My [[http://www.us.aiwa.com/default.asp?page=products&action=viewProduct&prod=73][Aiwa HP-CN5]] that I bought in January 2002 are still useful (see my [[http://impressive.net/archives/fogo/20020127154906.GA4893@larve.net][original review]]) but have proved to be not very comfortable, and are sub-optimal since they are open-air.

Interestingly enough, [[http://www.windley.com/2003/06/16.html#a677][Phillip J. Windley got the same impression]].

Anyway, since I ended up with [[Acouphenes.html][tinnitus issues]], I decided to have a look at August 2003's market.

#reviews
Interesting pages:
- [[http://www.windley.com/2003/06/16.html#a677][Active Noise Reduction (ANR) Headphones: You Get What You Pay For]]
- [[http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3000_7-1017728.html][The sound of silence]]

Here is a list of candidates:

Product || Comment || Price seen as of 19 August 2003 on [[http://www.dealtime.com/xCP-Headphones~FD-418][DealTime]]
[[http://www.bose.com/noise_reduction/qc2_headphones/][Bose QuietComfort 2]] | The best, the most expensive | $300
[[http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/02ProductDetailCall?ReadForm&Technology+Stereophones^QZ2000][Koss QZ-2000]] | Seems pretty good and comfortable though open-air | $130 (Epinions.com seem to have slightly better prices)
[[http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start;sid=fhHZ69LcERTZx-2e8XDT4J3Q4LS1XhLH_hE=?CatalogCategoryID=D9YKC0%2eNgUAAAAD3NIyquAcK&ProductID=73EKC0%2eNlMkAAAD3DHuquAcR&Dept=acc][Sony MDR-NC20]] | Closed-air, seem better than the MDR-NC5 | $90
[[http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start;sid=fhHZ69LcERTZx-2e8XDT4J3Q4LS1XhLH_hE=?CatalogCategoryID=D9YKC0%2eNgUAAAAD3NIyquAcK&ProductID=PEsKC0%2eN6OkAAAD3yTOquAcS&Dept=acc][Sony MDR-NC5]] | Open-air | $40
[[http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=62076&catGroupId=11145&modelNo=RP-HC100&surfModel=RP-HC100][Panasonic RP-HC100]] | OK reviews, but not marketed as noise canceling; hissing; open-air? | $50

Which sums up [[#reviews][Philip J. Windley's conclusion: you get what you pay for]]. And for the Bose ones, you have to pay a lot...

So it seems that if you want to get something good, it's the expensive Bose or nothing. Note that my cheapo Aiwa are still better than nothing.

[[http://www.crutchfield.com/S-vAWPSXQLWfR/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=018QC2][Crutchfield has the Bose QuietComfort 2 for $299]], and there is a [[http://www.xpbargains.com/st_deals.php/Crutchfield_coupons.htm][25$ off coupon]].

There is also the [[http://planequiet.com/][Plane Quiet]] model, but it seems that nobody has reviewed it, and hardly anybody sells it...