A little pricey but worth it

I'd been considering purchasing noise-canceling headphones for quite a while, especially for use at work. I was originally going to buy the active noise-canceling headphones from Bose (the ones you see advertised on TV) but I found out after research that they aren't necessarily the best.

Active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones use a small microphone to "hear" incoming noises. A microprocessor then creates an exact opposite waveform which is then passed to the wearer's ears. The reverse waveform cancels out unwanted noise near the wearer. However, because it's essentially producing a new audio signal (simply reversed from the original), there is the potential to create audio artifacts that can affect the desired audio signal.

Additionally, ANC requires extra power to drive the circuitry, resulting in larger, heavier headsets. Plus you have to worry about replacing the batteries on the headset itself.

The Shure SE110 headphones use passive noise isolation. Using them is like putting earplugs in your ears; outside noise is attenuated but not completely cut-off. However, when you're listening to music or other audio signal, the noise isolation is sufficient to allow for clear listening. Because they sit inside the ear canal, you get better audio response than regular earbuds. Plus, there is no noise leakage, so other people can't hear what you're listening to. Additionally, the noise isolation works well enough that you can listen to your music at a much lower volume, which means you have less chance of damaging your hearing.

There is no additional power supply required so the headphones are light, like standard earbuds. The "earplugs" are a very soft, squishy foam so they are easily inserted into the ear canal. Included with the kit are several different sizes plus some silicon sleeves, allowing the wearer to choose which type to use.

I also have a pair of JVC's Marshmallow earphones (which look similar) but you'll notice the quality difference. The speakers for the Shure earphones are much better quality, giving a cleaner, clearer sound; the cheaper phones sound slightly "muddy".

The SE110 model is the cheapest of the consumer models from Shure. The list price is $120 but most places sell them for $100. The more expensive versions provide bass boost and other features that are of questionable value. I haven't tested the other earphones but, since I'm not an audiophile, I doubt I would be able to tell the difference. Hence, in my opinion, these are the best earphones for the price.