<p>D would like to get a good set to start her freshman year. The reviews on them are mixed. Any experience with these?</p>
<p>Personally, I am very happy with my Bose QC15. S is quite partial to Dr. Dre (they cost less than the Bose).</p>
<p>You could do well with Sennheisers. I have a pair, even though it was refurbished by a secondary company and the earpad sponge things were different than how they come when they’re new (I know this because the top pad is much softer) it didn’t affect performance that much.</p>
<p>I think Bose is like the Apple of headphones; overpriced, and with Sennheisers you can buy a pair that are just as good for half the price, maybe even less. I’d say the models that are 50 dollars and above are always great. The Sennheisers are normally studio headphones but they tone down the price and quality of music a bit to make it a mid-range product for regular consumers. They’re great, highly recommend them.</p>
<p>However, if you want complete and total annihilation of all sound, you could do well with a 200~ dollar pair of Boses, if cost isn’t an issue.</p>
<p>D had a Sennheiser, very good quality and reasonable price.</p>
<p>I can’t hear any outside noise when I use skullcandies or JVC marshmallows. And they only cost like $20.</p>
<p>There are many distractions to studying in a dorm, including social visits and noise that headphones aren’t enough to block.
I started studying in the med school library as a freshman because it was absolutely quiet and I didn’t know anybody there.</p>
<p>Noise cancelling headphones are designed to cancel steady state noise like the drone of an airplane engine. They aren’t going to do much for the racket in a college dorm.</p>
<p>Get her a map to the library and a supply of good foam ear plug. I like the Max Leight brand.</p>
<p>^^^I think my daughter will probably do the same. She prefers absolute quiet (and few, if any, visual distractions, while studying.</p>
<p>For sleeping we do have a fabulous Ecotones Duet Sound machine that is fabulous. A bit pricey (over $100) but way better than the less expensive ones. If she’s lucky enough to get a single, she’ll definitely use it for blocking dorm noise when she wants to sleep. (Then I’ll have to buy a new one because I love it, too. Have it on right now, on the “Rainfall” setting. Ahhh.</p>
<p>Swear by the Bose that Psi recommended (though I don’t know how they compare to the other options on this thread). I can say, from our experience, they really block all types of sound, voices, bangs, etc…quite amazing actually (or we are going deaf!).</p>
<p>She won’t use those Bose headphones in a dorm…DH has them for plane rides. Both of my kids think they look dorky and they do. I asked my kids if they would wear earphone to block the noise in their dorm rooms and both gave me the same reply…go to the library. Even the study lounges in the dorms have a lot of distractions.</p>