bose QC-25.

[imwjl]

I have a question, which are the best wired noise cancelling headphones? I need them plugged up and not Bluetooth. But many times this will mean active noise cancelling headphones won’t work because they only work with Bluetooth

My homework yielded these and others need a bluetooth connection or the supplied cable even if that cable's not plugged into anything for just noise cancelling. I forgot to fully test both before I do an international flight soon. I'll try to do that today. I forgot what other brand reviews had the same issue.

An associate said Bose models for pilots do the noise cancelling no matter what. I cannot say that's true.

Although the Sony headphones you reference may sound better, that’s not enough for me to go out and purchase a pair. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with my QC-35s and I’m more than pleased with the sound they emit. Now if they were crap out on me then I would consider the Sony, but not until then. Know what I mean?

Yes, I know what you mean. I would not sell QC-35s so fast or at all if I had them. My point was that earlier homework making me feel that's the brand you had to have for good noise cancelling.

We're funny as human beings. For an upcoming international flight I'd like ultimate noise cancelling even without music playing. My week of daily use at the table outside of the data room has me thinking these just shy of top model Sony's are great.

My inner nerd wonders if Bose would have cut out more of a vacuum cleaner I heard. My guess is the moving back and forth vacuum cleaner noise varied more than washer and dryer or road noise.

[imwjl]

Update: Plenty of use including 4 flights and data center noise have me pleased with the purchase. I cannot imagine paying more for the 1000 model or Bose.

Most interesting was a flight attendant recognizing them and saying he was debating between he 900 Sony and 1000. He said this category is very popular in his job because of the fights they do to go to work. He said he was torn between the obvious tremendous value COSTCO currently has and top model just because he is in a plane so often. He said his peers also think Bose no longer totally rules for noise cancellation and it seems like I'm not alone appreciating the enhanced musical tone options with the Sony.

You do need the Sony app to get the most out of the product but the iPhone app does not appear to be a battery burner.

Early on I read these don't stay on or do noise cancelling for more than 5 min if you don't play music. Maybe it was the software update or app in phone running in background, but I realized I dozed longer than that on plane flights and still had noise cancelling.

Nothing against Bose. I have their top computer speakers, bluetooth and top entertainment system but Sony really seems to have done their homework and passed the test with current headphones.

[Just_Me_D]

Update: Plenty of use including 4 flights and data center noise have me pleased with the purchase. I cannot imagine paying more for the 1000 model or Bose.

Most interesting was a flight attendant recognizing them and saying he was debating between he 900 Sony and 1000. He said this category is very popular in his job because of the fights they do to go to work. He said he was torn between the obvious tremendous value COSTCO currently has and top model just because he is in a plane so often. He said his peers also think Bose no longer totally rules for noise cancellation and it seems like I'm not alone appreciating the enhanced musical tone options with the Sony.

You do need the Sony app to get the most out of the product but the iPhone app does not appear to be a battery burner.

Early on I read these don't stay on or do noise cancelling for more than 5 min if you don't play music. Maybe it was the software update or app in phone running in background, but I realized I dozed longer than that on plane flights and still had noise cancelling.

Nothing against Bose. I have their top computer speakers, bluetooth and top entertainment system but Sony really seems to have done their homework and passed the test with current headphones.

Go with what works for “you”, my friend, regardless of the brand.