Should i get a noise-cancelling headphone for home use?

i think you should not. two factors apply:

first, is there real background noise that you’re trying to overcome? noise canceling phones do their best work beating out constant, broadband noises like engines, so unless your fridge is really making you crazy, there probably isn’t too much of that kind of noise in your home to cancel.

second, the noise canceling technology necessarily changes the frequency response of the headphones, and therefore the accuracy. my wife has a pair of the top-of-the-line bose quiet comfort, and i brought them into my studio to compare against my sony 7506’s (the industry standard in film and theatre sound production). the sony’s are way more accurate.

of course, it’s all personal preference. the audio technica M40’s are more accurate than the sony’s, but i can work better with the sony’s.

try a pair, but make sure you can get a refund.

yes i notice a difference in mine.

samkisnetz, great response. I would also add that some noise canceling headsets can add some hiss when they are turned on. Normally the hiss is an acceptable trade off to be able to reduce the low frequency noise in airplane or trains. If you do a lot of plane travel they are total worth it. Otherwise you can live without them.

Sam’s right. Noise-canceling headphones don’t improve the audio quality: they just cut out background noise. If you’re in your house and don’t need to block out background noise, don’t get noise-canceling headphones.

The folks at headphone.com are very serious about their headphones, and they can recommend some “best values” in whatever price range you’re looking at. If you want more specialized information, there’s a great forum on headphones at head-fi.org.

Sam and bob are right on plus the sounds stimuli is still being received by tor bain but out of phase; the notion of quietness is only truly acheived through isolation. I find that noise cancelling hp tech gives me killer migraines so I steer away. Any audiophile would agree;

If you want to read up on some truly outrageous and eccentric audiophiles who spend thousand$ on this stuff check out: head-fi.com some of these folks are either bona-fire addicts &/or completely nutz

a good pair will make the sound quality better.