I carpool with people that talk 'shop' endlessly and sometimes play head-bashing noise on the radio and I want to find head phones that will drown all that stuff out. I've been reading and I can't find a good explanation of sound cancelling and sound isolation in regards to those kinds of background noise. They get more into engine noise cancellation and not blocking out general background noise. I don't know if there is a difference iaw the design of the phones. It seems like on-the-ear or over-the-ear phones would be the best but now there are some impressive looking in-the-ear options. In-the-ear would be nice for traveling but I would go for the bigger phones if they do a vastly better job. Can someone tell me if I need to look for high sound cancellation or isolation quality or what? Specific product recommendations would also be great! TIA! Craig

Bose QuietComfort 15.Yeah, you'll pay for them, but they're comfortable, sound great and do an amazing job of cancelling noise. I use them to get to sleep when I find myself near trucks or train tracks.

Just shop Amazon for noise cancelling over ear. There are lots of good ones around 50 and up. Be sure to read the reviews.Bose and Head Candy are overpriced IMHO.

Home Depot (of all places) has some headphones made for noise isolation designed for factory workers and construction guys. They include both a jack and a cable to connect them to a iPhone.Remarkably effective for less than $20. They sound pretty good too.

Beats HeadphonesThe Beats Headphones are the best on the market today, but you will pay for them also.

Yeh, I've been reading reviews. It looks like the noise cancelling phones have batteries for whatever it is that makes them work. I still don't know if noise cancellation is only good for constant noise, like from engines or if it helps with all background noise. So is noise cancellation necessary or is plain-jane phones with good noise isolation quality effective enough for background voices and music? I also hoped to get opinions on in-the-ear phones. Craig

Headphones for an I-phone | Good Sam Community

2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2013
Bose QuietComfort 15.

Yeah, you'll pay for them, but they're comfortable, sound great and do an amazing job of cancelling noise. I use them to get to sleep when I find myself near trucks or train tracks.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2013
Just shop Amazon for noise cancelling over ear. There are lots of good ones around 50 and up. Be sure to read the reviews.
Bose and Head Candy are overpriced IMHO.
Cheyenps
Explorer
Dec 22, 2013
Home Depot (of all places) has some headphones made for noise isolation designed for factory workers and construction guys. They include both a jack and a cable to connect them to a iPhone.

Remarkably effective for less than $20. They sound pretty good too.
allenhpycmprs
Explorer
Dec 22, 2013
Beats Headphones

The Beats Headphones are the best on the market today, but you will pay for them also.
C_Schomer
Explorer
Dec 22, 2013
Yeh, I've been reading reviews. It looks like the noise cancelling phones have batteries for whatever it is that makes them work. I still don't know if noise cancellation is only good for constant noise, like from engines or if it helps with all background noise. So is noise cancellation necessary or is plain-jane phones with good noise isolation quality effective enough for background voices and music? I also hoped to get opinions on in-the-ear phones. Craig
Bionic_Man
Explorer
Dec 22, 2013
I fly every week for work and have a set of Denon noise canceling headphones. IMO, they are invaluable. And to answer your question, they do a very good job of cutting the noise of general conversation in addition to the contant noise you refer to.
2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2013
C Schomer wrote:
I still don't know if noise cancellation is only good for constant noise, like from engines or if it helps with all background noise. ..So is noise cancellation necessary or is plain-jane phones with good noise isolation quality effective
It is good for constant noise. A nice surprise is that I can hear my XM radio with them on ( a bit muffled), but background noises, like my ceiling fan, are dead silent. Whether they will cancel out your friends talking or their music is not clear to me. They will certainly lower the volume.

Is NC necessary? That's your decision. They are not 'overpriced' for what they do.
sch911
Explorer
Dec 22, 2013
If it were me I'd go for the Parrot Zik wireless model. Expensive yes but it's a noise cancelling headphone that music still sounds good. Something which IMHO is missing from Bose and others.
ford_truck_guy
Nomad
Dec 22, 2013
just got a set of Sony headphones from Sams's club for $99.00.. They are nice , comfortable and work fantastic! They are over the ear type...Joe
wildtoad
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2013
Just plug in the ear phones that come with the IPhone and crank up some Skynyrd or Bach. ... You won't hear any work related conversation.