Headphones - Library Studying

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Josh7

Josh7

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Hello,

I'm looking for a nice pair of headphones for studying in the library/lounge. There are a few features that really are a must for a good pair of study headphones.

The features I personally look for are:
  • Comfort - I don't want them to become a burden on my neck, ears (or sometimes jaw)
  • Sound Cancelling - Important for library/lounge studying for extra focus
  • Audio Quality - Pretty important to me. I tend to listen to Indie, Jazz and Rock but I'll also listen electronica every now and then
  • Durability - This could either mean legitimate durability or a good twoish year warranty
  • Sound Leakage - I hate sound leakage. I hate it when other people are inconsiderate with their choice of headphones and I don't want to be a hypocrite

Headphones that I've had experience with:
-Bose QualityComfort 15's - Tried these on at Best Buy today and their sound cancelling technology is extremely good. The sound quality also seemed amazing during the demo. I didn't get a chance to test sound leakage
-Beats By Dre Studios - I owned these for about 6 months but ended up selling them to a friend because the sound leakage is absolutely horrible. I think they're decent audio quality at best. They look cool but that's about the extent of their use.

What headphones do you think are the best for my criteria as library headphones? I'm looking to buy a pair sometime before the beginning of this semester.

Here's an old thread on the topic, It's been over a year though so I'm sure it's outdated:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=782826&highlight=headphones
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Sennheiser PXC 350 noise guard. Won't hurt your ears, like Bose, after long hours.
 
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Josh7 said:
Hello,

I'm looking for a nice pair of headphones for studying in the library/lounge. There are a few features that really are a must for a good pair of study headphones.

The features I personally look for are:
  • Comfort - I don't want them to become a burden on my neck, ears (or sometimes jaw)
  • Sound Cancelling - Important for library/lounge studying for extra focus
  • Audio Quality - Pretty important to me. I tend to listen to Indie, Jazz and Rock but I'll also listen electronica every now and then
  • Durability - This could either mean legitimate durability or a good twoish year warranty
  • Sound Leakage - I hate sound leakage. I hate it when other people are inconsiderate with their choice of headphones and I don't want to be a hypocrite

Headphones that I've had experience with:
-Bose QualityComfort 15's - Tried these on at Best Buy today and their sound cancelling technology is extremely good. The sound quality also seemed amazing during the demo. I didn't get a chance to test sound leakage
-Beats By Dre Studios - I owned these for about 6 months but ended up selling them to a friend because the sound leakage is absolutely horrible. I think they're decent audio quality at best. They look cool but that's about the extent of their use.

What headphones do you think are the best for my criteria as library headphones? I'm looking to buy a pair sometime before the beginning of this semester.

Here's an old thread on the topic, It's been over a year though so I'm sure it's outdated:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=782826&highlight=headphones
Click to expand...

How much money are you willing to spend? Active or Passive Noise Cancellation? In ear, On ear, over ear?


But, not knowing this and seeing your prior headphones, (and given I personally like IEMs) go for some of the Westone series or if you to be a BAMF go custom (JH Audio, Westone), but they start at ~$350 and only go up from there.
 
0kazak1 said:
How much money are you willing to spend? Active or Passive Noise Cancellation? In ear, On ear, over ear?


But, not knowing this and seeing your prior headphones, (and given I personally like IEMs) go for some of the Westone series or if you to be a BAMF go custom (JH Audio, Westone), but they start at ~$350 and only go up from there.
Click to expand...

Active noise cancellation I believe are the better type, I don't mind the battery replacement costs. I tend to lean towards over ear headphones; I think they're the most comfortable for long hours. The in-ear headphones I've used for running kind of hurt my ears but I will keep an open mind

I'll have to look into those Westone's or JH Audio. I don't have a particular price in mind but I really value headphones so price isn't a huge deal
 
Hey man!

As a fellow class of 2015er and some one who went through the same issue just last month, might I recommend the Etymotic mc5?

Etys are known for the noise cancellation and is a pretty decent quality pair of earbuds as well. I know you might prefer headphones, but it seems like earbuds will give the most quiet and comfort.

The mc5's are mine and after a month, I'm already in love with the noise cancellation. They're a steal at $55 and the buds only take a little getting used to. The Ety HF models are also good for a slightly higher cost.
 
CaffeineJunkie said:
I know you might prefer headphones, but it seems like earbuds will give the most quiet and comfort.
Click to expand...

If you're careful, buds are cool. Otherwise you'll probably just break 'em or lose 'em, but that could just be my problem.
 
Josh7 said:
Hello,

I'm looking for a nice pair of headphones for studying in the library/lounge. There are a few features that really are a must for a good pair of study headphones.

The features I personally look for are:
  • Comfort - I don't want them to become a burden on my neck, ears (or sometimes jaw)
  • Sound Cancelling - Important for library/lounge studying for extra focus
  • Audio Quality - Pretty important to me. I tend to listen to Indie, Jazz and Rock but I'll also listen electronica every now and then
  • Durability - This could either mean legitimate durability or a good twoish year warranty
  • Sound Leakage - I hate sound leakage. I hate it when other people are inconsiderate with their choice of headphones and I don't want to be a hypocrite

Headphones that I've had experience with:
-Bose QualityComfort 15's - Tried these on at Best Buy today and their sound cancelling technology is extremely good. The sound quality also seemed amazing during the demo. I didn't get a chance to test sound leakage
-Beats By Dre Studios - I owned these for about 6 months but ended up selling them to a friend because the sound leakage is absolutely horrible. I think they're decent audio quality at best. They look cool but that's about the extent of their use.

What headphones do you think are the best for my criteria as library headphones? I'm looking to buy a pair sometime before the beginning of this semester.

Here's an old thread on the topic, It's been over a year though so I'm sure it's outdated:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=782826&highlight=headphones
Click to expand...

ysosrs.jpg
 
Josh7 said:
Active noise cancellation I believe are the better type, I don't mind the battery replacement costs. I tend to lean towards over ear headphones; I think they're the most comfortable for long hours. The in-ear headphones I've used for running kind of hurt my ears but I will keep an open mind

I'll have to look into those Westone's or JH Audio. I don't have a particular price in mind but I really value headphones so price isn't a huge deal
Click to expand...

I prefer passive, but with some of the custom earphones you get upwards of -20db sound reduction, and when music is playing it really hard to hear people talking to you, even when they are right next to you.
 
These are the headphones I bought earlier this year for studying purposes: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...793&sr=1-2&keywords=audio+technica+headphones.

They aren't noise canceling, however they make a nice seal with your ear so you get minimal leakage along with passive noise cancellation. They also sound PHENOMENAL. It took me about 20-30 hours of playing before they started to sound REALLY good (you'll notice the quality gets better as the speakers get worn in), but they'll definitely sound better than your Bose and Beats right out of the box. They're also very well built - as soon as you touch them you'll recognize the build quality. I've been extremely, extremely pleased with them.

I was looking for a pair of headphones using nearly the same criteria as you, and I think these meet all of those things very well.
 
I bought a nice pair of "ear buds" two years ago and never looked back. They are by far the best thing I've had. They're Sony PIIQs.

screenshot_13.jpg
 
I went with Bose QualityComfort 15's and love them except, as someone said before, they start to make your ears hurt after some time. I normally figure I can wear them for about two hours before needing a decent break. Also, there is no sound leakage with these like there is with the Beats.

Personally I I chose these over some of the other headphones people are mentioning because they are sleek and look professional and are not super bulky or look like you are trying to DJ some club.
 
I would add my vote to IEM's. Westone's are the best, but pricey. I've had my IEM's for 3 years and they're still running strong, they are work headphones, I play in a band and we play about 3 sets a week, but I also use them for studying. Here's why I like them.

1) They are custom molded. This is why they cost more, but oh are they super comfortable.

2) They aren't over ear headphones. There are some great over ear headphones out there. Studio engineers use them all the time. But with me, for some reason I feel a little squeamish after I've had them on my head for about 30 minutes. With no air flow, my ears just get really humid and uncomfortable (I also live in FL, so if you live up north this may not be a problem most of the time). But I don't have to worry about this with my IEM's.

3) I can take the IEM's on a run. It's hard to run with over-ear headphones.

4) As far as quality, it's either IEM's or over ear. You'll get what you pay for here. However, I would add that different manufacturers are going to tune their headphones differently. For instance, Bose loves to boost their lows, way more than any other manufacturer. Of course that sounds great on a rock or beats album (or for a movie), but sounds out of proportion on some other albums. Once you get to paying $150 or more, everything you get will be high quality, but to make it sound the best you'll need to do some work on the iTunes equalizer. Some really high end headphones will sound absolutely crappy out of the box because they tune them to have a flat frequency response. Just know that going into it, you may have to tweak things a little bit.

5) Sound canceling. IEM's actually fit down into the ear canal. They must be fitted by an audiologist so that they don't go down too far, but because they fit snugly in the ear canal, there is physical cancellation, not simulated. It's not 100%, but it's probably 80%. Once you turn a song on to the lowest volume setting, all background noise is gone.
 
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My vote went for these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043M9ATI/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00

I'm not a big fan of over-ear headphones - they're a bit of a hassle to carry around and also give me headphone hair (spiky hair problems 🙄). Klipsch and Shure are also good brands to consider - they can often be cheaper than Bose and other names while having amazing quality.

These in particular cancel noise exceptionally well AND don't leak noise very much either - I can have my iPod on at full volume, leave my headphones down on the table for a second and you wouldn't know that I was on the verge of damaging my ears. It still freaks me out after 1.5 years of owning them - I'll take them off when I'm done and wonder why people aren't staring at me for having my volume too far up.

And being earbuds, they are comfortable and lightweight - they come with interchangeable silicone tips for those with larger or smaller ear canals, so you can adjust to your liking.
 
NickNaylor said:
These are the headphones I bought earlier this year for studying purposes: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...793&sr=1-2&keywords=audio+technica+headphones.

They aren't noise canceling, however they make a nice seal with your ear so you get minimal leakage along with passive noise cancellation. They also sound PHENOMENAL. It took me about 20-30 hours of playing before they started to sound REALLY good (you'll notice the quality gets better as the speakers get worn in), but they'll definitely sound better than your Bose and Beats right out of the box. They're also very well built - as soon as you touch them you'll recognize the build quality. I've been extremely, extremely pleased with them.

I was looking for a pair of headphones using nearly the same criteria as you, and I think these meet all of those things very well.
Click to expand...

I also recommend these. I have likely over a thousand hours on mine and they still sound just incredible and seem to mesh well with everything I listen to which does span quite a few genres. They are also quite tough, I've tossed them around more than once and they didn't seem to mind.

I think during the winter I may replace them with the new white version they have released:
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-M50-Headphones-Professional-Monitoring/dp/B007GC4L7S
 
NickNaylor said:
These are the headphones I bought earlier this year for studying purposes: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...793&sr=1-2&keywords=audio+technica+headphones.

They aren't noise canceling, however they make a nice seal with your ear so you get minimal leakage along with passive noise cancellation. They also sound PHENOMENAL. It took me about 20-30 hours of playing before they started to sound REALLY good (you'll notice the quality gets better as the speakers get worn in), but they'll definitely sound better than your Bose and Beats right out of the box. They're also very well built - as soon as you touch them you'll recognize the build quality. I've been extremely, extremely pleased with them.

I was looking for a pair of headphones using nearly the same criteria as you, and I think these meet all of those things very well.
Click to expand...

Wow, those look excellent. The reviews on amazon are also amazing. How is the sound leakage? I honestly don't listen to my music very loud while studying but there are often people around me so i feel like kind of a dick if my headphones are making noise.
 
I second the Etymotics MC5 earbuds if you're willing to get earbuds. The foam tips will completely seal off outside sounds, so I really like using them for mowing my lawn. I don't even have to have the music up very loud to drown out the engine noise.
 
I honestly don't know how people listen to music and study in the first place... but thank god you're concerned about sound leakage. I've had time where i've had to move to the complete opposite side of the room because of someone blasting music in their headphones. it's so gosh damn inconsiderate.
 
Omppu27 said:
I honestly don't know how people listen to music and study in the first place... but thank god you're concerned about sound leakage. I've had time where i've had to move to the complete opposite side of the room because of someone blasting music in their headphones. it's so gosh damn inconsiderate.
Click to expand...

I find that I can only listen to music when my homework is heavily math based or physics based. If it's something like biology then there's no way I'll be able to listen to music but the sound cancelling effect the headphones have sure is nice.

Agreed on the inconsiderate sound leakers part... So many encounters with these people at my school's undergraduate library. You'd think that if you were listening to your music that loud there would be no reason to be in the quiet section in the first place 🙄
 
Josh7 said:
Wow, those look excellent. The reviews on amazon are also amazing. How is the sound leakage? I honestly don't listen to my music very loud while studying but there are often people around me so i feel like kind of a dick if my headphones are making noise.
Click to expand...

I listen to music pretty loudly (looking forward to that pre-mature hearing loss), and I've asked a couple of people if they've been able to hear my music when they're sitting/standing ~3-5 feet away, and no one has said that they could. I really don't think it'll be a problem. As I said, they're super comfortable but also snug fitting; combined with the thick ear padding, I don't think there's much if any sound leakage except at the highest volumes.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD...d=1345050207&sr=8-1&keywords=Sennheiser+HD280

I've been using the Sennheiser HD 280 for about a year I think, and it's been amazing.

Pros:
-Not noise cancelling, but the over ear cups prevent a lot of sound from leaking in or out.
-Sound quality is amazing
-Folds

Cons:
-If you wear glasses, these squeeze the parts of the glasses against your ears and it can hurt after a while
 
ShenanigansMD said:
If you're careful, buds are cool. Otherwise you'll probably just break 'em or lose 'em, but that could just be my problem.
Click to expand...
I can relate to this. I've gone through countless of earbuds. I prefer headphones, especially when using the computers at the library. Earbuds tend to have sound leakage and you can only turn the volume up so high w/o hearing that annoying buzzing sound. I only use earbud when using my phone or iPod. Headphones for computers all the way. 🙂
 
tiger93 said:
Anyone have any experience with these? I've been looking to get some new headphones as well and have been eyeing the Bose AE2. I also recommend looking at some of CNET's other headphone reviews.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Bose&#1...222410544&skuId=1117121&st=bose ae2&cp=1&lp=1

review: http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/bose-ae2/4505-7877_7-34210220.html?tag=comparable;comparable.1
Click to expand...

For less than the price of those you could get the pair I linked to above which IMO have much better sound quality. Bose is ok, but really their go-to selling point is their noise cancellation technology, not their sound quality (which interestingly isn't the case IMO with their speaker equipment, which is top notch). I don't think their headphones are worth the prices they charge based on sound quality alone.
 
tiger93 said:
Great advice. Do the ones you linked to have a detachable cable? Also how effective at sound cancellation are they for not being an actively isolating headphone? How's the durability and quality over time been?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately not. The cable is actually the only thing I would ding these headphones for: it's one of those long, curly cables that unfolds when pulled to give extra length. It's too long and gets tangled too easily for me (and the fact that it curls makes it somewhat difficult to untangle). In terms of durability, the only damage to mine are 1) paint drops from when I was using them while painting and 2) nibble marks from my cats attempting to play with them. Other than that, they're in perfect condition, and I wouldn't say I take particularly good care of them. I usually throw them in my backpack "naked," i.e., without a case or carrying bag.

As far as noise cancelling, I usually can't hear anyone if they talk to me when I listen to music at the volume I normally do. That's good enough for me, formal noise cancelling technology or not. Even on airplanes they do a pretty good job of blocking out the engine roar - I dare say they're comparable to the Bose headsets I've tried out.
 
Does anyone have any opinions on the Bower and Wilkins P3 or P5? or about the Harmon Kardon BT? They all look drool worthy
 
NickNaylor said:
I listen to music pretty loudly (looking forward to that pre-mature hearing loss), and I've asked a couple of people if they've been able to hear my music when they're sitting/standing ~3-5 feet away, and no one has said that they could. I really don't think it'll be a problem. As I said, they're super comfortable but also snug fitting; combined with the thick ear padding, I don't think there's much if any sound leakage except at the highest volumes.
Click to expand...

Sounds great. I just ordered those off of amazon! Thanks for the advice, these headphones are going to be great.
 
NickNaylor said:
These are the headphones I bought earlier this year for studying purposes: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...793&sr=1-2&keywords=audio+technica+headphones.

They aren't noise canceling, however they make a nice seal with your ear so you get minimal leakage along with passive noise cancellation. They also sound PHENOMENAL. It took me about 20-30 hours of playing before they started to sound REALLY good (you'll notice the quality gets better as the speakers get worn in), but they'll definitely sound better than your Bose and Beats right out of the box. They're also very well built - as soon as you touch them you'll recognize the build quality. I've been extremely, extremely pleased with them.

I was looking for a pair of headphones using nearly the same criteria as you, and I think these meet all of those things very well.
Click to expand...

Vouch vouch vouch - currently spotifying new phoenix albums with mine <3

Edit: op, just saw u purchased these. Just wanted to forewarn that these really need to be warn in before they hit their potential >48 hours

My friends will usually put a new pair of headphones on a tightly rolled blanket or something and let it continuously play when they aren't using them during the wear in period
 
1AO KTG said:
Bose IE2s
Click to expand...


But they don't really cancel out much noise, and they have a decent amount of sound leakage. Great for running though, as they're super comfortable (although, for the price, I'd go with something else).

Have to vouch for the MTH-50s as well. I'm thinking about buying a pair, and I'm stuck between them and Bose AE2s. I'll likely go with the MTH-50s because of the price, and the sheer quality.
 
scottydsntkno said:
Vouch vouch vouch - currently spotifying new phoenix albums with mine <3

Edit: op, just saw u purchased these. Just wanted to forewarn that these really need to be warn in before they hit their potential >48 hours

My friends will usually put a new pair of headphones on a tightly rolled blanket or something and let it continuously play when they aren't using them during the wear in period
Click to expand...

Yeah, definitely want to emphasize that the sound quality will increase as you wear them in. In my case I thought they sounded absolutely phenomenal right away, but believe it or not it'll get even better. Just keep that in mind!
 
Nick could you comment on the long term usage comfort of the M50's? They look a bit bulky and im wondering if one would get a headache after a few hours of wearing them due to the tightness?
 
Josh7 said:
I've heard great things about audio quality with regards to Sennheiser. What do you think of the audio leakage on those?
Click to expand...

Sennheisers are generally the brand that studio producers roll with. They're expensive, but arguably the best brand available. Dre beats are a gimmick.
 
Hemorrage said:
Nick could you comment on the long term usage comfort of the M50's? They look a bit bulky and im wondering if one would get a headache after a few hours of wearing them due to the tightness?
Click to expand...

I regularly wear them for hours at a time. They're tight but pretty thickly padded so they're not uncomfortable. The only "uncomfortable" thing about them is that because the padding is so thick my ears tend to get hot.

(sent from my phone)
 
You can check out the Direct Sound Extreme Isolation EX-29s. They're usually used in studios for bands and whatnot but I'm pretty sure they are guaranteed to not bleed into the mic when recording vocals so I think that that would also mean that they won't leak sound 🙂 They're also pretty cheap at 119.95. I was thinking of getting a pair but I couldn't find a pair anywhere :S (I emailed the company and they offered to sell me a pair for 95.95 but I don't really want to buy online) 😀

http://www.extremeheadphones.com/products/ex-29-headphones
 
Has anyone tried the Sony XBs? I tried them on at BestBuy and they were like soft marshmallows around my ears, but it seems like they would get really hot around your ear during the summer. They had great reviews on Amazon and are only about $60
 
I would suggest the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm. Don't buy products from companies that have invested more money into their marketing department than their actual product (Bose and Beats). The only thing is that they're not noise canceling, but since you'll be in a library, it won't matter anyway since the sound will block out ambient noise.

I love these headphones because they are THE MOST COMFORTABLE pair of cans I've ever bought. The bass on these is ridiculous, 10x better than any Beats lineup. If these are too expensive then I'd suggest going with the Audiotechnica ATH-m50s.

Best of luck!
 
Hey, I know pre-meds/medical students spend most of their time in the library, but there are times when I'm on a flight across the country and I want a good pair of noise cancelling headphones, since airplane noise gives me a ton of trouble with sleeping.

Anybody have any experience there? Or do all the ones listed above fit in this category? Otherwise I'll go check Amazon...
 
ShenanigansMD said:
Hey, I know pre-meds/medical students spend most of their time in the library, but there are times when I'm on a flight across the country and I want a good pair of noise cancelling headphones, since airplane noise gives me a ton of trouble with sleeping.

Anybody have any experience there? Or do all the ones listed above fit in this category? Otherwise I'll go check Amazon...
Click to expand...

The 150s I linked to do well on planes in my experience. I think they're actually fairly comparable to Bose noise-cancelling sets which are known for their utility on planes. Obviously not all noise is blocked, but you definitely won't hear conversations and the roar of the engines will be significantly reduced as well.
 
NickNaylor said:
The 150s I linked to do well on planes in my experience. I think they're actually fairly comparable to Bose noise-cancelling sets which are known for their utility on planes. Obviously not all noise is blocked, but you definitely won't hear conversations and the roar of the engines will be significantly reduced as well.
Click to expand...

Awesome, I'll go check those out.
 
Beats Pro by Dre are pretty nice. My friend was listening to the Carter II at full volume. I was standing 2 feet away, and literally could not hear a thing.
 
Ub3rmensch said:
I would suggest the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm. Don't buy products from companies that have invested more money into their marketing department than their actual product (Bose and Beats). The only thing is that they're not noise canceling, but since you'll be in a library, it won't matter anyway since the sound will block out ambient noise.

I love these headphones because they are THE MOST COMFORTABLE pair of cans I've ever bought. The bass on these is ridiculous, 10x better than any Beats lineup. If these are too expensive then I'd suggest going with the Audiotechnica ATH-m50s.

Best of luck!
Click to expand...
I wasn't the biggest fan of the DT770 TBH. Oh well

I kicked the headphone habit a little while ago for more important things but later picked up some Denon AH-D1100's that do fine out of a computer soundcard/iPod. Not sure about the leakage though

Avoid Bose/Beats/Skullcandy and gimmicks like "Noise Cancellation" if you want high quality sound. Go for some IEMs and play with tips (or get custom molded tips) until you're satisfied with the comfort if you really want to block out sound
 
Venom5 said:
Beats Pro by Dre are pretty nice. My friend was listening to the Carter II at full volume. I was standing 2 feet away, and literally could not hear a thing.
Click to expand...

Maybe you're talking about the earbuds? I've owned Beats Studios and Beats Solos. The studios sound leak is so bad that the audio was clearly audible from 2 feet when my iPod wasn't even at 50% volume. The Solos are quite a bit better with sound leakage but they're still not even close to your description, there was a lot of leakage when I would turn mine to 100% to test it.

You're right there bass is pretty good but the audio quality is widely considered to be extremely bad for their price of $300. They look cool though and the brand name is nice but that's pretty much the only reason I had bought them originally.
 
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