Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV System

[medvis]

Hi all, I have been reading with pleasure the discussions on the site for a while but this is my first post. Before I begin my usual painstaking research to get the right product I thought I would ask the gurus on this site for your your opinions first.

I have finally purchased an iPad4 and wish to purchase headphones (x2 sets) for good audio and noise cancellation that I can use with my wife to watch movies etc when travelling, but also are compatible with In_Flight AV systems individually. I would prefer Bluetooth for convenience for iPad use with the option of attaching a cable to connect to the aircraft av system. Can the iPad satisfactorily connect simultaneously to two sets of headphones via B'Tooth?

I am also interested to hear of your experience with in-ear as opposed to over-ear style noise cancelling buds/phones.

Please tell me what you are using and give me your advice and opinions.

Many thanks

 

[nlagalle]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Welcome to AFF Medvis.

I can't assist you with the Bluetooth headphone choice (I have Bose over ear and Sony in ear NC phones), however I am pretty sure you could only stream to one headset not two. the only way i think you could do two is to split the earphone jack with a $5 plug.

As to the style. I find the overears better on long haul when awake but I use my in ear ones on domestic hops and when I sleep on my side.

 

[simongr]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Ahh bluetooth headphones that have great noise cancelling/blocking - my grail quest! I have been looking for a great set of headphones that are bluetooth and block out noise (either passively [noise blocking] or actively [noise cancelling]) as I use them both in flight and on the godforsaken Sydney City Rail trains.

First up I dont think you will be able to stream to two sets of headphones - I will check later (or tomorrow) to see what happens when I connect two bluetooth headphones to my iPad. Also be aware that on some carriers (CX for one) bluetooth is not allowed. On QF it is sometimes banned and sometimes not.

Next - if connecting to the IFE you need a set that can have a cable connected as well as be bluetooth. This limits the options. So here are the cans I have tried:

Sennheisser MM100 - these are great over the ear bluetooth - but have no noise blocking or cancelling properties - if I hadn't left them in a hotel in Delhi they would have been great for boygr.

Jaybird - good bluetooth but shocking fit (unusable in fact)

Sennhessier MM550X - distrbingly expensive ($500+) - great bluetooth and sound quality and active noise cancelling. However heavy and hot and not a great look on the train (you get a squished hairline from the over the head band).

Plantronics Backbeat 906+ - nice bluetooth, reasonable sound quality but bloody awful fit and noise blocking

Plantronics Backbeat Go - great fit, adequate bluetooth, and pretty decent noise blocking (pretty much everything apart from the couple on the 7:39 from [insert suburb] to the [insert workplace] gets blocked). However disgraceful that you can't skip tracks forward and back and you have to re-pair if moving between devices (i.e. for me walking to the station listening to music on the iPhone, then watching TV on the iPad and then listening to music on the iphone on the walk to the office).

I have another set which has active noise cancelling, has decent fit and can connect via wire to IFE - however day to day you have a big black controller clipped to your shirt which looks cough and if watching the iPad in bed it just hangs there.

If you really want to connect two bluetooth devices to one iPad it could be done via two Jaybird bluetooth dongles and a splitter but that is tricky and a bit carp.

This really is my grail quest and I have spent $000s so far!

 

[simongr]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

No offence to the OP but I sincerely hope you in fact work for a headphone manufacturer using this thread as a marketing/info sourcing tool as I really need these headphones - hmm maybe a kickstarter project might be in the offing...

 

[TonyHancock]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Is a good set of noise cancelling headphones with a bluetooth adapter an option? (Does such a combination exist?)

 

[medvis]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

To Simongr, Sorry, damn! I don't work for a headphone manufacturer. It appears we are both after the same holy grail.
TonyHancock: that is the question. I don't know if it does exist which is why I thought I would first start with you well experienced and clearly intelligent group.
I have been doing some research and it appears that my initial thought that I would need to look at over/around the ear for good noise cancellation doesn't necessarily seem true. I have learnt that although wired in-ear high end noise isolation sets such as Etymotics have greater dB bloking capabilities than active noise cancellation, although you can't hear conversation as you can with active cancelling headphones. Not having tried active cancelling phones I wonder how well the noise cancelling phones, if they allow normal speech, block out the noisy kids or the guy snoring? Maybe nlagalle knows the answer to this?

 

[medvis]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Many thanks nlagalle. It appears that I can't bluetooth to two headsets from the iPad from other answers and that we shall have to go with wired and an adaptor plug, however referring to my further question how have you found the noise cancelling over-ears to allow normal speech but block out other noisy passengers? Is that why you change to the bud style to better sleep and the over-ears for better sound quality?

 

[simongr]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Is a good set of noise cancelling headphones with a bluetooth adapter an option? (Does such a combination exist?)

The Blue Ant Ribbon does this - it is a Bluetooth adapter that you can plug decent headphones into.

 

[AVC]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

The danger of using a "headphone double adapter" is this:

Typically, the speakers in your headphones vary between 4 ohm and 8 ohm.

Connecting two devices in parallel effectively halves the resistance (or impedance) that is presented to the source device.

So if you have 2 sets of 4 ohm headphones, it appears as a 2 ohm load to the device.

2 ohms is bad. It will increase the load on the final amplifier stage and you risk a melt down. 2 ohms is awfully close to being a short circuit.

If the headphones were 8 ohm (presenting a 4 ohm load to the device, you would probably be OK).

 

[nlagalle]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Many thanks nlagalle. It appears that I can't bluetooth to two headsets from the iPad from other answers and that we shall have to go with wired and an adaptor plug, however referring to my further question how have you found the noise cancelling over-ears to allow normal speech but block out other noisy passengers? Is that why you change to the bud style to better sleep and the over-ears for better sound quality?

I find both easy to talk to the person next to you when there is no sound playing through. I went for the in ear ones simply for the smaller size and easier to carry. as the MEL-SYD run is only an hour they are great for that. mind you i used them going to London last year and they were great then too.

 

[medvis]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

I find both easy to talk to the person next to you when there is no sound playing through. I went for the in ear ones simply for the smaller size and easier to carry. as the MEL-SYD run is only an hour they are great for that. mind you i used them going to London last year and they were great then too.

Well after great research and deliberation taking all of your excellent pieces of advice into account I have pourchsed via eBay from Singapore the Bose QC15 for AUD$162 +$32 delivery. as I require two sets he has sold me the additional set for no additional postage. Thus two sets brand new in sealed boxes with warranty delivered for ~$356. I'm happy............or at least will be when they arrive!

 

[nlagalle]

Well after great research and deliberation taking all of your excellent pieces of advice into account I have pourchsed via eBay from Singapore the Bose QC15 for AUD$162 +$32 delivery. as I require two sets he has sold me the additional set for no additional postage. Thus two sets brand new in sealed boxes with warranty delivered for ~$356. I'm happy............or at least will be when they arrive!

That's a great price! Enjoy them!

 

[DeKa]

Is a good set of noise cancelling headphones with a bluetooth adapter an option? (Does such a combination exist?)

I just got an email about this Bluetooth noise cancelling headset... On sale for 24 hours for $66.95.

Does anyone have them, or want to give them a go and report back?

http://www.cablechick.com.au/cables/wireless-bluetooth-noise-cancelling-headphones.html

Cable Chick are a reputable business - I've bought a few cables and adapters from them, just never seen anything like this.

 

[NM]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

I just got an email about this Bluetooth noise cancelling headset... On sale for 24 hours for $66.95.

Does anyone have them, or want to give them a go and report back?

Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones + FREE SHIPPING!

Cable Chick are a reputable business - I've bought a few cables and adapters from them, just never seen anything like this.

sinomgr is has done considerable research into bluetooth noise cancelling headphones. It will be interesting to see his response.

My thoughts are that you should not get too excited about the "noise cancelling" claims. The product information notes its "CVC" which is "Clear Voice Capture" and seems to be more targeted at voice/telephony environments than what travellers usually consider is a Noise Cancelling Headphone solution. So when used for the purpose of listening to music in a noisy environment, there will be little (if any) reduction of the background noise. But if listening to a phone conversation (or perhaps a poorly recorded podcast) CVC will implement "near-end audio enhancements" such as reducing the "standing" noise on the audio stream from the phone/ipod etc, adjusting the volume dependent on the ambient noise etc. It does not appear to do any active noise cancellation of your surrounding noise as you get from something like Bose QC15.

 

[DeKa]

I'll stick with my QC15 then

 

[shellthom]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Hi, I read slowly if I am to understand something, I skimmed the posts so I haven't understood everything that has been said.

It doesn't meet the bluetooth request but I am not sure it exists, and I am not a sound buff so no matter how slowly I read I wouldn't have understood the OHM post.

I am pointing out the fact that I know of my ignorance so please don't poke fun

We have Beats by Dr Dre Pro - which has the double jack and Studio.
Studio or battery powered noise cancelling so my understanding and practice is to turn them off during take off and landing and the pros aren't powered noise cancelling and technically I don't think noise cancelling at all but the ear cups are so nice and comfy that it doesn't matter.
The plus to Dr Dre's is that when the cord wears out it is detachable so can be replaced and most headphones need to be replaced due to the connection/cord wearing over time.
We got ours from ebay from china. They are probably fake but at $50/$80 each I am not bothered.
We had to order about 10 pairs from different suppliers and only ended up having 2 delivered. The studios are either real or very good fakes and the Pro's are just a nice headphone set but we have no doubts they are fake as the cord quality was poor and we replaced this which improved the sound quality no end. They come with an adaptor so you can plug into the airline socket, a single socket or one of the old school fat sockets (stereo).

But I think the best bet is to actually try the different brands because everyones ear is different and maybe settle for what sounds good to you now and get the bluetooth ones once they are invented.

 

[fall502]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

Well after great research and deliberation taking all of your excellent pieces of advice into account I have pourchsed via eBay from Singapore the Bose QC15 for AUD$162 +$32 delivery. as I require two sets he has sold me the additional set for no additional postage. Thus two sets brand new in sealed boxes with warranty delivered for ~$356. I'm happy............or at least will be when they arrive!

That's a great price! I am also looking at getting 1 of these, will have a look on ebay to see if that price is still available.

 

[simongr]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

I just got an email about this Bluetooth noise cancelling headset... On sale for 24 hours for $66.95.

Does anyone have them, or want to give them a go and report back?

Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones + FREE SHIPPING!

Cable Chick are a reputable business - I've bought a few cables and adapters from them, just never seen anything like this.

I have steered away from over the ear headphones now so don't intend to volunteer. On first look though I would be nervous about bluetooth for $67 - I just don't think you are going to get decent quality.

 

[holdenvxman]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

My understanding is that you can't use any wireless device on an aircraft unless it has wifi?

 

[simongr]

Re: Noise cancelling Headphones to share with partner for iPad and In-Flight AV Syste

It depends on the carrier. QF do not prohibit the use of bluetooth on some aircraft.