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Which Are the Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for You?

Updated on July 18, 2011
Popular Skullcandy Headphones
Popular Skullcandy Headphones

Why Buy Noise Cancelling Headphones?

When I first saw someone on a plane wearing noise cancelling headphones, I was baffled. Why in the world would a person wear those? Of course, I learned pretty soon after becoming a weary frequent flyer exactly why a person would want to buy noise cancelling headphones.

In case you didn't notice, airplanes are loud! The engines themselves can be enough to rattle your brain, especially on a long flight. And on overnight or overseas flights when you simply have to get some sleep, a pair of good noise cancelling headphones are worth their weight in gold. Ditto flights where you need to get work done and the people sitting across the aisle are arguing about who spent all of the money on vacation.

Noise Cancelling Headphones Sony at a Discount!

Other Reasons to Buy Noise Cancelling Headphones

But after I bought a pair, I found that noise cancelling headphones come in handy in situations other than long, noisy airplane flights. Sometimes when I'm trying to concentrate on my work at home, I can't for all of the noise surrounding me. It may be loud trucks outside, the television in the room beside me, or my daughter's stereo. Sometimes just noise of any kind irritates me. When these situations arise, I just grab my noise cancelling headphones and make the world go away. Silence is golden sometimes.

Noise Cancellation Headphones Features to Consider

The thing is, after I decided that I needed a pair of noise cancelling headphones for myself, I just bought the first pair of headphones I saw. Buzz! Wrong answer! I went through about five sets of noise cancelling headphones before I found some that I really liked.

To save you some time and a lot of money, read the following considerations you should think about when you want to buy noise cancelling headphones. The best noise cancelling headphones for you personally will depend on which features are the most important to you.

How well do they cancel noise? This sounds like an obvious question if you are buying headphones specifically to cancel noise. But noise cancelling headphones differ greatly in their ability to mute the sounds around you.

The best type to buy will depend upon your specific needs. Do you want noise cancelling headphones because you work in a noisy environment such as heavy construction work, or do you just want to block out the television while you try to read?

Are they comfortable? This is a pretty big issue for everyone. No matter how effective noise cancelling headphones may be, if they aren't comfortable you won't wear them for long.

Comfort will in part depend on the type of headphones that you prefer. They come in both over the ear and in ear styles. Most people prefer one over the other for comfort.

If buying over the ear noise cancelling headphones, look for headphone units with lots of padding around the ears and the headband. They should be as lightweight as possible, too.

Are they going to last? Some noise cancelling headphones are a bit pricey. Be sure the model you choose is from a reputable company. Check to make sure that they are quality made.

I bought an expensive headphone set with noise cancellation properties. Within a week, they had broken. I had removed them from my head, and the plastic headband just snapped in two. Luckily, the company had a great warranty policy, so it wasn't too big of an aggravation.

Probably not the last item on most people's list of important features is the sound itself. The sound quality of noise cancelling headphones varies greatly with different headphone sets. Check the music sound quality first before buying noise cancelling headphones by trying them out in a store or reading reviews online.

And some people like to buy noise cancellation headphones with extra features. Some want a stylish pair of headphones, or a headphones unit that matches their mp3 player. There are many noise cancelling headphones brands that fit the bill.

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