I'm a bit late, but I'm here to save you all!
I agree, noise cancelling headsets are
not worth it. You want noise isolating headphones - trust me on this one, the difference is heaven and earth. Not only is sound better, but you'll hear less outside noise too. This point should not really be up for debate.
For cheap options with good sound, try the
creative EP-630 which is available at the computer centres for around 90-100 hkd. That's my best recommendation. They sound great for that price and are definitely the option for people who don't care TOO much for sound.
A little more expensive? Try
sennheiser cx300 - not sure how much these are, and they look exactly like the creatives (they are actually manufactured by the same company) but they sound better (different drivers inside). They'll have the same amount of isolation though. Not sure how much they cost (should be slightly less than Shure E2C's), but you can get them at
www.headphonehk.com and if you email them i'm sure they'll tell you how much.
I'm a fan of
shure, but I think their lower-end stuff is overpriced for what you get. If you're really into headphones their higher models are amazing, but costly. Depends on personal preference I guess.
There are lots of other in-ear monitors, but if you know about
etymotic,
westone,
ultimate ears etc. you don't need headphone advice from me.
Many people don't like the feel of in-ear monitors. If instead you want big cans on your ears (no sexual pun intended) i STRONGLY recommend the
AKG K81dj. They can be tight on the head before broken in, but the sound is AMAZING. good blocking of ambient noise as they're closed. They're not too big, so good for portability, they're durable, and they sound AMAZING. They will make you like music more. I got mine at Yau Shing Commercial Centre in Mongkok for 450 (if you pay cash).
There are lots of other cans out there, but the K81dj trumps them all in that price range. you can go a little cheaper with
sennheiser hd201 or
sennheiser hd202, but i've heard they're not that cheap in hong kong. If you want to save some bucks they have good sound. Sennheiser's HD25 are also nice-sounding, but they're more in the price range of the AKG's.
Things to keep in mind:
- Don't overpay for your headphones. Your source (ipod, mp3 phone, etc) will limit the quality and amplification you get unless you get a mobile amp, dac, record with lossless audio, blah blah that's a can of worms. All of the phones listed here are good for, say, an ipod.
- Don't underpay for your headphones. The creatives are 90 bucks, come on!
- For sound isolation, it ultimately depends on the fit of the phones in or on your ears. headphones go into your ear to different degrees (the creatives are more like plugs than complete in-ears, while shures will go all the way in). with both of those, and with over the ear cans, forming a seal with your ear is the most important thing. sometimes phones can take a while to get into the right place.
- Keep in mind there are safety issues when walking around and not being able to hear outside noise. In the MTR you should be safe I guess.
It might not seem like it, but this is a really brief version of the discussion on noise-isolating headphones. I know lots of other good phones have been left out, but if you're interested visit ww.headfi.org. I warn that most topics there will lead you to overspend, and are generally irrelevant for those just wanting a decent pair of headphones. In summary, the cheat sheet is as follows.
In-ear monitors:
1) Creative EP630
2) Sennheiser CX300
3) Shure E2C, E3C, etc
Cans:
1) AKG K81DJ
2) Sennheiser HD25
3) Sennheiser HD201 or HD202
For the record, I happen to own the creatives and akg's right now. Mainly use the AKG's, but every now and then I get hair-conscious and use in-ears.
By the way, does this topic really belong in Home Theatre?