# Noise-Cancelling Headphones under $40 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096 "2004-11-10T23:17:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096/1 "2004-11-10T23:17:59Z")
I’ve been searching for some new headphones because my old piece of crap sony pair have finally bit the dust. So, I’ve decided that I should get some Noise-Cancelling headphones so I don’t have to turn up the volume on my CD player so much to tune out the car radio when I travel with my family. So I did a little research on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) but I was wondering if any Dopers out there had any suggestions for a relatively inexpensive pair that work well. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096/2 "2004-11-11T01:04:58Z")
I can’t make a specific recommendation, because I don’t have experience in that price range, but I do have a suggestion. Look for a good pair of in-ear isolating headphones - not to be confused with ordinary earbuds. The dB reduction from outside noise is as high, or higher, than an expensive pair of noise canceling headphones. They are also much more portable and don’t require batteries. I use Etymotic Research, though they are a bit more than you want to spend. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096/3 "2004-11-11T01:37:10Z")
I’ve been very dissatisfied with all of the headphones I’ve tried under $100, mostly because of hiss noise and poor noise cancelling. I’m going to try a pair of more expensive Senheisers next year when I expect to be flying on a weekly basis. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096/4 "2004-11-11T04:13:02Z")
[Recent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273895&highlight=noise+cancelling+headphones) that that may have some information. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096/5 "2004-11-11T08:18:40Z")
I use earbuds (they came with my iRiver mp3 player, but I think they’re basically the same as any other earbuds). I don’t know the difference between them and what **Waverly** mentions, but if the volume is high enough, I can’t hear a thing. And when they’re in, but the player is turned off, I can hear perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096/6 "2004-11-11T10:33:55Z")
> [@TJdude825](#): > > I use earbuds (they came with my iRiver mp3 player, but I think they’re basically the same as any other earbuds). I don’t know the difference between them and what **Waverly** mentions, but if the volume is high enough, I can’t hear a thing. And when they’re in, but the player is turned off, I can hear perfectly. Have a look: > **[Etymotic Research, Inc. - Etymotic](https://www.etymotic.com/)** > > Etymotic offers high definition listening, hearing, assessment, enhancement & protection with specially engineered innovative products. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-cancelling-headphones-under-40/274096/7 "2004-11-11T15:05:36Z")
I would definately recommend looking into the ear buds that were suggested in the thread to which **Chairman Pow** linked. They do a great job, IMO.