The
Etymotic Research HF3 headphones aren't the most comfortable, but they sound good and offer excellent noise isolation.
If you're looking for a pair of in-ear headphones solely for the purpose of noise isolation, then the Etymotic Research HF3 headphones are absolutely worth buying.
Let's start with the design. The headphones have a minimalistic black design, with ribbed ear tips to help make for better noise isolation. They feature a standard three-button remote part-way down the cable, and won't look out of place in any ears.
The sound of the headphones is pretty good, too. Perhaps the best thing about the sound is the detailed and clear high end, but the headphones offer decent bass response and well-tuned mids too. The noise isolation on these headphones is very good because they're effectively blocking the ear canal.
So what are the downsides to these headphones? Well, they're not the most comfortable. After all, they're built to completely block the ear canal, so they may feel a little uncomfortable after long periods of listening. Still, despite the downsides, the headphones scored an impressive five stars on What Hi Fi.
Pros: Great sound quality, good noise isolation
Cons: Expensive, not the most comfortable