Bose QuietComfort® 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Consumer Headphones

I listen to music often when I work to help me get into the "zone" when I design. I live in a loft in a busy area with large windows that allow just about any noise in the area into my workspace. Between the garbage trucks some morning, honking horns, speed racer types, and guys watching "the game" (guess that musta been a touchdown?!?! I think my chair shook)in the adjacent loft it can be pretty annoying to work here.

When I first tried these phones out walking through the mall it was on some ipod they had setup. I could instantly tell from putting them on that these were a class act. More comfortable than any other phones i've worn.

I came back to try them out again with my own ipod. It takes about a good 3 minutes or so of having them on before you really slip into the groove. It's like listening in a completely quiet room. The roar of the mall just disappears and the detail in the music comes out.

In my loft space I put them on anytime that the noise starts distracting me from my work. With music playing I can't even hear the slightest interruption. I even have to set my phone right next to me so i can see the display light up and barely hear the ring (I missed a few phone calls before changing this).

The guys in the adjacent loft are at it again watching the game which is what prompted me to write this right now. I popped on my headphones (which are still on now =) and there is not a chance in hell that I can hear them now. LOVE IT!

The sound quality for music is also excellent. Fantastic base and highs. I find the midrange just fine although others say it is just a hair light. Interestingly enough, though these may not be considered "audiophile" phones by many you have to take some things into consideration...

If you are using audiophile phones you aren't getting noise canceling. So you could look at it as if your $1000 headphones are actually adding in all kinds of honks and yells and ambient noise that you don't hear if you are wearing the BOSE. The audiophile headphones may have better range balance and tone IF you are in a bank vault with the door closed, but how many people really have access to that?

For me, i can guarantee I hear more detail in my music, even listening at low volumes than I have with any other headphone set I have had in the past, just due to the phones not having to compete with other noise.

Some people have mentioned the "pressure" feeling you get when you put them on bothering them. It hasn't been a real problem for me at all as I mostly listen to music when I have them on. In between songs when everything goes totally quiet there is a strange light pressure feeling, but it goes away the moment the music starts in again.

In short, if you are looking for a great pair of headphones to kill the noise around you and let you listen and work in peace, and have $300 burning a hole in your pocket...these are for you.