[jgl]

I've got a pair of Etymotic ER6i's. I can't hear any MTR noise through them.

[Azuremain]

Tried Peltor Comtec Headsets? They are used by civilian shooters and army personnel to eliminate loud noises gunshots or explosions, but let through all normal sounds (adjustable).

[spaceman]

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?

[TwistedFates]

Originally Posted by Azuremain

Each KCR train has two silent compartments, but do you think somebody gives a sh*t about it? It seems Honkers or Chinese in general cannot close their mouth for a single minute (no offense meant).

The Silent Compartment only indicates that the TV does not play audio. So hence silent. I haven't seen a sign that says "shut up." So naturally people will talk. But I suppose even if there IS a sign, you will still get people talking away. It is just the way it is.

[toyokai]

i mlooking for some skullcandy brand headphones anybody know where i can find them?

[lors852]

I just picked up a pair of PXC450 from duty free. They set me back about HKD 2800. They are bulky to say the least and a lot of money too but they have the best noise cancelling quality I have come across yet. The beauty is they run on normal AAA batteries so when they do run out a quick change will sort you out.

A bonus is they can be used as normal headphones without noise cancelling without any power if you get caught on a long flight without spare batteries. The sound quality is excellent.

Most other units I looked at the higher end do not operate without power and are recharge units which once run dry are useless until you recharge with a specific adaptor which put me off.

These headphones also have a talk through function which can be turned on and off at the click of a button.

Lors

[muse07]

I have a pair of Bose QuietComfort 3's - they're fairly compact and fold into a case. US349 http://www.bose.com/controller?event...adphones_index

To be honest I haven't used them much on the MTR as I live in ML (and also I feel a bit conscious wearing them - I do on planes though), but they seem pretty price competitive and are pretty good quality. There are a few reviews of noise cancelling headphones here http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones-h...-31929466.html

[TwistedFates]

Wow, looks like the Bose finally got good reviews on their cans. But I will still take a pair of noise isolating buds over noise cancellation any day. Effective, cheaper, and smaller.

[muse07]

They sound pretty cost-effective. Did you get them from a specific shop? I saw a post which mentioned "any computer shop". Will try my luck but although I am into gadgets generally, I had never heard of "noise isolating earphones" before.. (also will be interesting to see if people understand the english description here...

[TwistedFates]

Originally Posted by muse07

They sound pretty cost-effective. Did you get them from a specific shop? I saw a post which mentioned "any computer shop". Will try my luck but although I am into gadgets generally, I had never heard of "noise isolating earphones" before.. (also will be interesting to see if people understand the english description here...

"Noise isolating" comes in both buds and headphones.

For headphones, it is commonly described as "closed eared" headphones. It means the entire headphone can surrounds your ear and prevents sound from leaving or coming in. Hence noise isolating.

For earphone buds, it takes the same approach as ear plugs. Instead of the standard earbud that sits on your ear, these have a rubber shaft attachment much in the spirit of an earbud, and they fit inside the ear. So it plugs the ear from outside sounds. Feel free to look them up on google with keywords, etymotic, ultimate ears, or shures. Many companies make their own models of them. I own a pair of Sony MDR-CD900ST myself. They are relatively cheap as I can't justify paying too much for something I only use in transit. But in fact there are much cheaper models from Sony and other manufacturers and also on the other side of the coin, ones that are immensely more expensive. They are small, packs a lot of punch, function as earplugs against noisy plane noises, and I can carry them in my pocket instead of having to rummage through my carry-on in mid-flight.