If you do a lot of air travel, these are a Godsend

Introduction

Noise cancellation headphones are the type of item that you don't buy unless someone's told you about them or if you've heard them in action. If you're going to use these at the gym or in an environment where you need to hear background noise, these headphones are a bad idea. If you're going to use them when traveling on a plane or you're going to use them in an environment where there's a constant drone of background noise, these are phenomenal. I would not spend the extra dough on these if you're going to be listening to music in a quiet environment.

A few weeks ago, I was out shopping with my wife and we wondered into the Bose store. They had a pair of Bose QuietComfort 2 headphones, which purported to cancel noise, hooked up to a demonstration booth. During a portion of the demonstration, the booth started rumbling, but I couldn't really hear that much of it. Then I pulled the ear cup aside and it was the sound of a jet engine, much like what you'd hear if you were on a plane. The noise cancellation really worked! Given the amount of time I spend on a plane, I wanted to get a pair of noise canceling headphones.

What comes in the box
These headphones are packaged with care in a clear plastic container. Unlike many items that are packaged in plastic, the container doesn't require you to get a knife out and tear it up to get it opened. You simply pull the back from the front panel and it opens up nicely.

Inside, you will find the headphones in their collapsed form, a carrying case, an instruction manual.

The Headphones
The headphones fold into three parts. The overhead portion is one component and the left and right headphones fold inward toward the center via metal hinges on either side of the center piece. There is a small notch on the left and right side, so they are snug when folded.

There is a soft "pleathery" type material on the ear cups as well as on the overhead portion of the headphones where the hinges on the left and right sides are. It is a very soft material that makes the headphones pleasant to wear for sustained periods of time, like long flights. The top portion was also very comfortable on my bald head. The ear cups rotate 90 degrees inward so the headphones will fold flat.

The ear cups do not completely cover your ear like the Bose headphones. The pleathery cushions on the earphones do a good job of blocking out some noise and when you turn on the noise cancellation, it's very quiet. For sound frequencies under 1200 mhz, you will experience noise reduction of anywhere from 15 to 25 decibels--ideal for filtering out the low frequency drone of an airplane engine. For sound frequencies greater than 1200 mhz, you will experience noise reduction of up to 15 decibels. You are still able to hear people speak to you, but they may sound a little quieter and there is a substantial reduction in background noise.

The total length of the heaphone cord is approximately 5 feet, 6 inches long. Halfway down the cord, there is a cylindrical tube about the diameter of a small hotdog and a little shorter than a hotdog. In this tube, two AAA batteries are inserted. This houses the noise cancellation hardware, too. I've found the batteries last approximately 40 hours or so.

The Carrying Case
I found the carrying case for these headphones to be a pleasant surprise, compared to other "free" cases that are thrown in with consumer electronics. The carrying case is approximately 5 inches long by 3 inches tall and an inch wide. It is black and appears to be made out of ballistic nylon, but it is softer. The inside of the case has a soft felt-like material. The headphones fit nicely in the case. The zipper is solid, as well. There is a side pocket on the outside of the case that says "Sennheiser". Inside the pocket, you will find an adapter jack for use with most airplane audio systems. Additionally, it contains an adapter for hooking into a stereo jack.

The Instruction Manual
The instruction manual is written in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Dutch...as if you care. I have yet to open it. That, to me, is the sign of a superior consumer electronic device.

The Sennheisers in Action
These headphones do a phenomenal job of filtering out ambient background noise. However, the noise reduction circuitry generates a slight sensation of pressure on your ears, similar to what you feel when traveling in a plane when climbing. This sensation is very slight, but it will probably annoy some people. For me, it's a small price to pay. The sound quality of these headphones is great, but it is slightly below versus the quality of the Bose QuietComfort 2's. I don't feel the $150 premium of the Bose QuietComfort 2's justifies the added expense.

Other Resources for Making Your Purchase Decision
I would highly recommend that anyone considering purchasing these headphones check out CNet's recent article on noise cancelling headphones. After trying out some of the picks in the CNet article at the store, I concur with CNet's assessment that these are indeed one of the best choices. I did not care for Sony's earbud style noise cancelling headphone because I hate earbuds.

Additionally, I would check out eBay, as there are some good deals to be had there. I purchased my headphones for $108 including shipping, versus $150 plus tax at the store. Just ensure you're not buying refurbished headphones or used headphones. Also, check the feedback history of the seller from which you're purchasing.