Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones Reviews

• Half the price but better than Bose? Heh.. think we found a winner!

  
  By A1VFX417XDNWIU on 2007-05-03
  As everybody I'm sure, I debated between these and the Bose Quiet comforts. I have listened to all 3 and I myself like the over the ear better first of all, so the QC 3 where out ( and they pretty much compare evenly with the QC2 ). Now for the review of this product versus the QC2, my two remaining choices.
  
  QC 2 - Excellent noise canceling, overall excellent balance in music tone. Good Highs, Good Mid-range but EXCELLENT bass. Downside is 300 dollars and very flimsy (cheaply made)
  
  ATH-ANC7 -
  1.SUPERB Noise canceling: Plane: W/O music - everything is muffled as if you where in a room by yourself but you could hear people outside the door. With Music: I had trouble hearing ANY Noise outside the music, It was almost completely silent...I could turn my Ipod down to around 25% of max volume and could hear every instrument and then some. These are BETTER than Bose as far as Noise canceling.
  2. The High and Mid-range on these things are some of the best I've heard, and I am now comparing with the Bose as well as some Grado's. These demolish Bose in that area, you almost can FEEL the snare drums and the breath of the singer...honestly.
  3. Bass - This is kind of the downside. The bass is there, but definitely is not as apparent as with the Bose. It has a nice muffled thumping sound, but is kind of back shadowed by the highs, but after adjusting the EQ you could hear it more, and it was fairly descent with no distortion. There was,however, some distortion with the very deep punchy bass on some songs, which is kind of annoying. You can't hear it that much enough to mess with the song, but it is there sometimes, I'm trying to guess whether it is my headphones or it just does this, but all in all the bass is a 5.5/10.
  4. Comfort - Excellent comfort, more so than the QC 2. Has a more padded cushion, and it fits nicely over my ears.
  5. Construction - Doesn't feel as flimsy as the QC 2's, and has a nice solid feel.
  +++ Added Bonus - The Noise Canceling option runs off of AAA batteries ( one to be exact ) versus charging with the QC3s. This is SOOO much easier than charging, and the battery lasts for around 40 hours. I absolutely love this feature.
  
  All in all I think you know which one i recommend. I bought these new for 140 versus 300 for the Bose, and I can't tell you enough how much these are actually better than the Bose. You will be saving money and getting better features along with it. If it sounds to good to be true - it isn't. I am the first reviewer of these and I went out on a limb buying these, now I come to you to let you know that you don't have ONE choice when it comes to noise canceling headphones. So I thank you for reading my review, and happy listening!
  
  

• Great sound, Good comfort, Sound leakage from hell

  
  By A1NU3EE7HW9L8H on 2007-07-25
  I bought these from Amazon with very high hopes. See, I bought the Bose Quiet Comfort 2's and while I was pleased with the Bose comfort, style and noise cancellation, I was utterly displeased with the sound from the Bose. It's very muddy, almost muffled with bass that sounds like it's not where it should be in certain areas (the bass rolls off into the mids too much, I guess...) I'm not an audiophile, but I expect to have clarity in my music. I mainly listen to House and Dance music but I'm all over the map. I have Pantera on my iPod, some old 80's hair metal, I will admit I even have Kelly Clarkson and The Veronica's on my iPod (shhh!).
  
  I was hoping the ANC7's would as comfortable as the Bose, provide just as good noise cancellation and provide more notable highs and tighter bass but also keep the music in my ears and not leaking out of the headphones for everyone else in the office to hear. Here is my review based on the comparison of the Bose Quiet Comfort 2's that everyone keeps comparing these to.
  
  COMFORT
  They're very comfortable. They're a bit tighter than the Bose on the ears. I almost have to tuck my ears into the ANC7's unlike the Bose. However, this causes no discomfort to me. If you're picking at straws, the Bose win. However, I'd say it's about even. The only thing I can say that is a slight drawback in the ANC7's is that my ears would begin to feel a tad hot after extended wear...
  
  NOISE CANCELLATION
  Dead even to me. I couldn't pick up if one was canceling out noise more than the other in my loud office environment. I think the ANC7's did a great job for noise cancellation here as there is no audible buzz like in some NC headphones. I used to think Bose was the only company that could do NC correctly, but I was obviously wrong... the ANC7's were on par with the Bose in this area.
  
  BUILD AND STYLE
  Again, even here... I read someone on here that the ANC7's look better in person than they do in the pictures. That person was 100% correct. The ANC7's look very nice a sleek in person. I was amazed. I thought nothing could beat the style of the Bose, but again... I was wrong. These are just as (if not more) stylish than the Bose. However, the ANC7's win in build quality. Hold both of these headphones, the ANC7's feel notably better and more sturdy compared to the lighter, but cheaper feeling Bose. The ANC7's are by no means heavy, but definitely feel more sturdy.
  
  SOUND
  ANC7's win. The bass in tracks is notable unlike some reviewers have said. If you're used to the Bose, you may think these lack bass, but in fact they don't... The bass is just where it should be. In the Bose headphones, the bass in "enhanced" and bleeds into the mids and highs a lot making things sound very unnatural to me. However, in the ANC7's, the bass hits hard, but is tight and centered. Again, I'm not an audiophile, so I may sound like a dork explaining this stuff (not using the right technical jargon?) but this is the best I can describe it. The highs in the ANC7 are great. Not muffled like in the Bose and yet, not harsh so that it may hurt your ears. Music sounds a lot more natural in the ANC7's.
  
  SOUND LEAKAGE
  What I mean by this is when you have your headphones on, what your cube neighbor or person sitting next to you may hear leaking out of your headphones. Well, I bought closed, over the ear headphones for a reason... to try and eliminate any sound leakage so that I won't annoy my office. The Bose leak sound a good bit. However, the ANC7's leak sound TERRIBLY. I was amazed. The way I tested this was two ways... 1) Having the headphones lay flat on my desk with the ear cups laying flat on the desk. I'd turn my iPod's volume to a volume I typically listen at in the office. Since the Bose are a tad muffled in sound, I would even increase the volume on the iPod to compensate for that when testing the Bose. To my amazement, the ANC7's were almost louder off of my ears than they were on my ears. No kidding, either. I could hear every word of every song and easily identify which song it was that was currently playing without looking at my iPod. However, with the Bose (even with an increased volume) I could not make out the song as well. Lyrics weren't easily identified at all, but you could hear music coming from the headphones... just not notably and easily identifiable. The ANC7's are doing something weird that allows the music to leak majorly... I'm talking about you would think I had a radio on my desk playing (with the bass turned down, of course). This honestly defeats all purposes of a set of headphones. Headphones are supposed to be so you can privately listen to music, not let the whole world in on the experience. Besides, I can't let my office mates know that I'm listening to The Veronica's, right? Wait, are they reading this review???
  
  Overall, I was dissatisfied with the ANC7's. The main thing that made me feel this way was the sound leakage because that's of major importance to me when buying a pair of headphones to wear in the office while writing code. I want to be sure that I'm not annoying everyone while - as Milton put it - "listening at a reasonable volume." I was really excited about the ANC7's until I noticed this huge drawback.
  
  PROS - Great sound, good comfort, great price, great noise cancellation, you can listen to them even with the noise cancellation turned off
  
  CONS - MAJOR sound leakage, ears get a little hot after extended wear
  
  I wish sound leakage wasn't such a huge issue, but if I'm listening at a reasonable volume and everyone around me is dancing along or laughing or getting mad due to the distraction, then, again... this defeats the purpose of headphones.
  
  

• Audio-Technica Kicks Bose Butt

  
  By A2G74V3F3JMDDI on 2007-05-17
  I owned a set of Bose Quietcomfort2 headphones for about 2 years. I really loved them, and they lasted about... 2 years. Within months of purchasing them, the plastic arms slowly crumbled, until each sidearm of the set was thickly wrapped in electrician's tape to keep the thing together.
  
  Last week, one headphone cup broke off, and no amount of tape would any longer keep them together. I've never traveled with these, I used 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 these Audio Technica headphones. So far, they 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.
  
  I guess to really compare to the Bose, I'll have to give them 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.
  
  UPDATE 09/05/08: I've fixed a few editorial errors on my review pointed out in comments. Also, I wanted to follow through on my promise to give another review: After more than a year of use, these headphones are still going strong without any of the degradation problems I encountered with the Bose set. I still highly recommend these.
  
  

• Best Noise Cancelling Headset for the $

  
  By A3TCMJ6GKZJFBQ on 2007-05-22
  Maybe I should have left off...'for the $'. I've tried the QC2 and QC3, and in my opinion, the ATH-ANC7s beat them both!
  
  If you're looking for near-audiophile balanced sound (bass, mid and high-frequencies), I think you won't be disappointed. Great design, great noise cancelling, great battery life, detachable cord, very comfortable, and less than half the price of th QC2. They look better in real life than in the picures.
  
  High quality product, reasonable price. Highly recommended.
  
  

• Product fails, vendor fails, amazon A-Z fails: A cautionary tale

  
  By AF0ZTX6XVNZ5W on 2008-01-11
  As a preface, know that in over a decade of amazon patronage and literally thousands of dollars of purchases, this is the first time I've ever written a review like this.
  
  In a word: Beware.
  
  First, don't believe the product description here which says "find peace & quiet in your living room." This product does absolutely zero to cancel the noise from neighbors' leaf blowers, weed wackers, chain saws, hedge trimmers, or barking dogs. That's what I bought it for, as a birthday present for my husband so he could have some peace and quiet in his study where he tries to concentrate and do his writing. And he was thrilled at the idea -- until he tried using it. Zero noise cancellation effect for any of those noises.
  
  Second, don't dare consider buying anything from Electronics Expo to give as a present, if at all. Presumably, you would want to make sure you got a present in plenty of time so you would order it in advance. Well, as I only now know, Electronics Expo starts a 30-day clock ticking for making returns from the day you place your order. Not the day you receive it, much less give it as a present, but from the day you place the order.
  
  And good luck trying to reach Expo to even find that out: they (admittedly) "can't keep up" with answering their phones--or their emails. (I only phoned during their advertised business hours, yet I repeatedly got a phone message saying "You've called after business hours.") Electronics Expo threatens you on their website here not to dare try to BOTH phone them AND email them or that will risk impeding your return. They also tell you that you cannot return anything without first getting an "RA" number to put on your package.
  
  So after a week or two of getting no answer by phone, I resorted to email and ceased phoning, as per their insistence, and then they didn't answer their emails either for over 2 weeks.
  
  The only time - a month into this saga - that they ever answered their phone - to even allow me to be placed on hold, I was on hold for FORTY minutes before someone answered. And the upshot? "Ohhh, too late. Sorry. 30 days expired."
  
  In short, Expo's customer service is the worst. Don't waste ANY time trying to phone them. At least if you begin by emailing them, you have a record of when you began trying to initiate a return.
  
  Third, and alas (given how much I have always liked amazon), do NOT believe amazon operators when they tell you that your situation qualifies for A-Z coverage and that you will get your money refunded. Since I'd never had any reason previously to even be aware of what amazon's A-Z guarantee is or entails, I also got stung learning the first time about how A-Z works or rather doesn't work.
  
  I've been led astray for over a month now by amazon and by four different amazon operators, each of whom heard my story and insisted that I should rest assured that my situation qualified and I would get my money back, only to then receive follow-up emails saying "Sorry, you don't qualify." It's not enough that the product fails to do what it says it will do.
  
  And amazon A-Z's "solution" reverts each time to: Contact the vendor. (Yeah, right. YOU try contacting this seller.)
  
  Also, if you ever file an A-Z guarantee, do NOT let an operator do it for you. Apparently, from what a later amazon operator told me, the first operator -- who never told me I had the option to do it myself and simply said she was filing an A-Z claim on my behalf -- had written the briefest kind of explanation -- "doesn't meet conditions." The later operator thought that was why my A-Z was rejected initially (and as of today, a month later, I now have officially had two appeals of this verdict rejected -- hence now this "review" of the whole process, since amazon has now failed me as well). That later operator suggested i go into my order and refile an A-Z claim on my own but she didn't even realize that you can't do that. Once there is one filed A-Z claim, there's no link anymore in the order on the website for being able to refile a claim and to do it in your own words, and you become utterly dependent on further amazon operators to represent your case.
  
  All amazon has done, after repeated assurances to the contrary, is say: Sorry, contact the vendor, try to get them to cover it as defective under warranty.
  
  Well, I have no idea whether this unit is defective or merely falsely advertised to do things it doesn't do. (By the way, I tried the unit myself and there's no way it cuts down 85% of sound. Even music going in the same room was reduced only minimally, nowhere near the claimed 85% -- not to mention, again, that the sounds I bought it to cancel for my husband like neighbors' gardening equipment were completely unreduced.) And the vendor is virtually unreachable.
  
  All I wanted -- totally legitimately -- was to return the gift to my husband, which was a waste of $128 for a product that doesn't do what it said it would do. Period. I started attempting that return two days after his birthday, when it was already clear to him that, despite his loving the idea of the gift, it wasn't working. And it's now been a total of 7 weeks since I began that attempt to return it and I've been given the royal runaround and stonewalling.
  
  It's absurd that amazon does business with a vendor who starts a return-policy clock ticking from the day you place an order and only gives 30 days.
  
  
• You won't get any closer to Bose for this price!
  By ADPDMLUDAMML0 on 2008-01-14
  HOW/WHY I FOUND THE AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-ANC7:
  
  Once upon a time, my wife bought me a set of Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones as a Christmas gift. They were, without a doubt, the finest headphones I've ever owned. They weren't made of the strongest stuff (after about 2 years of very light use, mine broke at the extender bracket, but Bose replaced the entire headset, no questions asked, so, no harm no foul), but in terms of combined sound performance, comfort and noise cancelling, I had never experienced their equal ... and I still have not.
  
  My Bose headphones got stolen from among my luggage at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport rental car pavillion (all you frequent travelers out there know the exact place I'm talking about), while I was standing only a few feet away, looking up at the departing/arriving flights monitors. In a word, I was devastated.
  
  As I could not bring myself to fork out another $300 for a replacement set, I began to search for a less-expensive alternative to the Bose. As it so happened, there was available to me on one of those popular credit card "rewards" programs a set of noise cancelling cans from Sony ... the MDR-NC50 (the current version of this headset is the MDR-NC60). Since I could get the Sonys right away, without having to shell out any more money, I decided to use my rewards points and take a chance on the Sonys. The Sonys had a very spotty reputation among reviewers, but I actually liked them. They weren't as good as the Bose in the sound department, but the sound was OK; they were very well-constructed, and the noise cancelling function was actually a bit better than the Bose. Unfortunately, about a year after I first acquired them, the noise cancelling function inexplicably stopped working. No bumps, no fizz ... I just pulled them out of the case one day and ... nothing. That left me with only passive mode operation, which was totally unacceptable. My wife is now inheriting that set, as she thinks they sound just peachy ... no comment, men.
  
  A few months after my Sonys died, I started researching replacements again, and happened upon the Audio Technica ATH-ANC7. You've heard it all before ... many good reviews; comparable to Bose, etc., etc. I found some high res photos of the Audio Technicas online, and was intrigued. Here, it seemed, was a set of noise-cancelling cans that replicated almost everything I loved about my Bose headset, right down to the case and accessory pouch, for a fraction of the cost of the Bose. Could it really be true? Like a German brown trout in a rainstorm, I bit, and ordered a set, and here's what I got.
  
  ACCESSORIES AND CARRYING CASE:
  
  The ATs come in a really nice box. In the front half is the headset, shown through a glassine window; in the back is the case, with the accessories already in the zippered pouch that attaches with a velcro backing to the inner lid of the case ... just like the Bose. The included accessories are the main audio cable, a 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch stereo adapter plug, an airline audio adapter plug, and a complimentary AAA battery to get you started. I loved it already. The case is just like the Bose case ... a polymer shell covered with black nylon mesh, like the material a typical backpack is made of. It differs from the Bose case in two important respects, however. The Bose case has an elastic pocket on the back, and an adjustable shoulder strap with two little hinge clips that allow you to remove the strap from the case if you want. Both these features are missing from the AT case. You get the case, and that's it.
  
  APPEARANCE AND CONSTRUCTION:
  
  The headset itself is a thing of beauty ... flat black with gray lettering and highlights. Both the external microphones and the power-on switch for the noise cancelling are located in positions similar to that for the Bose, and they look equally cool in the ATs. This headset is more sturdy, however, and constructed a little differently than the Bose. In the Bose set, there are two separate steel bands attached to the earcups that adjust by pushing into, and out of, the padded part that sits on top of your head. The ATs use a single steel band, padded at the top, and the headset adjusts by pushing the earcups up or down on this single band ... probably a more durable design than that used in the Bose ... far less likely to fracture at the plastic adjustment fittings, like my Bose did.
  
  Like the Bose, the earcups on the AT swivel to allow the headset to lay flat in the case. The main cable for the ATs is also detachable, like the Bose (so you can use the headset for quiet/noise-cancelling only), but there is no switch built into the AT cable (as there is with the Bose) that allows you to adjust between "hi" and "lo" input levels.
  
  EARCUPS:
  
  The earcup cushions are plush, soft black leather (or some kind of fake leather ... I can't tell for sure), just like the Bose, however, there is less interior space in the earcups than I remember having in the Bose. I had to monkey with these a bit to get them to fit comfortably over my ears, and the outer edges of my ears remained in contact with several surfaces within the earcups. I can definitely see these headphones getting constricting and hot if used for any significant length of time in a warm environment. When you put them on, they almost feel like you're wearing ear muffs ... not UNcomfortable, but definitely more restrictive than the Bose.
  
  NOISE-CANCELLING:
  
  The noise-cancelling feature is excellent, possibly better than the Bose, and with the ATs, I didn't notice the sensation of pressure that I noticed with the noise-cancelling on the Bose. Everyone considering noise cancelling headsets should be aware that none of the models using active noise cancelling do much to eliminate noise in the higher frequencies. Their real strength is in elimination of mid and lower frequency ambient noise, like road noise in a car or train, highway traffic, crowd or machinery noise, or the drone of an airplane's engines ... the kind of non-descript, constant background noise that stresses your brain at a subconscious level and makes it more difficult for you to concentrate or rest. For example, when someone talks to you with the noise cancelling on, you can still hear them, but at a far lower volume, with all the "bass" removed from their voice.
  
  AUDIO PERFORMANCE:
  
  The audio performance of the ATs is also very good. The midrange is well-articulated and bright, but not overpowering; the highs are crystalline and transparent, and integrated well with the mids. The bass is as well-represented as any I've heard in a headset other than Bose. Unlike the Bose, this headset continues to operate whether the noise cancelling is turned on or off. When it's on, you're in "active" mode. When it's turned off, you're in "passive" mode. In active mode, the "impedance" or resistance level of the headset drops, and all the midrange and high frequencies become more pronounced. In passive mode, the impedance is increased, the mid and high frequencies become less pronounced, and the bass becomes more apparent. To some, the bass in passive mode might sound "muddy" or indistinct, but I actually liked it, and tinkered with it quite a bit, experimenting with the EQ and volume controls on my .mp3 player to see how I could modify the dynamic balance. With this kind of tinkering, I found that on some passages of music, at varying volume levels, I actually PREFERRED the audio performance in passive mode (noise cancelling off) over the audio performance in active mode (noise cancelling on). This is totally different from what I experienced with the Sonys ... passive mode operation in the Sonys was clearly inferior to active mode in every respect, and this was a VERY pleasant surprise for me in my road test of the ATs. Nicely done, Audio Technica!
  
  As many reviewers have already observed, the bass response on the ATs isn't QUITE to the level of the Bose, but after listening to the ATs some more, I actually came back to update this review, to note that it's pretty darn close, especially when you "goose" the bass in your player's EQ and pump up the volume a bit. It's no accident that Bose holds U.S. patents on its bass emulation technologies, and man-oh-man, do I MISS that! That's 90% of what you're paying for in the Bose, folks. I've come to conclude that there is no one anywhere who has yet succeeded in doing what Bose has done in emulating low-frequency wavelengths in VERY small packages. Stuff like their Quiet Comfort headsets and "Acoustic Wave" desktop radio/CD players continue to astound, and continue to command top dollar retail in a brutally competitive consumer electronics market. I don't know how they do it, but the difference is obvious to anyone who's listening with an open mind, and an open ear.
  
  Once, I compared my Quiet Comfort headset to a pair of Sennheisers that my nephew had. He was trying to convince me (or maybe himself) that the Bose reputation (and high retail pricing) was based on nothing more than marketing gimmicks, and that his Sennheisers sounded better, but I was stunned at the obvious difference in bass performance between the two headsets, and I mentioned it to him. He looked at me like I was from outer space. In comparison, it was as if the Sennheisers had no bass at all. Either his ear wasn't able to distinguish the difference in the bass, or it simply didn't matter to him. Each to his own taste, I guess.
  
  With all that said, however, I don't want this review to sound negative on the bass response in the ATs. It's not just passable or satisfactory. It's VERY good ... MUCH better than what I experienced in the Sonys (when they still worked), and I've fallen in love with listening to my .mp3 player through headphones again, especially in light of the huge cost savings I've realized by going with the ATs instead of the Bose. At one-third the cost, I can live with a just a bit less bass response ... LOL.
  
  SOUND LEAKAGE:
  
  Finally, the reviewers who have complained about "sound leakage" from the ATs weren't kidding. When you take the headphones off, there is practically no difference between what you can hear with the earcups laying face down on a table or cushion, and what you can hear with the earcups facing up. I have no idea why that is, but I can only assume that AT gave no thought at all to this issue in their design of this headset, because if they HAD thought of it, I'm sure it wouldn't be such an obvious problem in the finished headset. Sound leakage is not a big issue for me, but I can certainly understand it being a big issue for other users. In short, if sound leakage is a concern for you, you might want to consider another headset, or wait to see if AT improves this in a later model. If you've got your heart set on the ATs for the noise-cancelling and great audio performance, at minimum, you might want to try out the ATs at a local electronics store before you buy, so you can hear the sound leakage yourself and decide if it's too much for you or not.
  
  OVERALL, AN OUTSTANDING VALUE AT $125:
  
  I got my ATs for about $125, shipped ... $200 less than a new set of Bose QC2's (about $325 after addition of sales tax and free shipping from Bose direct). At this price, I feel that I got a tremendous value, and I'm sure just about anyone buying the ATs will feel the same way.
  
  SUMMARY/CONCLUSION:
  
  As many have said before me, they aren't Bose, but they're about as close as anyone's ever going to get to the Bose QC2's at this price. Many thanks to the folks at Audio Technica for their development and marketing of this fine product.
  
  
  
• I almost bought Bose QuietComfort 3
  By A361VBHU85P73A on 2007-05-29
  I was debating between Bose QC3 and this one. Of course, Quietpoint is less than half the price but personally, it's just as good as Bose QC3. I was fortunate to have a very noisy over-the-stove exhaust fan. I never appreciated these fans until I realized that it sounded just like the airplane noise. It's one of those dual fan exhaust for serious cooks!
  
  So I did side by side comparison between 1. Bose QC3 2. Shure E3c (inactive noise isolation) 3. Sony MDR-NC5 (old active Noise cancelling headphone) and 4. Audio-Technic ATH-ANC7 Quietpoint.
  
  Both Bose QC3 and Audio-Technica QP were clear winners. They were so quiet I could hardly notice the fan in the background. I'm not too keen on Music quality but they both sounded very good. I was actually very dissapointed at Shure E3c because I been using them for a long time and really thought it blocked out significant background noise. It does not do a good job at isolating constant noisy background but good at providing high fidelity audio. I always suspected this because I used it on many airplane flights and I didn't think that it worked that well in terms of isolating airplane noise.
  
  So I would say, Audio-Technica QP is a clear winner. It's worth the money.
  
  
• quiet when you need it--comparison to Bose QC3
  By A34RLV8RAH5KDD on 2007-06-23
  Both of these headphones are very good. Very useful on a plane to eliminate the white noise from the engines and the air speeding by, as well as to eliminate almost all the noise from the kids behind you that are yelling or the couple in front of you that wanna talk as loud as they can, etc. This makes a noise-cancelling headphone set a must for anyone who travels on a plane. I've showed off these headphones to some of my fellow travelers--they are amazed at the absence of sound.
  
  This review compares to the Bose QC3. Both are very good.
  
  AudioTechnica advantages--uses AAA battery instead of Bose's proprietary battery, cost is $200 vs Bose $350, slightly larger earcups, a bit quieter than the Bose, plays sound from your iPod even when turned off (or battery dead) whereas Bose must be turned on to have any sound come through, although sound on ATH-ANC7 is a bit muddier when turned off vs when turned on.
  
  Bose QC 3advantages--a bit lighter at 5 ounces instead of 7 ounces. Better comfort on the ear, and a bit fuller sound esp in lower registers.
  
  I have ignored carrying cases, since both are a plastic shell 8 " by 8" by 2", in generous approximation, and it's a lot easier to stuff the headphones in your carryon bag without using the carrying case, cuz it takes up a lot less room that way.
  
  Also, spend $50 for Bose backup battery (although rechargeable) vs $1 for a backup AAA battery for Audio Techica.
  
  I have no financial or other interest in any products I review.
  
  
• Excellent noise reduction, Near-excellent sound quality
  By AC8RCBKYQDOV0 on 2007-08-08
  After using these headphones for a little while, I'll never go back to non-noise canceling phones. The noise reduction is amazing; as good as the Bose quiet-comforts. The sound quality is wonderful (far better than most major brands) but not quite as good as the Bose.
  
  There are three issues that other reviewers brought up that I would like to reiterate: First, there is sound leakage. That is, when listening to these at a moderate volume (not loud, just not quiet), someone sitting within a few feet of you will be able to hear the sound. The sound leakage is worse than the leakage from most regular headphones or earbuds. Second, my ears get really hot after just a few minutes of wearing these. The ear cups do not "breathe," so it gets quite warm (this might be a benefit in cold climates). Finally, although it is nice to have a detachable cord, it looks like if you ever lose the cord, you will have to search around for a replacement that actually fits--even though it is a standard-size 1/8" plug, the connector is recessed into a narrow hole in the plastic, and most 1/8" plugs are too wide to fit.
  
  But, overall, I am quite happy with these--they are 95% as good as Bose at 30% of the price.
  
  
• Risky Purchase for a Big Ticket Item
  By A1FUEM9FJL3AVI on 2007-12-27
  I purchased the headphones in October and used them regularly when flying over the past two months; they even come with an excellent case that protects them and keeps them in tip-top shape. After about one-month of working fine, the right headphone started to produce static noise that was unbearable when I turned the noise reduction feature on -- given that the 'large price tag' for these earphones I expected the noise reduction feature to help me on my flights and not make me deaf in one ear.
  
  The static and horrible noise would not go away so I went to Audio-Technica's webpage to find out how to have the earphones serviced; there is a one-year limited warranty that covers defects. This seemed like the perfect case of a 'lemon' product where for some irregular reason one product might have gotten messed up. I am now waiting to see Audio-Technica's response. I tried calling them and was told only to follow the information on the website and they would provide no other assistance -- unfriendly support is not a good sign. Given that I travel a lot I'm hoping to get them back and will update this post either way.
  
  If you can deal to lose the $100 or $200+ without worry, then you have nothing to fear about purchasing these headphones. If you will feel the pain of losing that amount of money than know you are taking a risk: the earphones have broken after CAREFUL use and as of now customer service has not been at all supportive on correcting a mistake.
  
  
• Great for the office, but...
  By AQ953L6RXNU2O on 2007-05-24
  ... I only write a review when it matters...
  
  These cans excell at killing low frequency drone, such as industrial air conditioners or constant echo in a large room. Upon flipping on the switch, you'll inevitably have a "Woah, these things really WORK!" With the drone gone, and with a small amount of amplification that occurs when the switch is on, you'll be able to hear a lot more in your music. I find myself turning the volume down, still able to make out great detail.
  
  But.. the reason for 4 stars instead of 5:
  
  A) high frequency sounds seem to get amplified more than mids and mid-lows. For example, snare drum, cymbals, strings, and high keyboard come across clearer than a bass or bass guitar. I often listen to rock, and I find myself wanting adjust the equalization of my music to boost the bass a bit. For classical, vocal, or acoustic jazz music, this might be a strong point as opposed a weak point.
  
  B) The headphones can't cancel higher frequency noise as well as the low frequency "room drone". Example: exhaust fan on an old computer or buzz from a refridgerator. This might very well be the reason for A--the music competes with noise that can't be cancelled.
  
  The headphones (and case) are solidly built. They play music even with the noise cancelling off (in case you want to save batteries), and the cable is removable in case you just want quiet without music. The cable uses standard 1/8 inch connectors on both ends, so in theory it could replaced with a cord of any length--however, the diameter of the plug is a tight fit where it attaches to the headphones, and in practice may be hard to find.
  
  The arch of the headband is metal under the padding, which I can bend to customize the fit & comfort. I have a large-ish head, and they just fit at maximum extention with some bending. If you know you have a very large head, I recommend trying them out in person first--they might not fit.
  
  For the money, these are excellent and effective workplace headphones! Recommended..
  
  
• You might find these quite uncomfortable
  By A17PVHWKTYD3TQ on 2007-06-20
  I've been using a pair of Bose QC2 headphones for the past couple of years. I recently bought a pair of these ATs as a spare. Since the Bose noise-cancelling headphones are considered by most to be the performance leaders, the most meaningful review would be to compare the two.
  
  NOISE-CANCELLING: To my surprise, the AT headphones outperformed Bose. Noise-cancelling headphones perform better on low-frequency noise; so, some higher-frequency noise will always be audible. But, this remaining noise was quieter with the AT headphones.
  
  SOUND QUALITY: The AT sounds very good, but not quite as good as the QC2. The most noticeable difference is in the upper-bass where the AT sounds muffled compared to Bose. In general, the Bose sound is more open and detailed.
  
  COMFORT: Here, QC2 has a big edge. In fact, I would characterize the AT headphones as uncomfortable. First, the earcups are a bit too small (and I don't have big ears). Second, the stitching in the earcup cushions are not placed far enough inside the cups, so they come in contact with the ears. Taken together with the undersized earcups and the higher pressure of the headband, they make for an uncomfortable experience, especially, if you will be using them for extended periods of time.
  
  Another minor quibble is the lack of a shoulder strap for the carrying case. On the bright side, you pay a third less than you would for a pair of Bose QC2.
  
  RECOMMENDATION: If you can afford it, get the Bose QC2. They sound better and are much more comfortable. You give up a smidgen on noise-cancelling, but with music playing, you won't notice it.
  
  
• FAIL on COMFORT dimension
  By AA622JSNDRFG on 2007-09-13
  For all the good things that have been said and written about these headphones, if you can't tolerate how they FEEL on your ears, the sound quality is worthless. Try them on for several hours--then decide. I planned to use these to replace BOSE 1's (stolen from luggage cart) and 2's--left behind on the plane, and swiftly gone. After trying them on a trans-con flight last week, I actually had to remove the ATs and switch to the airline's cheepos to survive to the end of the movie.
  
  I wrote to Audio-Technica about the problem--mainly the stitching and rough inner fabric that irritate the ears, at least MY ears. They replied promptly and constructively, but had no fix for the problem and suggested I return them to the retailer. (Unfortunately for me, the retailer's 14-day return period is over.)
  
  
• Great Sounding Headphones
  By AN1965SJOA0X6 on 2007-05-12
  Really do like these noise cancelling headphones. I've compared them to the Bose On Ear Triport non noise cancelling headphones. These phones have better high frequency response. Still think the Bose have slightly better bass response. In a side-by-side test...these sounded better to me. Have used them on the plane and they do cancel most of the outside noise. Would recommend purchasing these headphones, especially for the price. Caution, if using on the plane and you switch to a different audio source (from music to movie) they can get extremely loud and possibly damage your hearing and the headphone speakers. Would be nice if Audio Technica would upgrade with an overload protection circuit.
  
  
• sound "leakage" is more like a flood!
  By AQO0IC7P9NU4X on 2007-08-13
  Boy, was I excited to try these out. They look great (much smaller than the photos appear), the fit is excellent, comfort is very good, and the noise cancellation is quite good as well. There's also no external battery compartment (like on some other brands), so they are quite compact and easy to carry. The included carry case is also quite nice.
  
  The major problem: sound "leakage" that's more like a flood. As many other reviewers here have noted, these headphones act like speakers. I placed the earcups face-down flat on the desk, put the music at a moderate volume, and I could hear the music perfectly clearly. The sound leaking from the cans was almost as loud as it was with the headphones on. I had read the reviews on Amazon that complained of "leakage," but I had decided to try them out and decide for myself. I had no idea it could be so bad (that is, so loud).
  
  Bottom line: I can't recommend these for travel, especially not on an airplane. I am absolutely certain that if you used them on an airplane, the person next to you would be very, very annoyed. (Unless they were wearing their own noise-canceling cans, I guess.) In my case, I usually travel with my young kids, and I am sure the sound leakage from these would distract them and keep them awake when I want them to sleep on those 11-hour flights from Los Angeles to Europe.
  
  I'm terribly disappointed, as these seem like excellent headphones in all other respects... but, mine are going back to Amazon for a refund. Hopefully Audio-Technica can fix this problem in the next version.
  
  
• Great sound quality, good noise cancelling, very comfortable
  By AJ6SPK7Y38RKW on 2007-10-04
  I use these headphones 95% of the time when on an airplane and 5% when on the computer or in the office. I will just talk about how good they are on the airplane, because if they function well there, think you can assume they work well in other environments. I would definitely buy these headphones again and am recommending them to friends. At just over $100, these headphones are definitely a great value and very functional.
  
  Size: The headphones are bulkier than Bose on the ear headphones. However, I think they are very similar in size to the Bose over the ear headphones. The headphones are about as small as can be when you consider they are sized to be over the ear. They come with a nice carrying case that is pretty compact and should be able to fit very easily into a backpack, travel pack, or messenger bag.
  
  Battery power: The left earpiece gets a single AAA battery for use. The manufacturer claims 40+ hours for battery life. I have been on 15+ hours of flights and not had to change the battery out yet.
  
  Sound quality: Not an audio expert by any means, but am used to decent quality sound equipment. I am very happy with sound quality from these headphones.
  
  Comfort: I used the Bose on the ear headphones while on an 8-hour flight. After an hour or two, I had to take them off and stop using them because they were hurting my ears by pressing on them. These on the ear headphones are very comfortable. I was able to use them for the majority of an 8 hour flight while only taking them off a couple times to move around. The padding material on the headset and the plastic appear to be pretty decent quality, which probably adds to the comfort level. I have read complaints about the quality of materials used on the Bose.
  
  
  
• It is better than I dared hope
  By ADZHJKRU29L11 on 2007-06-04
  I have researched noise cancelling headphones for several months. I have tested the Bose QuietComfort 2 headphones for several hours in my office (the building's furnace is below me and is noisy) as well as the Sennheiser PX-250 noise cancelling headphones. Price aside, I prefer the Audio-Tehnica ATH-ANC7.
  
  The ATs have an unbelievably excellent noise cancelling circuit. They cut the outside noise to practically nothing, while not producing a noticable hum or whine. The Sennheisers in particular were guilty of that. They also have excellent sound reproduction and are very comfortable. The ATs also have a longer cord than the Bose which make them more comfortable to use at a desk.
  
  Overall I couldn't be happier with this purchase and highly recommend them. The final benefit is their incredibly low price.
  
  
• Uber Comfortable - Excellent Performance - Outstanding Value
  By A3DRT9IRH63ZHB on 2007-06-26
  Bought this for my wife, who does not like in-the-ear phones. We compared at home against a 10-year old pair of Sony noise-cancelling phones and found these to be much more cushy and comfortable since they go over the ear rather than on the ear. They also provided slightly better noise cancellation than the Sony phones when used against a microwave oven. She used them on flights to and from Hawaii and raved about how well they worked so I'm happy. The only downside is that they do not fold up like the Sony phones but fold flat into a nice provided case which takes up more room. This is the same downside to much more expensive Bose phones. Otherwise, these are at least the equals of the Bose at half the price. They also run for many plane flights on just one AAA battery.
  
  
• Excellent for planes
  By A23P9INV8GRN48 on 2007-10-16
  I bought these recently before a long plane trip (10 hours each way from Seattle to Paris) and I have been overwhelmingly pleased with their performance.
  
  I wore them the entire flight both ways, from as soon as electronic devices could be turned on until they had to be turned off for landing. And it did this whole trip with just a single AAA battery.
  
  As other reviewers have noted, this works great with an Ipod at low volumes. I switched between using my Ipod and listening to the in-flight programming. I recommend getting an inline volume control to use with the plane's sound system, as the sound level it puts out is usually incredibly loud (which just goes to show how loud it has to be to be heard through all the plane drone)
  
  These really have to be heard on a plane to be believed. You put them on and hit the switch, and it's like the plane noise just disappears. It's like the difference in noise level between driving on the freeway with the windows down, and sitting at a stop light with the windows up.
  
  Pros:
  - comfortable for extended wearing, ten hours or more
  - superb noise cancelation
  - clear, clean sound quality
  - comes with everything you need for a long plane ride. supply your own music player or use the included adapter to listen to the plane's entertainment system.
  
  Cons:
  - no built-in volume control, which is very handy to have on a plane
  - the headphones won't fit in the included case unless you collapse the size adjustment all the way, which means you have to readjust the size each time you take them out.
  
  
• Don't buy these headsets !!!!
  By A1FIF6XDG8V4FB on 2007-11-18
  Pro.
  These headphones work without the power on (unlike the QC2)
  The sound is better than Bose QC2 (I'm not an expert but music sounded great)
  
  Con.
  As K. Fox wrote, the stitching and rough inner fabric irritated my ears.
  However, the biggest con which makes these headphones useless is the tremendous amount of sound leakage. Music at low levels bothered the guy next to me. I can't understand how Audio Technica can make such a basic flaw.
  
  
  
• Great noise cancelling, poor audio delivery
  By A1IANEBSMVGHS9 on 2007-09-24
  I just received these headphones. I cannot live with the poor quality of the audio delivery: the noise canceling technology truly gets in the way, resulting in some very weird sounds coming out of the headphones during playback, which severely deteriorate the auditory experience.
  
  Granted that the noise canceling job is done superbly (you can successfully isolate yourself from most surrounding noises), at the price these headphones sell for, I was expecting better audio: I am returning them tomorrow.
  
  
• Yes, I've tried the Bose. I'll take these.
  By A1EJ6J6N9I7W35 on 2007-12-30
  I finally got tired of dealing with my last set of headphones, Philips HN 110 Folding Noise Canceling Headphones, because the earpads kept falling off. I was ready to check out high-end noise-cancelling gear, and I knew exactly what I was looking for: good noise cancellation, comfort, durability, easy to travel with, and good sound quality.
  
  I saw a consumer roundup in Wired Magazine that rated these over the Bose, so I checked out both. I listened to the Bose, both the QuietComfort 2 and the QuietComfort 3. Both sounded great, with a slight edge to the QuietComfort 3. But these Audio-Technicas sound pretty much as good as the QuietComfort 3 and better than the QuietComfort 2. The sound in the Audio-Technica is a wee bit brighter than the Bose, so if I just had to pick the better sound quality, the QuietComfort 3 would win. But the difference is close to indistinguishable.
  
  And then we come to the strengths of the Audio-Technicas. Price obviously takes first place - these babies are only a bit over one-third the price of the Bose. Given the ease of losing or breaking the headphones during travel, that's no small consideration. I could buy a spare pair of the Audio-Technicas, and still be ahead!
  
  But I also judge the Audio-Technicas as more durable, and slightly more comfortable. The comfort is important on those four hour plane flights. To be fair, I've never tried the Bose headphones on such a long flight, but I don't see how they could be any better in the comfort department.
  
  The Audio-Technicas keep up with the Bose by having a very nice case, and the usual accoutrements. I like being able to unplug the cord completely from the headphones, for situations where I only want noise cancellation without music. The cord has its own nice little pocket in the case, so no more wrapping the cord around the headphones they way I had to with my old ones.
  
  I would be happy to have the Bose if someone gave them to me, and maybe they would satisfy me more in the long run, but I'm not willing to pay almost three times the price to find out. I'll take these instead.
  
  
• Does the Job
  By A2C0VWKDHA1MON on 2007-11-19
  My first experience with the noise cancelling headphones was an on an international Business Class flight where they loan out Bose QC2's. It definately helped in getting some rest, but personally, I am not a huge fan of the artificial and over-engineered sound of the Bose speakers. The Bose headphones carry the same pedigree of sound quality.
  
  So I sought out comparable noise-cancelling yet, better sounding headphones and discovered the Sennheiser PXC-350's. First a reality check: none of the headphones on the market today truly block out 85% of the noise on a plane as advertised. You can still hear the crying kid from 2 rows over and about 50% of the white noise from the plane. The Bose had the best noise cancelling of all three, but really, this was insignificantly better than either the Sennheiser or the ANC-7's. If that's worth an extra $200 to you, then you are justified in spending it. After trying out the PXC-350's at Newark airport, I was disappointed in the sound quality and the clerk pointed me towards the product featured here. Somewhat skeptical, I thoght to try them out since the price tag was alot more attractive.
  
  There are tradeoffs between all three of these products. Though the Sennheiser has overall the best performance in terms of sound and nearly the same noise cancelling of the Bose, it is not the Audiophile's dream headphones. They sound good, but I'm certain these are not their best sounding units. I think the next step up runs for about $500 - and maybe that's your dream headset with the best of all three.
  
  With the ANC-7's, you get almost the same noise cancellation of the Bose and about comparable to the Sennheisers. But you are best served to limit the use of these to the plane. As many have commented here, the noise leakage from these headphones is noticeable. So much so, it takes the white noise of the plane for it to be bearable to your plane mate, so using them in any other public setting is advocating noise pollution.
  
  Net net, if you are looking for something in limited usage for the plane or in your own private setting, and auditory nirvana is not your expectation, these are a great value.
  
  
• Instant price increase!
  By A2H1QAOIC9WSTP on 2007-06-26
  Note that Amazaon jacked up the price for this item by $65 within a couple of days of a positive NYT review. It had always been $137.
  
  
• Fine just for traveling. Not for other use.
  By A11NX5C797F7XV on 2007-10-29
  After reading the glowing reviews I decided to buy these headphones and my experience has been mixed. These are very comfortable and very well built but when the environment is quiet the noise cancelling function creates a low humming noise very similar to hearing the rain outside your house. The noise is present when playing music at low volume and also when no music is played. Maybe this is not a common feature because it would mean that you use these headphones to block the outside noise and if this goes away then the headphones will create their own! There are two ways to get rid of this noise: 1) turning off the noise cancelling function but then the sound quality gets reduced radically or 2) turn up the music volume.
  
  So I guess it is perfect for traveling and for noisy environments and not for everyday use at home. If so you would need two pair of headphones.
  
  Pros:
  - Great noise cancelling in noisy environments
  - Very comfortable
  - Very light
  - Well built
  
  Average:
  - Acceptable sound quality. Not that great but good.
  
  Cons:
  - With the noise cancelling switched off the sound quality is muffled and worse than a $10.00 earphones.
  - When in a quiet environment there is a constant humming noise.
  - No sound volume control
  - A bit big to carry around
  
  
• Didn't fit and had weak sound
  By A3D2Y9EUMT1W6R on 2007-08-12
  Product returned.
  
  This headphone set did not extend far enough to fit over my head and the ear cups were too small for my ears.
  
  Also, the left earphone (has input plug) is much louder than the right ear phone on a wide variety of music.
  
  
• Very Dissapointed
  By A1ZQXGG81RND8X on 2007-08-30
  Based on the raving reviews I ordered the Audio Techica ATH-ANC7 head phones. I have just eagerly received them and was so disappointed.
  They are well constructed, look good and great case. However, the earmuffs do not cover the ear but sit on the edges, making them very uncomfortable to wear. Although I have small ears they could not be worn for more than 30 minutes without feeling discomfort. The quality of the sound, especially the base just was not there. The headphones are used with my Ipod and had to have the volume turned to over halfway to get reasonable volume. This concerned me as my primary use was for plane travel and I could see me having to crank it to almost max. Putting this aside, the sound leakage is extremely excessive. I asked my wife to try them and having the volume adjusted to a comfortable level I could hear the music from 10ft away. I would equal them to ear pods. So for plane travel I could envisage having an irate passenger complaining to turn the music down. If you turn off the noise canceling feature the leakage disappears, but this kind of defeats the object need. I could be wrong on this but having used several noise canceling head phones, I thought this function did not perform as well as others that I have tried. I only noticed an increase in volume that masked out the surrounding noise. I tested this by turning on the vacuum cleaner and switched the noise cancelling on and off. This may not be a true test for plane travel but concidering my needs it was enough for me to immediately return them, thanking Amazon for their super return policy.
  
  
  
• Had the Bose...Love these! Buy them
  By A35X23GYSOV6ZO on 2007-09-19
  This is what capitalism is all about! Bose has had a great run and profit margin from being both innovative and early to market with their headphones. They introduced the concept to the market and got a hefty premium for their headphones at $300 a pop.
  
  Now come on, who doesn't know that we are paying for the Bose name in addition to the R&D involved. I've had the over the ear for 3 years now and never fly without them. Recently, while on a flight, mine finally bit the dust. While disappointed, I was not surprised. My first reaction was to simply replace them but knowing times and competition changes I thought, hey, pause and do a little research on the current state of the market! I'm glad I did!!!
  
  I was amused to find a posting here that EXACTLY mirrored my experience with the Bose headphones. Sure they sound great but the ARE made flimsy. The first two sets I had to return as they fell apart around the part that goes over your head. By the time the exact same thing happened the third time, I did the same as another reader, tightly wrapped them in electric tape to hold them together. Problem solved...wrong. The same thing happened to me as the other writer...I opened the case to find one of the cups broken away from the headset. AAARGH!!!\
  
  So fast forward. I had trepidation on these Audio-Technica phones based on all the responses about bass lacking. I am a bass kinda guy. But at 40% of the price and the reasonable favorable reviews I had to give them a try. Plus I felt like Ok Bose, you got me but shame on me to buy in again to a product of inferior construction. Come on, we all know the state of plastic technology today.....no reason for cheap stuff...I digress.
  
  Got the Technicas and have plugged in my IPOD and done an A/B comparison. I am PLEASED and HAPPY! I've hit a $186 dollar lottery! (Difference in price) It is true that they are sharper and slightly clearer than the Bose, and the noise canceling is equal or better. I then kept going back and forth looking for this much-talked-about bass difference. Didn't hear it! The Technicas are very well balanced with bass that is full, crisp and sharp without being muddy.
  
  These are headphones...who are we trying to fool? Anyone that knows anything about bass knows that you are really talking about the movement of air resulting from reproduction of long wave frequencies. How much of that from a physics perspective do your really think can occur in a cup over you ear? Sure digital reproduction and emulation can help but again, I found the Bass in these phones to be quite sufficient and wondered if it were more...how it would throw off the balance. I put on some heavy and funky tunes that would stress any system such as Stanley Clark and Marcus Miller. They do Bass!
  
  Now, cutting to the chase...No reason to spend the add'l $ on the Bose UNLESS you are brand conscious and want to show the label on your ears. These are great phones, done very well at a competitive price point that makes sense for an informed consumer. Thanks to all for your input and I hope this review assists others in their buying decision.
  
  
• These headphones deliver
  By A1OZNQ3Y9P4ANZ on 2007-06-28
  Just last night, I got home from a two-week trip to China, so I had quite the opportunity to use these recently-purchased headphones on two 14-15 hour plane rides, three shorter rides within China and one five-hour train ride. Never once did my ears or brain feel tired. If I switched off the unit to determine how effective was the noise cancellation, I instantly could tell the difference the phones made. I had tried the Bose QC 3 in the store and felt an aural fatigue and "brain pressure" after just a few minutes. These phones never wore me out and were consistently comfortable. I was grateful for the small number of reviews on this item before I purchased them...the number of reviews being small because the phones hadn't been out but for weeks. I thought the price (compared to Bose and others) was too low for these earphones to be considered in the same league, but this is an example when price does not equate with quality. Having owned noise-cancellation headphones in the past, I compare these favorably and give them the edge over the more expensive (but less sturdily constructed phones) I've previously owned. This unit is built like a rock. Also, I found the sound for listening to CDs and watching DVDs on the trip was outstanding. I had no qualms about bass response. You can pump a lot through the unit without distortion. In addition, I've now got perhaps 45 hours of use on a single AAA battery, beyond what the manufacturer states, so these phones last a long time on one battery. I'd give Audio-Technic six stars if six were available and I am recommending these to all my friends who travel. Save your money from buying the more expensive units and enjoy the quality, comfort and construction of this superior product.
  
  
• Real life test
  By A2HJJQSJTB59L on 2007-07-29
  I finally had a chance to put ATH-ANC7 to the test on my recent trip to Japan. I got this because of excellent reviews it received, and I liked the price, much lower than Bose. Plus, every time I tried Bose, I just didn't like over amplified base.
  
  On the plane, while it didn't cut the engine noise completely, it lowered the noise considerably. When watching movies, I didn't have to have it on higher volume, and I saw other people with the airline company's headset with the highest volume... The headphone was so comfortable during my 10-hour flight.
  
  I didn't like 2 things about this headphone. If I listened to it with higher volume, person next to you can hear what you are listening... The sound leaks from the holes where mic is located.
  
  The other thing which is so obvious, the size. It's rather big... It doesn't look as big when you are wearing it, but it takes so much space on my carry-on bag.
  
  Though I had a pleasant surprise on my way back. There were 2 babies on board near me, and they were taking turns crying. Though this headphone didn't cut the noise completely, I was able to enjoy movies without getting so annoyed with baby crying. At one point, I fell asleep with the headphone on while babies were crying.
  
  Excellent headphone.
  
  

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