Audio Technica ATH-ANC7b

Audio-Technica’s ATH-ANC7b QuietPoint headphones are lightweight, compact and ideal for use with MP3, CD, DVD and in-flight entertainment systems. They feature Audio Techinica’s fully integrated ANC circuitry that effectively reduces distracting background noise by up to 85% (active noise reduction up to 20dB). 40mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems in each earpiece provide superior audio quality for deeper bass, extended treble and higher fidelity. A single AAA battery powers the active noise-canceling technology with or without audio. ATH-ANC7b QuietPoint headphones fold flat for easy portability and include a detachable cable, and come with a specialized airline adapter for connecting to in-flight entertainment systems, and a handy carrying case.  Many people are comparing these very favorably to the more expensive Bose QuietComfort headphones, saying they sound as good, muffle outside sound better, and are more durable over years of use. Recommended

Sony MDR-NC200D

Sony’s entry into the best noise canceling headphones field has also drawn 4 and 5-star reviews. Like the Audio Technica’s above, these lightweight, long-wearing puppies claim to shut out 85% of the ambient room or airplane noise, and carry many of the same features too – the single AAA battery for the noise-canceling, proper adapters for different size plugs, and a carrying case. Once again these can be purchased for less money than the Bose, yet reveal comparable sound quality. Most people could not tell the difference. I prefer these a bit over the Audio Technica’s because the pressure against your ears is a bit less, so you can wear them for longer without feeling like you must remove them due to pressure

Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic

Bose has been an incredible innovator in sound quality, stereo separation and bold designs for decades, and they were the original pioneers of the whole noise-canceling concept in headphones. That’s why, even today with fine entries from Audio Technica, Sony, Sennheiser and others, when most people think of buying a set of noise-canceling headphones for airplane comfort, they think first of the Bose QuietComfort series; indeed, many still believe Bose is the only ones who make these best noise canceling headphones! Most head-to-head comparisons with the other brand names reveal the Bose’s to be very high in sound quality, superior to all the others with the possible exception of the Sennheiser’s, and noticeably superior in noise-cancellation power. It’s clearly a notch quieter under the hood of these softies. The places where eyebrows are raised against the Bose QuietComfort 15′s is in the price – it’s hard to find them for under $300 – and the build quality – noticeably plastic-y and much quicker to start falling apart over the years. The most expensive should be the best built, right? If you want the premium sound and noise-cancellation abilities, and don’t mind spending an extra $50 or $100 to get the best, the Bose QuietComfort 15′s are still the original go to state-of-the-art contenders. But baby them to make sure they don’t show early sings of obsolesence.

Sennheiser PXC 450 NoiseGard

I’m a sound engineer, and the Sennheiser PXC 450s have the highest-quality sound by far, so these are my favorites of the 4-pack on this page. The separation and crystalline individuality of all the different voices & instruments set these headphones in a class by themselves; indeed the Sennheiser PXC 450′s were the only noise-canceller headset I felt could compare to studio-quality pro headphones. The others compromise with either too much or too little bass, and more weight on the noise-canceling quality than studio-level sound quality. That said, the Sennheiser PXC 450s also had the least noise-cancel of the pack, just a shade less noise-canceling than the Sony’s or Audio Technica’s, and significantly less than the Bose’s. The funny thing is, I compared these on several noisy airplane flights and found it didn’t seem to matter. How much noise cancellation do you really need? With the Sennheiser PXC 450′s on and the music at a medium level, I still was left blissfully unaware of about 90% of the ambient sounds around me, including the low-rumbles, whooshes and  high-pitched whines of the plane, and virtually all of the talking. If absolute, quiet-as-midnight-in-the-Arctic sound-canceling is your requirement, go with the Bose’s. But if you want good noise-cancellation while also having a set of phones that make all your old music sound like you’re hearing it for the first time, the Sennheiser PXC 450 NoiseGard’s  are the best noise canceling headphones available.

The first question you might ask is, “Do I really need noise canceling headphones? What are the instances and applications where noise canceling headphones are necessary?” The obvious answer is, anywhere where, in addition to providing great lifelike sound and stereo separation, you purposely want to block out almost all extraneous noises, sounds and talking the room. Many high-quality headphones have a semi- or completely open back, because of the significant improvement in bass response offered when the back is left open and the headphone’s transducer diaphragm is allowed to move more freely in the air space carrying sound vibrations. And when you listen to music, even at high volumes, in a room where others are talking or moving chairs or kitchen utensils, these extraneous sounds definitely infiltrate your music experience.

When you put on a set of fine noise canceling headphones, prior to the music starting, you may think you’ve temporarily gone deaf, it’s such a complete reduction in ambient noise. Then the music starts, and you hear nothing but your music, even in a room filled with normal-level talking and activities. Ahh, bliss!

One of the most common uses for noise canceling headphones these days is airplane travel. More and more travelers insist that plugging in a pair of these babies and setting their iPod for hours of continuous play allows them to arrive twice as refreshed and rested, and they simply won’t board a plane without them.

The best noise canceling headphones need not cost significantly more than semi-open or fully-open backed models – indeed the price range pretty  much parallels that of normal headphones, from well under $100 to only about $300-$400 for the best ones. And those are the retail prices, not the prices you’ll find here at good headphones through our super deals. Obviously, you get what you pay for, and some of the higher-cost models will definitely outperform low-cost models.

The purpose of a good set of headphones has usually been to deliver top-quality sound and stereo separation which means you could perceive the audio precisely because the musician and performer initially intended it – indeed, because the music artists and producers heard it in the studio the day it had been recorded and mixed. The top audiophile headphones can duplicate the individual wavelengths and stereo soundstage so specifically, you can come to feel like you are seated together with the engineer, right behind the glass in the recoding studio room. But there’s absolutely no reason why fine-sounding headphones can’t also be fine-looking headphones, with cool models and features that make it stand out from the tried-and-true, large cushioned cup over the ear pack. In this review, let’s take a glance at some really cool headphones, produced by some really innovative thinkers that insisted on bold, contemporary features as well as great sound.

SkullCandy INK’d earphones

Earbuds are ubiquitous right now, simply because everyone wants to listen to their music on the run – from their iPod when they exercise, run, ride public transit, or maybe even just walk throughout the house ignoring their parents (“Can’t hear you Mom, got earbuds in!)
Earbuds can be found in many price points, comfort levels, and audio quality, and you may easily pay over $400 or $500 for a few high-tech, turbo-charged models from Shure or Monster. But for most everyday listening by the average iPod music lover, lesser expensive brands will perform just fine, and Skull Candy has produced exceptionally fine-sounding, durable and good looking cool headphones for an incredibly affordable price. These Skull Candy INK’d reproduce great bass and clean, non-shrill highs, their silicone caps fit most ears very comfortably and snugly, and most reviewers report getting up to 2-3 years of problem-free use from them (even those who’re hard on their earphones,) before replacing them for the price of one or two lattes at Starbucks. Recommended

ifrogz Earpollution Ep-Dj-Spider Dj Style Headphones

These very stylish full over-the-ear headphones cost less than $50, yet their sound reproduction rivals the clean bass and treble quality of audiophile headphones costing ten times as much. These Earpollution Spider Headphones, in addition to ifrogz similar models, the DJ-Union, DJ-Billion and DJ-Munich, come in a variety of cool color and emblem combinations that stand out behind the dance floor turntables, targeting them towards modern DJs who do professional mixing at clubs and parties. Very cool headphones indeed. Definitely worth checking out and comparing before laying out several hundred dollars more.

More Cool Headphones

Beats By Dr. Dre Hi-Def Noise-Canceling Over-Ear Headphones

The famous Andre “Dr. Dre” Young has franchised his name to a group of fine earbuds and full headphones, manufactured and distributed under exclusive license by the Monster Cable Products company. High-quality sound, innovative designs, and medium-to-expensive price range, matched with endorsements by celebrities like Diddy, Lady Gaga and Lebron James give these headphones loads of star-power cache. But all the Hollywood glitter aside, they are amazingly well-designed and great sounding headphones (Monster Cable wouldn’t put their highly-reputed name on low performance junk,) and right now, some of Beats by Dre’s most popular over-ear models that may retail for over $300 can be gotten for as little as $139 through this link.

iSound by Yanko Designs

Seohyun Baek created a unique semi-circular set of earphones for Yanko designs that purposely allow some low level of street noise to trickle in along with the transmission of music. It was focused on bikers, drivers and others performing outdoor activities where having the ability to be aware of some surrounding sounds is crucial to avoiding accidents while enjoying your music. Very stylish in their modern angles and the way they clip together, if you listen to music while biking or similar activities, you’ll want to check these extremely cool headphones out.

Monster MHBEATSPIOE $349.99 $263.88 Average Customer Rating   3.9 out of 5 Read Reviews Write Review

Beats by Dre Review

Here we review the superior Dr Dre headphones, designed by Beats by Dre and hip-hop Maestro Dr. Dre. They offer great sound reproduction and noise cancelling. Dre. These full over-the-ear headphones provide amazing sound and frequency response, and come in White, Black and Red. The user reviews below are very favorable, and attest to the fine workmanship, solid sound spectrum and rad design of these very cool headphones.

Image
Title	Beats Studio by Dr. Dre - Hi-Def Noise-Canceling Over-Ear Headphones,Black	Monster Beats Solo High-Def On-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk (White)	Monster Cable Beats Solo High-Definition On-Ear Headphones with Control Talk (Black)	Beats Studio by Dr. Dre - Hi-Def Noise-Canceling Over-Ear Headphones,White	Beats Solo Hi-Def Headphones with ControlTalk (Red)	Beats Studio by Dr. Dre - Hi-Def Noise-Canceling Over-Ear Headphones,Red
Brand	Monster	Monster	Monster	Monster	Monster	Monster
Color	Black	White	Black	White	Red	Red
EAN	0068888909969	0050644577086	0050644569432	0083720381772	0050644571916	0050644624841
Feature	Advanced driver design for precise audio clarity; extra large speaker drivers for super deep bass Monster headphone cable with Quadripole twisted pair construction for balanced sound and clarity Powered isolation technology actively cuts external noise Spacious earcups with plush, breathable cushions for ultimate listening comfort Included iSonitalk cable with answer button and mic lets you take calls with iPhone or other music phones	Light weight. High Performance. Beats look. High Definition Sound Proprietary titanium coated driver technology Tri-fold design and travel case for easy storage Comfortable, lightweight design, perfect for active lifestyles	Light weight. High Performance. Beats look. High Definition Sound Proprietary titanium coated driver technology Tri-fold design and travel case for easy storage Comfortable, lightweight design, perfect for active lifestyles.	Power Isolation Noise canceling Limited White color Spacious Earcups Plush breathable cushions	Proprietary titanium coated driver technology ensures they preserve every bit of the lush bass and vital details of your music Plus, the ingenious tri-fold design make for easy storage when not in use. Solo HD's cable also features Monster ControlTalk for iPod playback control and iPhone/music phone hands-free calling.	Advanced driver design for precise audio clarity Cleaning cloth with antimicrobial treatment polishes and controls germs Extra large speaker drivers for super deep bass High powered digital amplifier plays hip hop, rock, R+B and more loud, without distortion Included iSonitalk cable with answer button and mic lets you take calls with iPhone or other music phones
ListPrice	$349.99	$229.95	$229.95	$349.95	$229.00	$349.95
UPC	050644450334	050644577086	050644569432	050644560378	050644571916	050644624841
Price	$299.00	$179.95	$179.99	$299.00	$199.00	$299.00
Rating
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews

	Best Quality Replacement Cable iSoniTalk Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Studio solo HD End Time: 2012-05-20 17:42:18. Time Left:33 Minutes 7 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 12.62 #Bids: 0 Bid Now
	Beats by Dr Dre - Monster Cable HD Studio PRO Headphones RRP £279.99 End Time: 2012-06-17 17:14:45. Time Left:28 Days 5 Minutes 34 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 158.05 #Bids: 27 Bid Now
	Black Straight Replacement Audio Cable for Monster Beats Studio by Dr.Dre 3.5mm End Time: 2012-05-20 17:42:44. Time Left:33 Minutes 33 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 4.27 #Bids: 1 Bid Now
	Straight Monster Beats Studio by Dr.Dre 3.5mm Replacement Headphone Audio Cable End Time: 2012-05-20 17:42:59. Time Left:33 Minutes 48 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 4.27 #Bids: 0 Bid Now
	Beats by Dre Studio HD End Time: 2012-05-20 17:53:56. Time Left:44 Minutes 45 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 160.00 #Bids: 0 Bid Now
	Beats by Dr. Dre Studio Limited Edition Brushed Aluminum Headphones End Time: 2012-05-20 17:58:23. Time Left:49 Minutes 12 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 279.99 #Bids: 0 Bid Now
	Monster Beats By Dr.Dre (NEW) Limited Edition Detox Studio Pro End Time: 2012-05-20 18:55:39. Time Left:1 Hours 46 Minutes 28 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 221.00 #Bids: 13 Bid Now
	Beats By Dr. Dre - Studio Over-the-Ear Headphones From Monster - Blue End Time: 2012-05-20 19:10:42. Time Left:2 Hours 1 Minutes 31 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 192.50 #Bids: 2 Bid Now
	Used Monster Beats Studio Headphones by Dr. Dre (White) DJ Headphones AWESOME End Time: 2012-05-20 19:15:34. Time Left:2 Hours 6 Minutes 23 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 152.50 #Bids: 9 Bid Now
	Beats by Dre Studio edition white End Time: 2012-05-20 19:17:08. Time Left:2 Hours 7 Minutes 57 Seconds	Current Bid: $ 200.00 #Bids: 0 Bid Now

When I was a kid growing up, a pair of really good headphones was considered essential for creating that all-encompassing experience of listening to music in stereo. Each time a new album came out by our favorite band or artist, that took full advantage of the latest technology in stereo mixing and soundstage placement, friends would talk about how cool it was to hear it through a good amp and set of fine, properly placed speakers, but how much cooler it was to clamp on a set of good headphones, immerse ourselves in our own private listening space, and enjoy the voices and instruments swirling around our head in a transportive experience of stereo separation.

And the same is still true today. For truly enjoying music to it’s finest, and taking a musical journey on cascading waves of widely-separated sounds and instruments, there’s simply nothing like listening through a top-quality set of good headphones.

There are many fine brands and models of good headphones to choose from, from very small earbuds and silver-dollar sized miniature pads, to full over-the-ear noise canceling headphones with soft cushions for long wearing comfort and fine transducers (the headphones’ “speaker”) that deliver amazing clarity of each individual musical nuance.

With this website, I am dedicated to bringing you the most up-to-date information about all the best headphones in all price ranges, so you can find the pair best suite to enhancing your listening enjoyment. As a avid music listener, music producer and recording engineer, I have decades of experience working with the finest headphones available, so you can trust my reviews to be honest and well-informed.

Good Headphones – Who Makes Them

Over the last 40 years, virtually all the major consumer and pro audio electronics manufacturers, that offered amplifiers, speakers and CD/DVD players, have also offered quality headphones. And most of the makers of pocket sized electronics, like iPods and cell phones, have also jumped onboard. So it’s not surprising to see scores of headphone choices from common consumer brands like Sony, Apple and Bose, as well as the well known dedicated manufacturers of fine headphones like Sennheiser, Koss, AKG and Audio-Technica. And many smaller high-end “boutique” brands have sprung up, like Grado, Ultrasone and the revolutionary planar magnetic headphones from Audeze, with remarkable reference-level accuracy (and a whopping $1000 price tag to match!)

We’ll go over many of these good headphones and each one’s strengths and weaknesses in unbiased reviews. Some of the featured top models include the Sennheiser HD650, the AKG k701, and some solid contenders by Klipsch headphones.For small portable headphones and ear buds, we’ll check in with the latest improvements by SkullCandy and Shure.

For hard core audiophiles and pro studios, the ultimate headphone control experience is afforded by a quality headphone amp, and we’ll look at the best of these, too.

And there’s always amazing new gear coming out every season, and we’ll continually update and add our expert ear and knowledgeable component breakdowns of all the newest cool headphones and music gear.

Best of all is our ability to provide the best prices through our trusted affiliate sources. Often, we can match or beat even the lowest sale prices found on other online outlets or your local big box consumer electronics stores. So when it comes to crystal clear sonic immersion in all your favorite classical, jazz and popular discs, and the clearest communications over your trusty MP3 players and multi-function smart phones, you can make good headphones.net your one stop trusted source for …good headphones. Really good headphones!