A must for the frequent air traveller

I had been thinking about a pair of these since I first tried the original Bose Quiet Comfort headphones. When Bose released the second-generation QC2s, I was determined to get them but did not get around to it. The cost had always hindered me and the size of the headphones made me want to see if I could find something a bit smaller.

When the QC3s were released I noticed that they were a smaller on-the-ear design and they also came with a rechargeable Li-Ion battery (the QC2s use a AAA battery). This was enough to convince me to buy them.

When you use these headphones you come to realize just how much ambient noise surrounds us every day. I put them on in the office and I was amazed at how much white noise is produced by the HVAC system. Taking them on and off is like night and day. I don't generally wear them at work but if I need to concentrate I'll throw them on.

The headphones really come into their element on an airplane. This, of course, is why they were designed in the first place. They don't eliminate every bit of sound but I would guess that 80% of the engine noise disappears once you put these on - the noise reduces from a loud roar to a mild hiss. If you want to get some sleep or listen to the airplane's audio program without having to crank the volume up full, just throw these on. The results are amazing. You can actually hear the movie! (The kit comes with a dual plug adapter for use with airplane audio jacks.)

The only downside would be the price ($349 in the US, $459 in Canada). Very expensive for a set of headphones but well worth it if you are a frequent traveller or are looking to find a way to listen to your iPod without the noise of the outside world.