Wired noise cancelling/isolating headphones

[RizzoTheRat]

I'm after a pair of wired (no bluetooth) headphones to use in the office, preferably noise cancelling but decent noise isolation would the job.

My Bose Quiet Comfort 35's are great, but it looks like they've stopped making the wired QC25.
Sony do the MDRZX110NC but reviews aren't great, and I can't see a wired version of their higher end bluetooth ones.
Had a go with a colleague's Technica ATH-M50x (not noise cancelling), and sound quality is good, isolation is ok but not brilliant. All their noise cancelling ones are wireless though.
Senheisser and Shure's noise cancelling ones look to all be bluetooth too.

Anyone got any recommendations?

[sparkyhx]

any particular reason you want wired, cos you still need batteries for the noise cancelling.

[RizzoTheRat]

Which is I assume is why most are wireless, but unfortunately we're not allowed bluetooth devices in the area, otherwise I could just use my QC353's with a cable.

[bloomen]

Why not QC20s?

I find they do a better job than QC35s, they physically block your ears, and they're more comfortable too.

[Whataguy]

I bought a pair of AKG K72 Closed-Back Monitoring Headphones recently - I had been using Y50 Bluetooth ones before.

These have great sound quality and isolation... and are only £33! Lots of good reviews online for them as well, and they have a long cable.

https://amzn.to/3o16fme

[RizzoTheRat]

bloomen said:

Why not QC20s?

I find they do a better job than QC35s, they physically block your ears, and they're more comfortable too.

I've previously had Shure E2C and Senheisser CX something in ear ones and never found either that comfortable for long periods of time, but agree their sound isolation tends to be better than over ear. I like the sound of a button to let you hear what's going though

Whataguy said:

I bought a pair of AKG K72 Closed-Back Monitoring Headphones recently - I had been using Y50 Bluetooth ones before.

These have great sound quality and isolation... and are only £33! Lots of good reviews online for them as well, and they have a long cable.

https://amzn.to/3o16fme

Not come across AKG before, they certainly get very good reviews for the price, very tempting.

[ZesPak]

RizzoTheRat said:

Not come across AKG before, they certainly get very good reviews for the price, very tempting.

They are under the same umbrella as Harman Kardon, JBL and some others. They were aquired by samsung a couple of years ago.
I've had a couple of their stuff over the years, still have a perfectly fine bluetooth headset that's well over a decade old.
Seems like HK used it as a more down market brand.

[eliot]

Any reason you dont just buy some QC25's off ebay - which is where i got my 25 and 35's from.

[RizzoTheRat]

I'm always a bit wary of second hand electronics on e-bay. However I've just seen refurbished ones on sale on ebay for not much more than most private sales... plus €93 postage

[MOBB]

You can connect Sony's WH-1000XM range of headphones with a cable when the battery runs out, which I assume just makes them wired headphones?

[mmm-five]

MOBB said:

You can connect Sony's WH-1000XM range of headphones with a cable when the battery runs out, which I assume just makes them wired headphones?

You can do the same with the QC35s - but the OP's workplace doesn't allow bluetooth devices...seemingly whether the BT is in use or not.

[MOBB]

mmm-five said:

MOBB said:

You can connect Sony's WH-1000XM range of headphones with a cable when the battery runs out, which I assume just makes them wired headphones?

You can do the same with the QC35s - but the OP's workplace doesn't allow bluetooth devices...seemingly whether the BT is in use or not.

Ah gotcha

[mmm-five]

MOBB said:

Ah gotcha

Some of our sites are the same. HQ (mostly offices are fine with BT), but any manufacturing plant bans them in all but a couple of offices well away from the powdered base materials (but that goes for any potential source of radio interference).

[eliot]

RizzoTheRat said:

I'm always a bit wary of second hand electronics on e-bay. However I've just seen refurbished ones on sale on ebay for not much more than most private sales... plus €93 postage

It’s a bit like buying a car;
Look at the photos, look at the seller and read the description.
If item is dirty with a scabby background, out of focus with an init-bruv description full of mistakes then definitely avoid.
If you have nice and clean item, good photos, original box, good description with no slang or crap spelling - then you should be good.

[TameRacingDriver]

OP, would you entertain In-Ear Monitors? Because I think that would be your best choice for noise blocking and wired operation. They give substantial amounts of passive noise isolation, and some of them, if you spend a decent amount, will sound better than pretty much any noise cancelling wireless headphone. I'm not up to date with the models, but I seem to remember Shure were a good choice back in the day for this sort of thing.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/best-in-ear-monito...

[RizzoTheRat]

mmm-five said:

MOBB said:

You can connect Sony's WH-1000XM range of headphones with a cable when the battery runs out, which I assume just makes them wired headphones?

You can do the same with the QC35s - but the OP's workplace doesn't allow bluetooth devices...seemingly whether the BT is in use or not.

I also need to get a new watch for the same reason

TameRacingDriver said:

OP, would you entertain In-Ear Monitors? Because I think that would be your best choice for noise blocking and wired operation. They give substantial amounts of passive noise isolation, and some of them, if you spend a decent amount, will sound better than pretty much any noise cancelling wireless headphone. I'm not up to date with the models, but I seem to remember Shure were a good choice back in the day for this sort of thing.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/best-in-ear-monito...

I'm in 2 minds to be honest, as I mentioned above I've had in ear headphones before and while the noise isolation is great, I never found them that comfortable for long periods.

[TameRacingDriver]

RizzoTheRat said:

I'm in 2 minds to be honest, as I mentioned above I've had in ear headphones before and while the noise isolation is great, I never found them that comfortable for long periods.

In that case just go for some normal wired earbud type things with the silicone tips. You can get some pretty decent ones for not much money, and they aren't bad for comfort, I find; they don't go too deeply into your ear but are quite good for blocking out noise. I would rather wear mine (albeit Anker wireless passive NC, but the principle is the same) all day at my desk than my B&W cans anyway! £100 should get your some REALLY nice ones.

[RizzoTheRat]

Given the price second hand QC25's go for there's clearly a market for wired noise cancelling headphones, which nobody makes any more. They're selling for a similar price to new QC20's and a few people are trying to sell unused ones for more than new QC35s!

[ZesPak]

RizzoTheRat said:

Given the price second hand QC25's go for there's clearly a market for wired noise cancelling headphones, which nobody makes any more. They're selling for a similar price to new QC20's and a few people are trying to sell unused ones for more than new QC35s!

I know it's a Dutch site so maybe not that convenient, but it's a very good site that allows you to select a couple of properties.

I went and put the selection on "wired" and "active noise cancelling"

https://tweakers.net/koptelefoons/vergelijken/#fil...

I see there's a wireless or two in there but it's a pretty big list coming up so maybe some good alternative in there.

[RizzoTheRat]

Een nederlandse site is heel goed omdat ik in nederland woon

Anyone know if Dennon are any good? The AH-GC25NC in that list look to be wired with active noise canceling. Fairly hefty price tag though.