Cingular Go Phone: Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B Active Noise-Cancelling Closed-Back Headphones Review

Disclosure:I have tried all these on an airplane.I am not an audiophile.Noise Cancelation is the most important attribute to me.

The Carrying Case:All three are quite durable and stiff.
1.) Bose- the smallest, a low profile, room for an Ipod, accessories too.
2.) Sennheiser- Square shape, low profile, however not a lot of room for anything else in case.
3.)Audio Technica- Nice big case if you want to carry extra stuff (Nintendo DS, ipod, etc).

Build Quality:
1.) Sennheiser- you can tell this is built VERY well.Strong plastics, good components, thick cord.Top notch.You feel like you are getting something really high quality.
2.)Audio Technica- Nice solid construction, appears durable.
3.)Bose- If this had a Sanyo logo on the side, I would not have flinched.How can something $300 be so incredibly cheaply made.

Size:
1.) Bose- as far as over the ears go, these are pretty small.
2.)Audio-Technica- mid-sized.
3.)Sennheiser- These are big.No question, but they store flat.

Comfort:
1.) Sennheiser- Very comfortable, will fit almost any size ears.Keep on for hours.
2.)Bose- Also comfortable.I did not experience "highs" discomfort.
3.)Audio-Technica- Perfectly satisfactory.Larger opening than previous AT model.

Sound:
1.) Sennheiser- I actually wore these at home too, simply to hear parts of songs I had never heard before.Astounding.My 10yr old music collection sounded totally NEW.
2.)Audio-Technica- Well balanced, good sound.
3.)Bose- Great sound, but very heavy on the bass.I listen to a lot of rap and pop, so it was mildly annoying.I ultimately had to turn my treble settings up on my ipod to balance the sound.

Features:
1.) Sennheiser- nice cord, push to talk button (temporarily mutes NC and sound which is great for interruptions on airplanes).
2.)Bose/Audio Technica- just the basics.Bose simply an on/off switch.

Price:
1.) Audio Technica- $150 to $225 depending on how you shop.
2.)Sennheiser- $200 to $275
3.)Bose- Hard to find below $300+.

Noise Cancelation:
1.) Bose- No question here, far surpassed the other two.Best Noise Cancelation.
2.)Audio-Technica- Good Noise Cancelation.
3.)Sennheiser- Not sure what happened here.Incredible sound, satisfactory noise cancelation.

Summary:

I ultimately kept the Bose because I was only using these for flying and the Sennheiser's (as much as I loved them) let me down in the Noise Cancelation department.The Sennheiser's had by far the most superior sound, but the Bose Noise Cancelation was night and day.The Bose are made very poorly for a $300+ product, it was disappointing.

Final assessment:

Audio-Technica- best balance of value for money
Sennheiser- Best sound and comfort
Bose- Best Noise Cancelation

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Product Description:
Arrive refreshed after a long flight, avoid distractions in a noisy office, or find peace & quiet in your living room...with ATH-ANC7b QuietPoint® Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones. These lightweight, compact headphones effectively reduce distracting background noise by up to 85% while offering the superior audio quality that has made Audio-Technica a worldwide leader in electro-acoustic technology.Ideal for use with MP3, CD, DVD & in-flight entertainment systems, ATH-ANC7b QuietPoint® closed-back headphones deliver clear, high-resolution sound, with impactful bass, a detailed midrange, extended treble and accurate imaging in an immersive soundfield. Their earcups have been redesigned for greater comfort, with generously cushioned padding and a shape that fits easily over any ear.The ATH-ANC7b QuietPoint® headphones feature large-aperture 40 mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems and extremely high 109dB sensitivity to provide generous volume levels from any music source. The headphones also work when the noise-cancelling function is turned off, and operate in passive mode without batteries. Noise-cancelling electronics are fully integrated in each earpiece, with no need for external modules.