DS101A Noise Cancelling Earphones / Headphones with Mic (Black)

Previously I had tried using low-quality ear-bugs on a train. Arriving to a silent home allowed me to see just how loud I'd set the volume to counteract a train, so I gave up on using ear-buds on a train. This is my second attempt at such a feat and the results are mixed:The good:Price: At only $22 + $0 S&H, these are some of the cheapest noise-canceling headphones available.Portability: The clip is a bit bigger than an AA battery. This is an impressive level of portability for noise-cancelling headphones; it's not that much less convenient to use than generic ear-buds.Battery: With such a low price, it's nice that it is rechargeable. The use of a standard usb charger ensures compatibility with plenty of chargers. A computer USB port can suffice in a pinch.The Pouch: It comes with a little pouch. Nothing spectacular, but it was a nice extra that was appreciated.The bad:Noise-canceling: The noise-canceling works, but the effectiveness varies. Sometimes if the ear-buds are angled improperly within your ear, the noise-canceling effect is mostly destroyed.Hissing: As is common among noise-canceling headphones, there is a background hissing sound. This sound is annoying, and many people find it makes their ears feel incredibly uncomfortable. This is a disaster if you're using the headphones purely for noise-canceling, but if you're also using them to listen to something it is mostly ignorable.Comfort: As is common with cheap ear-buds, these headphones use a thin plastic bubble (includes 3 sizes). This isn't particularly comfortable, though it's easy to ignore if you're not using the ear-buds for hours on end.Noise-reducing: The ear-buds make no attempt to provide passive noise reduction. If the noise-canceling is either disabled or insufficient, there is little to block the full volume of sound.The neutral:It comes with a USB adapter for charging, but no AC adapter. I guess you could spend $2 to buy USB-to-AC adapter.It has a microphone, but if it's noisy then the microphone is useless and if it's quite then I'd be rather unplug the headphones and using the phone directly. I find the call answer button similarly pointless.Conclusion:These are a small step up from the cheap ear-buds found in dollar stores and provided free with media players. If your goal is to replace your cheap ear-buds with something equally portable, the noise-canceling makes these a slight improvement. If you're looking something portable to improve your commute to work, these aren't too bad. If you're trying to deal with a noisy work environment or frequent flights, I recommend sacrificing the convenience of ear buds in favor of full headphones.All that said, I wonder if perhaps the noise-reducing quality provided by a high-quality ear bud would make for a more cost-effective choice.

I used these on four long 8-10 hour transcontinental flights to Europe and Africa and am very pleased. They cut back the engine noise substantially -- I was able to watch the movie or listen to music at the 2nd or 3rd volume setting, compared to 100% volume using the airline phones. So, for the price they are a steal. Keep in mind though that you get what you pay for:Disadvantages:- The hissing from the noise cancelling electronics is more pronounced (I am comparing to the now discontinued Logitech Noise Canceling phones, which were made of flimsy plastic broke at the pivot joint). So, if you just wear them without listening to anything, the hissing becomes quite noticeable. However, I found them excellent once you play some soft music at low volume they are the best way to catch a few zzz's-The length of the cord to the headphones and the control unit is short. You have to clip it to your shirt. But, other noise canceling earbuds (Sony, Audio Technica) that cost 3x more have the same complaint.- The earbuds need a tight seal for the noise cancelling to work best, so they need a snug fit. If you dislike earplugs, you will find these uncomfortable. You may need to invest in softer earbud covers made of memory foam to get a better seal -- the ones included are a bit stiff.- Many airliners use two-prong audio jacks. An adapter is not included (but if you've bought other headphones in the past, it's possible you have an adapter in a drawer somewhere!).Advantages:-Price. Nuff said. For the occasional traveler, no need to shell out $200 for Beastly Overpriced Snobby Electronics-Size. The over-ear headphones are better, but they are huge and take up valuable space in the carry on bag. The over-ear phones often stayed at home in the drawer. Plus, they don't scream out that you're wearing big expensive phones.-Rechargeable battery. Most other phones use AAA batteries so you always have to carry a spare around. These recharge on a USB plug and many airlines now have a USB charging jack in the seat. The battery life is good, lasts over 20 hrs!Conclusion: For the money, you can't go wrong. Keep in mind these will *not* cancel out the crying baby or the people yakking away....if anything, because the airplane noise is muffled out, you will hear these even more clearly! But, they do sound further away and if you listen to a movie/music on top of that, I found them to be excellent to eliminate distractions and focus on work/movie or be able to sleep.For the occasional traveler who does not want to shell out big bucks on a gadget that only gets used a handful of times a year, they are a great buy. If you are on a plane very often, you may want to consider something with a bit more comfort (better fitting earbuds) and less background hiss -- but keep in mind that even reviews for mid-range noise cancelling earbuds are rather mixed. For ultimate noise cancellation, you need to go with an over-ear model (I liked the Logitech one I used to have), but they are big, can be uncomfortable and the budget models tend to break quickly.

This is my second pair - someone stole my 1st pair. I ordered these immediately upon discovering the loss of the other set. The audio reproduction is not amazing when it comes to music, the cable design/length is honestly a little awkward, however overall it is an excellent product for the price. The NC is modest - nowhere near as good as my Phiatons, however it works well for making mobile phone calls or listening to music. The NC does limit background noise and boost the audio, especially on bad mobile connections.You can pay 4 or 5 times more for this functionality, albeit with better audio reproduction. I paid over $100 for my Phiatons, which have excellent NC (used mostly on flights to block out plane noise) but lack a mic, so it can't be used for phone calls.The battery lasts forever on a single charge and charges quickly with USB. I'll buy it again if I lose or break this one. Definitely good bang for your buck.

I got these headphones after reading through tons of reviews on various in-ear noise cancelling headphones. These seemed like the highest rated for the most reasonable price. They are worthless to me, though. The ear pieces are huge and don't fit in my ears. The noise cancelling is ok if I actively press them in my ears, but it's painful and unpractical. The design is poor--the heavy portion with the control switch is too close to the earbuds. Since there is so little slack, there is nowhere to clip the box. It dangles in the air and gravity inevitably causes both earbuds to fall out of your ears.So,1) poor fitting/non conforming earbuds2) so-so noise cancelling3) poor design that causes earbuds to constantly pull on ears and inevitably yanks the earbuds right outI would not recommend these to anyone unless you have big ear canals.

OK not bad for the price, but the quality is dreadful. It does cancel noise but the static is uncomfortable. If your interested in noise cancelling go for the top brands. You can test them in shop. You get what you pay for.

Sound quality -2/5Noise cancelling - 3/5Materials -2/5The plastic headphones easily resonate sound from around you that is makes the noise cancelling useless.....Pointless outside