Targus PA605U Noise Reduction Headphones

OK, there are two questions to be answered here:

1) How good are these noise reduction headphones on an absolute scale?

and

2) How good are these noise reduction headphones for the price?

First question (1). I have a pair of these headphones. They are sold both as Targus PA605U headphones, and as Brookstone Noise Reduction Headphones. Same item, different labeling. I also have, or have used extensively, the following noise reduction headphones: Sennheiser PXC-250, Bose (both the $300 ones you find in stores or by mail order and the >$1000 ones they sell for airline pilots); Aiwa HP-CN6, Panasonic RP-HC100.

Noise reduction ability: Very good. These headphones do an excellent job of reducing the type of noise that noise reduction headphones can address, namely low frequency white noise. (For example, the rumble of the engines on an airplane, the sound of the engine in a lawn mower, etc.). I'd say the noise reducing...Read more

When I decided to purchase these headphones (I paid 6x as much in a store last year), I was choosing between the Bose QuietComfort 2 and various Sony and Sennheiser models.
***Here's what I like about the Targus headphones:
- the price, of course! WAY cheaper than the next model up.
- the folding and storage. These get SMALL! I easily fit them in my computer bag for flying. They're really easy to fit into the supplied bag.
- I like that when you turn them on, the noise reduction is instant. The Bose reduction "faded in" when you turned them on, and for some reason I didn't like that.
- Makes for some great amplified headphones! I plugged the included cable into my Mp3 player and they reduced noise and provided really nice, full, loud, music.
- Lasts a really long time on 2 AA batteries. I used NiMh batteries with no problem.
***What could be improved
- I normally used these on full volume (for flying) and during quiet times I could...Read more

I bought a pair of these about two years ago. During use at work and flying they worked great. They even include an airplane headphone jack adapter.
However, the ear enclosures are hinged so they can flip and fold into the head band, and fit into an included vinyl bag for storage. After approximately one year of use the plastic hinges became brittle and broke off one of the ear enclosures making the headset useless.
Beware, you get what you pay for.