Noise Canceling Headphones Review: Plane Quiet Platinum
For the past week or so I’ve been breaking in my set of Plane Quiet Platinum Noise Canceling Headphones in order to be able to share my thoughts on this brand new headphones coming from the “Outside the Box” group, and able to be ordered directly from ProTravelGear.com. If you’re too lazy to read, or in a hurry to get some noise canceling headphones - here is my early conclusion for you - these noise canceling headphones are very affordable and a great deal at only $99, so you won’t be disappointed for not spending the extra $200 for the comparable Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones.
But looking at them closer, here are my first impressions + commentary.
First, I have had a little bit of experience with noise canceling headphones. Keyword little. I’ve used some Sony noise canceling headphones a few years back flying to Europe, and I have tried out Bose Quiet Comfort headphones various times when I spot someone with them - So I generally know what to expect when it comes to noise canceling headphones.
The Package - What’s included.
So, opening up the package was definitely a bitch due to its rock hard plastic encasing that seemingly everything is packaged in nowadays. But after tangling with the plastic a good three minutes, I unboxed the contents which include the headphones, a high quality nylon carrying bag, a two prong adapter, headphone jack adapter, a smaller little carrying bag for accessories AND 2 AAA batteries necessary to run the noise canceling feature of the headphones. I always when batteries are included, so I was pretty giddy.
The Headphones
For the headphones, they are big, comfortable, and sturdy. They have very comfortable leather ear cups and do not resemble anything “cheap.” I was impressed just holding them and trying them on without any music playing. Then, connected to the headphones is a very long (75 inch) cord for your headphones with the on/off switch and battery holder in the center. The cord is much longer than any normal headphone set to accommodate for all seat locations on planes, so it’s necessary. But for normal use with an iPod or notebook computer, the length is a bit annoying - which is my only gripe about the headphones.
Headphones Usage Test
The only thing that really matters is performance, no matter how sturdy the headphones are, or even how many AAA batteries are included. As a music lover, I first gave the set a test with my iTunes library and the sound put my earbuds to shame. Rich, stereo sound with great clarity and bass filled my ears. After some mellow Bon Iver, dance hall Calabria, and rockin Wilco I was pleased.
…And then I turned on the noise canceling feature of the Plane Quiet Platinum headphones…
With a simple switch I turned on the noise canceling feature, and the sound became much fuller with less outside noise interference. The headphones do a great job hiding the constant background noises, which in my case was the concrete and construction work taking place right outside my home. I was very pleased, and found no complaints with the sound quality at all.
Conclusion
For only $99 (with free shipping!), the Plane Quiet Platinum Noise Canceling Headphones are an amazing deal. Great sound, comfortable design, and a high quality carrying bag make these headphones a must have travel accessory. The only drawback I found was the length of the cord during normal every day usage, but it is really nothing to get upset about as you’ll surely forget the annoyance when the music comes on.
With that said, take your $200 saved from not buying the Bose’s, donate half of it to my travel fund, and spend the rest on a few drinks on your future trip. Enjoy them.
I would not purchase anything from the vendors of Plane Quiet. I bought their $200 Solitude headphones. They broke at the connection between the headband and headphone. A web search revealed this to be a common problem. Irritatingly enough, the "limited life time warranty" excluded this chief source of failure for these headphones. I was stuck with a piece of junk after two years even though I treated these phones with kid gloves.
My request for warranty service was met with a $20 discount for the new headphones since the old Solitude ones are not being manufactured due to patent infringement problems. In short, they just blew me off.
I ended up buying Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 noise cancelling headphones for $98 and they are far superior to the $200 Solitude phones I bought. Much better noise cancellation, better sound reproduction, and more comfortable fit. And, the swivels that connect the headphones to the headband are very robust.
So, maybe these headphones are OK... but I can guarantee you that the company does not stand behind their products, and there is a great, inexpensive alternative out there (the Audio Technica - I've now owned 4 different brands and these are the best). I can't see a reason for buying these headphones given such a great alternative, and the very poor service, warranty, and attitude of the Out of the Box folks, the manufacturers of these headphones.
I have to concur with Wayne. I sent my headphones in for repair in early February. I heard nothing for 2 months and decided to contact them. Today, I heard from them and was told exactly the same thing. Product is no longer manfactured and we have no parts. I am being offered a $50 discount towards the purchase, but I am questioning the purchase from these people again. What happens if there is a problem with these headphones? I will most likely pass, as one of the best features of the Solitude is missing; the detachable cable.
I would also agree that customer service, my warranty, and lack of responses from this company are sub par.
Thanks for sharing so useful information about Noise Canceling Headphones. I am planning a tour to Alaska for wildlife exploration. I will be buying these headphones before going for this tour so that I could enjoy while traveling with the clear great sound of Plane Quiet Platinum Noise Canceling Headphones. I usually go on various tours and face a lot of problems due to my old headphones. I hope these will work well. I am also looking for someone to accompany me in this tour, if anyone interested lemme know. I had found an interesting tour, have a glimpse at it: http://www.ekoventure.com/trips/united_states-alaska-anchorage-cultural_tours-hiking-wildlife_tours-mushing-train_tours-photography-helicopter_tours-whitewater_rafting-cultural-exploration-soft_adventure-active_sport-alaskan-tour-guides-14298 How do you find it???
I have experience that the small piece that connects the ear part to the head band is very pooly made and has broken - i have tried to repair but i cannot - expensive purchase of junk !
The earlier Plane Quiet Solitude headphones did have a weak connection between the earcup and the rest of the phone. Mine broke after two years of frequent travel. But I was able to fix them myself with a couple of 6-32 screws from my junk box (from the hardware store they cost a few cents...literally) which saved a really good-performing set of phones for many more trips. They are still going strong and their sound quality AND noise cancelling is as good as the famous brand that rhymes with HOSE. Maybe a smidgen better.