[Elecraft] Noise Cancelling Headphones

[Jim Brown]

On 12/25/2013 8:22 PM, Randy Farmer wrote:
> The Radiosport RS 20 headphones are the way to go. They're not cheap, 
> but they really do the job. They have NO electronic circuitry to give 
> RFI problems, just 24 dB of noise reduction due to their excellent 
> acoustic isolation.

I tried them, and found them to be VERY VERY uncomfortable, to the point 
of being instruments of torture. I'm a contester, and often am in the 
chair for 20-30 hours in a weekend. I couldn't wear the Radiosport cans 
for an hour.

I'd rate the acoustic seal of CM500s comparable to Sony MDR7506 / 
MDR-V6, all of which I've owned and like a lot.  In other words, if 
you're not happy with the MDR-V6, you won't be happy with the CM500. :)  
I have heard that east coast contesters love the Bose noise cancelling 
headphones, but I've never heard them.  I did try a pair of Sennheiser 
noise cancelling headphones almost 20 years ago, and they seemed to 
work, but I wasn't being critical, and that was 20 years ago. :)

The best, and most comfortable, noise isolating headphones I know of are 
the Etymotic Research ER4-series in-ear earsets,  I own two pairs, and 
wore out one of the cables. They come with 3-4 generic ear fittings, and 
I found one of them to work well for me -- good isolation and comfort. 
Cost was about $200 eight years ago when I bought them. The greatest 
isolation is achieved with custom ear molds, which you buy from an 
audiologist who fits them to your ear canal.

73, Jim K9YC