Sony MDR-NC11 MDR-NC11 Noise Canceling Headphones

Pros: Slick design, wears well even when sleeping, good sound
Cons: Noise cancelation should mean overall reduction. This unit ADDS white noise

This review covers the Sony MDR-NC11 Noise Canceling Headphones So I already owned a Jensen JNC50 Noise Canceling Headset, when I won this Sony in a lottery. Cool a 150 USD set , Sony brand name, sleek design and neat earplug type headset with a ...

Pros: Very good noise cancellation, lightweight, compact and good sound reproduction
Cons: Wires are unwieldy Small silicon bud replacements are expensive but worth it

I purchased these ear bud headphones to help reduce the exhausting noise levels on long cross country plane rides. I also hoped to be able to listen to music on my laptop and/or the movie shown, without having to turn up the volume to try to compensate ...

Pros: They do block a lot of outside noise.
Cons: Expensive. Clunky. Unwieldy. Tangle easily. SONY-MDR-EX51LP sound better.

I took these headphones back after giving them a good run against several other pairs I use including a new pair of KOSS plugs and the Sony Fontopia® Headphones MDR-EX51LP. They were alright, but to me not worth $100. I drive a Jeep Wrangler, and I'm ...

Pros: Excellent bag for holding the headphones. Has a volume control.
Cons: Reduces only low frequencies, doesn't cancel noise, introduces hiss.

I bought these headphone as I travel a lot. Well I'm disappointed, all that money for a noise canceling headset that doesn't noise cancel. Even the instructions say they are not noise canceling but only noise reducing, and only in the lower frequency range. The amount of reduction is minimal and the hiss that is introduced (also mention in the instructions)is about as loud as the noise they reduce. As head phone alone, I found them average. I have 2 sets of Sony mdr-w08 verticals that sound much better and cost a lot less.

How can Sony market these as noise canceling?

Pros: Small electronics
Cons: Adds hiss, no detectable noise cancellation.

After owning the NCT NoiseBuster Extreme, I assumed that the Sony would be at least as good. The NCT product is great. Put the headphones on and power-up, 95% of ambient noise and rumble disappears. It is striking how much noise is around you even when you don't know it. The NCT for $40 really impressed me. The problem with it is a large unit that houses the electronics, so I decided to try the NC11. I couldn't believe how much hiss is added to whatever you are listening to, and if there is ANY noise cancellation it is barely detectable. I tried another to make sure the first wasn't defective. Same poor performance. Come on Sony, you can't provide the same advanced tech as tiny NCT?

Pros: Small size.
Cons: Poor sound and noise cancellation.

I have used Etymotic ER-6 (www.etymotic.com) in-ear headphones for years with my iPod. The only reason I started looking for a replacement was that I could wear them comfortably only for 3 or so hours. I purchased the Sony noise-cancelling headphones for an international flight in an attempt to replace the Etymotics.

I was extremely disappointed in both the sound quality and the noise cancellation capability of the Sony headset. The Etymotics reproduce sound noticably better without the hiss of the Sony noise cancellation technology.

If you are willing to spend $150 or more of headphones, I suggest you look to Etymotic, Shure, or Bose. Definitely, do not go with Sony!

Pros: Small, portable, decent sound.
Cons: Average noise reduction - hard to replace and they don't hold up over time.

I have had two units (one from Tokyo and another from Chicago airport) and they have both stopped working after about 8 months - the earbuds are extremely easy to lose and hard to replace, and the right speaker will eventually stop working. I had to wander the street of Tokyo looking for a parts depot in order to get replacement buds. Save your time and money. I am going to invest in the Bose QC-2 headphones.