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94 of 100 found the following review helpful:
 Tried 'em all - Koss is bestMar 19, 2001
By Steve Kraner
I fly 100k/per year, and happened to sit by a young lady from Japan about 3 years ago who let me try her Sony noise reduction headset. I was surprised how effective it was and how much noise and stress you are exposed to when you are flying. I immediately tried a Brookstone noise reduction headset I got in the next airport, which I used with my portable CD player - and was surprised how much it contributed to arriving more comfortable, relaxed and effective. However, it was bulky, heavy enough to hurt my ears after being worn for 30 minutes or so, and began to come apart. I tried the Bose NR headset - which is great - but still a little bulky and heavy. This year a got the Koss QZ-2000 - and it's the one to get. It works as well as any of the others, but takes less space in your luggage and is so comfortable you can wear it from London to San Francisco - no problem. The combination of the QZ-2000 and my Compressor Personal Jukebox (now I don't need to carry CD's) means I have relaxing noise reduction and my choice of music anywhere.
72 of 77 found the following review helpful:
Essential tool for the travelerNov 06, 2000
By Evans Thompson
These headphones are wonderfully designed for the frequent traveler. They remove much of the low-frequency noise, which reduces the damage to the eardrum over time. They also allow an external sound source (airplane sound system, CD player, etc) to be heard with significantly less volume.All of those features apply to all noise-canceling headphones. The Koss headphones excel in their wear-ability. Unlike many designs, the Koss headphones do not rest solely on the ears. Instead, they have foam shims that share the load between the ears and the head right above the ear. The result is a more comfortable design over a long period of time. On a short plane trip, it won't make a difference, nor will it on a commute to work. For those long-haul fights, however, it becomes crucial to its continued comfortable use. The two AA batteries last for hours (the "low battery" indicator means only 30 hours remain) and are easy to replace. The two-prong adapter is ideal for most airline headsets, although through experience I've noticed some use a 1/4" phono jack, which I've now included in my kit.
19 of 19 found the following review helpful:
Blanks out most airplane noiseMar 29, 2001
By John S. Taylor
I primarily bought this to blank out airplane noise because I fly a lot. It does a great job whiting out most of the noise yet I can still hear the announcements just fine. It is better at drowning the lower (engine) noise than higher noise (wind). On both commuter planes and full size jets it does a great job removing 95% of annoying noise. Haven't even used yet to listen to music so I can't speak to that. It folds nicely into a zippered case. But be careful. Some of the plastic parts seem flimsy so you don't want to jam the headphones into a bulging carryon bag even when folded.
26 of 28 found the following review helpful:
Living with QZ-2000 Active Noise Reduction headphonesJul 15, 2002
By John Whelan
My hearing isn't quite as good as it used to be so anything that helps me distinguish sounds is very useful. I own two pairs of QZ-2000 headphones and use them every day on the bus to listen to the radio or Cds. Sometimes I record spoken radio programs on a CD-RW to play back on the bus journey. Basically they reduce the low frequency sounds so that you can listen to spoken voice, very useful when studying languages. Classical music still doesn't work, but most Jazz does, again sitting as far away from the engine as possible helps as well. When flying I used to use ear buds and heavy ear defenders. The Koss headphones are much better and not nearly as tiring to wear. They aren't much use at the high screaming kids frequencies but even so they do take the edge off it. Although they are useful at reducing noise the normal technique of getting a seat in the center block as far forward as possible should still be used since these tend to be the quietest seats. They are considerably cheaper than upgrading to business class on longer trips. I notice that I am fresher when I wear them than when I do not. I have noticed they don't make so much difference on trains though. I think trains are just quieter. The reason I have two pairs, well they have a life time warranty and I find that the wires tend to break inside with use. Then I send them off to be repaired and use the other pair. Normally I find that the headphones do vary. One pair will work perfectly whilst another pair is prone to feedback. By switching the noise reduction units and headphones around I can usually get a reasonable result. Also when sending back ones that need to be repaired I must confess I hang on to the best noise reduction unit. Currently the pair I am using needs the headphone cable pushed in firmly each morning or one ear doesn't have sound. If I slip them off my head to talk to someone I find that placing the headphones against my neck cuts out the feedback howl. Also they seem very sensitive to having the cable flat and not twisted between the headphones and noise reduction unit. Could I image life without them? No. Could they be improved? I think so. They are a considerably higher priced unit than other noise reduction headphones which sort of balances out the life time warranty. At ...U.S. I think the factory really should match the headphones and noise reduction units better so that they do sell a mixture that is very sensitive to a feedback loop. Also I think they should do something about the cables between the headphones and noise reduction box. All in all an excellent first generation product.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Good for short and long flightsAug 06, 2001
By pat becker
Just returned from 2 week trip with 5 flights ranging from 1 to 15 hours. The Koss noise reduction quiet zone headphones made the trips alomost enjoyable! They really cut down on the noise/hum of the engines even sitting near the loudest part of the plane. Watching movies and listening to the audio was crystal clear and the volume could be played at the lowest level. The only drawback is that the attachment is somewhat fragile and if you move a lot, sometimes you have to readjust. The earphones were comfortable and the carry case is very convenient. Compared to some of the more expensive headphones, I think this is a true bargain. In fact, my entire family was begging to use them. Would highly recommend.
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