OK, there are many different ways to approach your current setup.
Wired vs wireless isn’t that much of an issue as you can get very affordable Bluetooth adapters for your computer.
Also the goal of what you want your headphones to do is going to come into play here as well because you may want a stationary setup vs mobile.
Then there’s the microphone requirement…
Actually rather than fill an unrelated thread with headphone advice I’m going to DM you.
Anytime!
If you want to extend the life of your XM3’s you can get some high quality upgraded cushions from “Wicked Cushions” for $30. They have a couple of different styles other than just straight black.
America’s Test Kitchen is one of the only apps I pay a subscription for. It’s pretty phenomenal. I usually try to find something from Kenji Lopez-Alt, Binging with Babish, or Claire Saffitz first but I ALWAYS know I will find something good on ATK.
YouTube recipes have gotten hit or miss for me and I blame TikTok. They have become super short without lots of relevant information. If you’re lucky they will display the ingredient quantity on screen for a second before moving on.
I recently was looking for a new recipe to try and found so many YouTube “recipes” that read like a Great British Bake Off Challenge.
Step 1: Gather ingredients Step 2: Make dough Step 3: Cook. Enjoy! Like and subscribe, check out my Patreon, TikTok, Instagram, tumbler, Etsy, Nebula, floatplane, and OnlyPans!
Okay so this provides an interesting set of restraints as they are traveling headphones. I have yet to find what I consider the perfect traveling headphones but there are a couple I have found that come close.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra’s
Bose has some remarkable ANC, after all that is one of the things that really established their name in the market. My main two complaints with the Bose is the sound signature isn’t always the best (IMO) and that the app can be finicky at best bordering on terribly annoying.
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra’s are really amazing for the ANC and their sound is improved with their new processor but if you are on an apple device you will miss out on this feature. Only devices with a snap dragon 888 or newer can take advantage.
One of the caveats is that the microphone quality is not the best I had some complaints about call quality when using the Bose.
One pro is that they collapse into a smaller form factor with a slightly better carrying case.
For the Sony XM5 I really preferred the sound signature and styling is just Chefs Kiss. They fold flat enough which makes packing them easy enough even if they aren’t as small as the Bose. I also prefer that the XM5 has a 3.5mm audio jack instead of a 2.5mm on the Bose. It feels more likely to last longer. Also because they are slightly older you can probably find a better deal.
The Sony does a remarkably good job at rejecting background noise when making phone calls and has a much wider band of frequencies captured. The Bose sounds very tiny and scratchy.
The Sony also has a longer battery life which is nice.
I know you said that outrageous good noise cancelling is key but if you are willing to compromise a little on the ANC quality the Focal Bathys have far superior sound.
The frequency curve on the mids to low end is practically flat, it does fall off the tiniest bit on the upper mids and lower highs but for me this means you get a really accurate sound reproduction that isn’t tiring and can be listened to all day long. The soundstage is really wide especially given that they are closed back.
The looks are a bit odd and they are a bit on the larger side. They still fold flat and they have a superior amount of cushion and I think the build quality is better.
Oh if you are a bass head that just wants super punchy powerful bass go for the Sony’s over the Focals. The Focals are more accurate but less present.
Lastly is my currently traveling setup. Its… non-traditional. I am using a pair of Samsung Galaxy Pro 2 buds which really fit my ear well and already have some pretty remarkable ANC. Not nearly Headphone level but still very good. Here is the non-traditional part: if I REALLY need to block out outside noise IE on a construction site or in the shop I wear the buds underneath a pair of passive cancelling earmuffs. Specifically the Peltor X5 Earmuffs.
It’s not stylish but the Earmuffs + Buds + Comply Foam tips feels like you are in a void. Barely have to touch the volume to hear your music as clear as day.
Oh man Muse and Walk the Moon are some of my regulars. Haven’t heard of St. Lucia or Passion Pit, I’ll have to give those a listen.
Genuinely looking for new headphones?
Wired or wireless?
I kind of love headphones.
I’m always curious about these crashes and bugs people are talking about.
I’m on my fourth complete playthrough with just short of 700 hours played and have not had any crashes that weren’t my own fault. I used the unlimited carry weight mod on a playthrough. Turns out if you select the throw option when you have 1000 items in your inventory the game doesn’t like that.
Other than that my experience has had no gameplay issues or bugs. The only complaint I’ve had is some characters don’t have any dialogue referencing things that occurred in the game that they absolutely SHOULD have something to say about. Sounds like this patch might just fix that issue.
Out of curiosity what bands did it use for your example?
Also do yourself a favor and listen to Sleep Token and Jacob Collier.
Specifically:
For Sleep Token: https://youtu.be/uU5vVT_Cp7c?si=8BQSDhNCxGOAHjsr or https://youtu.be/44gbx5VEYPY?si=XNASMTOMohopmIhf
Jacob Collier: https://youtu.be/IQvzX0Z3HE4?si=s_C9g57JH69gaKYj and https://youtu.be/nspqYGz-Z1s?si=yleeBaKox1Cxm8yW
Two slipped discs. Not happening.
Huh, I was guessing flaming hot cheeto chicken.
It’s kind of interesting to see all the weird correlations Spotify has pulled out of thin air. Apparently Fort Collins listens to a lot of Sleep Token, Brandi Carlile, and Jacob Collier.
Fort Collins, Colorado for me
Day one: Dear citizens, your elected government is stepping in to combat the extensive spread of misinformation and lies in consumer media. We have heard your desire for a safer cleaner internet based on scientific fact.
Day ???: Citizen of the state, receive your government sponsored daily truth. Any dissenting opinions will be met with immediate sanctions and corrective discipline. Remember, government is truth, government cannot lie. You will see reason or else.
Having worked at a Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and a Chick-fil-A… The Chick-fil-A system is superior. At least from an employee standpoint. The amount of volume that we could move through the drive thru with the two lane system and people taking orders in person was kind of insane.
Aftermarket hard top that locked into the top of the tailgate. You could unlock the tailgate but wouldn’t be able to pull it down.
If memory serves me the hardtop keys were given to someone to get a tool and never returned to the driver.
I have been in that exact position before. The hard cover was locked and the keys for it disappeared somewhere on the job site. We needed the piece of crown moulding to finish a job we were working on so we did exactly what you see in the photo.
Yes, but… Counter point:
They are so god damn good looking.
I will copy my response to another poster:
Can’t speak for the US as a whole but everywhere I’ve lived Domino’s is the cheapest. I can get a medium 2 topping pizza at dominoes for $6.99. We have 3 family run traditional pizza places within driving distance of where I live, for a 2 topping medium pizza they cost: $14.75, $15.99, or $18.99.
Yeah, my blocked website list is growing everyday with websites that are literally just a 4 paragraph summary of a reddit post. 3 of the paragraphs are usually just "user ‘spezcocksucker’ says this but another person disagrees. Here’s the reddit link and 27 ads.