technology

A good set of headphones can transport you to another world. We’ve scouted out the best in the over-ear category.

Your iPod is only half the equation: Your headphones play a vital role in how your music sounds. Those chintzy earbuds that come in the box offer low-fidelity music—never mind how they sound in a noisy environment like an airplane. Here’s a look at five over-ear alternatives to your freebie earphones. Jack one into your MP3 player, and your tunes will never sound the same again.

1. Logitech Noise Canceling Headphones

The construction feels a little cheap, but the super-soft, comfortable earcuffs and impressive noise cancellation on these Logitech phones help you forget that fact as you sink into them. Designed for the down-and-dirty traveler, these folding phones include a rugged carrying case, with pockets and nooks for all the headphones’ accessories.

$150, logitech.com

2. Ultrasone Edition 9

If you can get your mitts on a pair of Ultrasone’s Edition 9 cans, you’ll never look at another earbud. The titanium-plated Mylar drivers, Ethiopian sheep-leather ear pads and complete internal shielding don’t just make for good advertising, they also make the oversized Edition 9s the most comfortable and best-sounding headphones vwyI’ve ever had the pleasure to try on. The three-dimensional surround sound effect is uncanny and truly enveloping. Alas, there’s bad news: They cost more than your suit.

$1,499, edition-headphones.com

3. Sony MDR-NC60

With a promised 85 percent reduction in ambient noise, Sony’s MDR-NC60 headphones offer exceptional sound. Large and roomy cuffs that entirely encompass the ear are a centerpiece of this model, although the fit takes some getting used to. A conveniently located monitor button makes it easy to mute your music and hear what the flight attendant is offering for lunch.

$200, sonystyle.com

4. Bose QuietComfort 3

Bose’s noise-canceling headphones are considerably smaller than competing sets,
with cups that ride on top of the ears, rather than around them. The result: Much less noise cancellation than I’d care for. However, the QC3 makes up for some failings with a cool rechargeable battery and impressive styling.

$349, bose.com

5. Sennheiser PXC-300

Imagine your usual lightweight, over-ear headphones, then add padded cups and a noise-canceling box attached to the cord—-you’ve got Sennheiser’s PXC-300, a more portable alternative to larger over-ear sets. The company recently introduced a higher-end product, the PXC-450, which reduces up to 90 percent of ambient noise.

$220, sennheiserusa.com

Bonus headphone selections for ExecutiveTravelMagazine.com readers

OVER-THE-EAR

Philips SHN9500: $160, philips.com

Exceptional ear cushions make these phones easy to hang on your head, but it’s the price—less than $100 from some retailers—that makes them a real best buy. You’ll get better noise cancellation from other sets, but nothing comes close to the value offered by these. Bonus: It also comes with the best case of all the headphones I reviewed.


EARBUD MODELS

Good old earbuds are extremely portable and can stand a good amount of abuse. The key to quality audio is ensuring a good fit inside the ear canal, sealing out as much stray sound as you can.


Etymotic ety8: $299 with iPod adapter; etymotic.com

A top name in headphone technology, Etymotic’s ety8 are the smallest Bluetooth phones I’ve ever tried on—considerably smaller than the ubiquitous cell phone headset. Charge the tiny buds via USB and plug the transmitter into the bottom of your iPod. Microscopic controls on the side of the right earbud let you pause, rewind, fast-forward and change volume, all without touching the iPod. Unfortunately, the audio quality is profoundly lacking in bass.


JVC HA-NCX77: $80; jvc.com

Active noise cancellation is rare in earbuds, but this pair from JVC includes a small breakout box that does exactly that. Powered by a single AAA battery, the HA-NCX77 headphones promise to cancel out up to 80 percent of ambient noise, and it’s hard to argue with the claim. Music comes through crisp and clear, the buds are stylish and the price is exceptionally good.


Shure SE420 Sound Isolating Earphones: $400; shure.com

Shure’s earbuds have been revamped and upgraded, making them arguably the best off-the-shelf in-ear phones you’ll find today. Two microspeakers in each tiny earbud let the SE420 output a finely detailed music experience (no big bass here), but the variety of sleeves lets you experiment to find the absolute perfect fit, which helps drown out the crowds.


V-Moda Bass Freq: $50; v-moda.com

Probably the best budget earbud on the market, the V-Moda Bass Fréq lives up to its name with an eardrum-rattling bass output. It’s certainly one way to drown out external noise, but the overall clarity of the earbuds is just fine, too. Available in eight colors, including black for you and hot pink for your teenage daughter.