I'm looking for a new set of headphones or earbuds with ANC for long international flights. I would prefer earbuds to headphones, but only if they're wired. I don't like bluetooth earbuds for flights, they can't connect to the inflight entertainment without using a bluetooth adapter and are likely to fall out of my ears when I'm trying to sleep and vanish. But the catch is that wired earbuds with ANC no longer seem to exist. I have an older set but the battery doesn't hold up anymore, and the ANC isn't the best.
So I'm leaning towards over ear headphones, since most of the bluetooth ones seem to have a 3.5mm input so they can be connected to the plane.
My budget is $200-300. Kind of tossing up between the Sony WH1000XM4 (refurb) or the Bose Quiet Comfort SC. Leaning more towards the bose, based on them having physical buttons.
Is there anything else in this price range (or cheaper) I should be considering?
ANC Headphones/Earbuds for Long Flights
Comments
I can't get a prescription for that.
To aid sleep, Temazepam is better. Xanax is more anti-anxiety.
Also, ear-plugs may be a better for sleeping than noise-cancelling.
Do you have any bone-conduction headphones? they can be used with earplugs too.
Do you use an iPhone.
No
Earbuds are simply better than overear phones at noise cancelling. I have XM3s I usually take on flights; I forgot them one day and grabbed a set of C710N's in the airport. Now I prefer them, in the ear and twist seals them really well and they don't move - even while sleeping (I also have airpod pro 2s that fall out no matter what foam tips I've tried). Transparency mode works really well too.
Not incredibly helpful but got these and they were fine for the 9h to Japan. Came with flight adapter in the case which is nice.
I advise finding using rtings or equivalent and finding headphones within your price range with decent battery life and ANC. Maybe on the cheaper end if you don't plan on using them outside of flights.
The WH1000XM4 is pretty great. I get around the no buttons by just controlling Spotify on my watch (Mi Band)
I have been happy with my soundcore q45 for the price ($120~). Comfy, battery lasts for ages. I'm sure it's not as good as Sony/Bose but so far so good.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Bose
I have the SONY WH-1000XM3. They sound great, but I can never figure out how to control them. Complicated swipes up/down/across L or R. Buttons please! Controlling from phone or watch might be fine for some, but if you need reading glasses to do that it’s another complication, esp on a flight because you need to find your glasses, then your phone …
My personal experience only. I guess if you use headphones a lot it wouldn’t be that hard to learn the swipes, but for occasional use only, such as flights that doesn’t work for me.
YMMVI still use Bose® QuietComfort® 20 earphones (wired, anc, from 2015!).
Grab yourself this amazing brand called ‘alprazolam 5mg’ crazy good with all long flights. It’s amazing.