Noise Cancelling Headphones


I favorably reviewed a product that is working for me in the aftermath of another, similar product that stopped working for me; I figure I might as well put that review on my blog, too. In truth, the review is at least as much a condemnation of the former as a plaudit of the latter.

I work in an environment where I write about 1,500 words a day, give or take. Writing requires some amount of concentration. However, the realities of the cube-garden work space being what they are, casual conversations carry. Enthusiastic, game-related conversations carry even farther. Conversations developers are having about a product you designed are like audio-beacons, destined to pull your attention from whatever you're currently working on.

So, a few years ago I went looking for some noise-cancelling headphones. I ended up with a set of Bose Quietcomfort2 headphones. I ended up using them until just a few weeks ago, which was a span of about 2 years.

They did the job, and for that I initially loved them. I only stopped using them because they disintegrated. Yes, it's true; at the end, no amount of cobbling could any longer salvage their usability. Even within a few months of purchasing them, the plastic arms began crumbling, until each sidearm of the set was thickly wrapped in electrician's tape to keep them rigid enough to clamp over my ears.

Last week, one headphone cup broke off, and after trying one last valiant effort with tape and a brace, I had to call it quits.

I've never traveled with these, I use them only at my desk, I've never dropped them.

Even with such care, the plastic slowly crumbled away.

Is this planned obsolescence? For something that cost me $350 dollars, I'm very upset.

So, I ordered a set of Audio-Technica noise-cancelling headphones (for half the price of the Bose!).

So far, the Audio-Technicas cancel noise slightly better than the Bose, and in fact allow me to go to a lower volume on music while I'm working at my desk, or even no music at all. Best of all, the Audio-Technicas cacnel out voices better, which is really what I'm looking for.

I guess to really compare to the Bose, I'll have to give the new headphones a little time and see if they begin crumbling away after just 6 months as the Quietcomfort2 did. So, if that happens, I'll give another review. But for now, I'm happy.


Posted: Mon - May 21, 2007 at 01:23 PM          

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