Ultimate Headphones for Dot Com Travelers

Sony MDR-NC22 Noise Canceling Headphones

While shopping in Hong Kong today, I picked up a set of headphones to add to my list of mobile blogging gears. The Sony MDR-NC22 are in-ear noise canceling headphones. They cancel out, or significantly reduce, the noise of the plane’s engines by emitting signals that are 180 degrees out of phase with engine frequencies of the airplane. The difference in noise level is like night and day. It’s like someone turned off the plane’s engines.

The advantage of the Sony noise canceling headphones over the original Bose noise canceling headphones is the Sony unit fits in ear and it way lighter at only 0.1lbs. Light weight is very important for dot com travelers. The unit’s noise cancellation technology is powered by a single AAA battery that should last up to 30 hours. The rubber ear pieces, available in three sizes, are very comfortable and mold to the shape of your ears. There is also an adapter to use the unit with those strange headphone inputs that some airlines use.

The sound quality of the MDR-NC22 is very high and works great with the MP3 collection in my iPhone. I found the MDR-NC22 very comfortable to use and after awhile, forgot that I had them on. You can use the headphones with or without noise cancellation. It doesn’t make sense to turn cancellation on if you’re in a quiet place like a library. However, having it on during a flight will reduce the plane’s cabin noise by up to 80%.

You don’t need to use these headphones with music. Many travelers buy noise canceling headphones just to cancel out the ambiance noise of the plane’s engines. The extra piece and quiet means a more restful sleep or better enjoyment of a good book on the Kindle. Of course, watching an in flight movie or listening to music is so much more enjoyable without engine noise.

The Sony MDR-NC22 is definitely a mush have item for any dot com traveler. I’m looking forward to using it on my next flight.