Sometimes it's necessary to compare apples to oranges, especially if you're looking at the health benefits of fruit. If you need anti-oxidants, go for the apple; if vitamin C is what you want, choose the orange. It's not a case of deciding which fruit is better: rather, which fruit better suits your needs.

Comparing RF wireless headphones to headphones with noise reduction technology may seem apples-to-oranges, but each pair has strengths that meet different needs. Both features significantly add to the cost of the headphones; are wireless and noise reduction headphones worth the cost? If so, which best suits my regular listening environment? To address these questions, I compared both kinds of headphones in the home and work setting. Going head to head (well, to my head at any rate) were the Sennheiser RS 85 RF wireless headphones and the Bose? QuietComfort? 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling? headset.

The Sennheisers at home
The Sennheiser RS 85 system ($249.99) uses an RF (radio frequency) signal to send sound wirelessly from a transmitter base to the portable headset. The transmitter (an unobtrusive spike less than 4-1/2" tall) is contained in a cradle that also holds the 'phones when not in use. This cradle charges the batteries in the 'phones (as well as a spare set in the base). The headphones have a volume control, as well as a button that fine-tunes the incoming signal.

Being mobile was a definite plus in the home setting. The powerful transmitter on the Sennheiser's base unit freed me from the confines of the kitchen/family room that houses both our TV and stereo. Often during listening sessions other sounds competed for my attention, such as the television, dishwasher, and general uproar of teenagers coming and going. Although I couldn't overcome the noise with the RS 85s, I could escape it. I found I could range from attic to basement without losing any sound quality, allowing me to seek out quieter listening spaces.

The Sennheiser headphones are designed for extended listening, with soft velour padding and a generous-sized cup that doesn't press on the ears. This attention to comfort was much appreciated, especially as listening hour piled on listening hour!

The rechargeable NiMH batteries lasted about 3.5 hours per charge, which easily covered my nightly listening sessions. During a round of Saturday chores, I did deplete the batteries once. The RS 85s come with a backup pair of batteries that charge in the stand. I simply swapped out the batteries, and went back to cleaning the garage.

With a range of 300 feet, the Sennheisers were welcome companions for outdoor activities such as getting the mail or filling the birdfeeders. Hooking them up to a portable CD player stationed in the garage, I could go all the way out to the edge of our property. (If you try such a configuration, plug the transmitter into the line out rather than the headphone jack. The signal is stronger and the headphone volume controller doesn't have to work as hard.)

Going mobile: the Sennheiser RS 85 RF wireless headphones

The Sennheisers at the office
Depending on your job situation (and how self-conscious you are), the RS 85s are good for extended listening in the office. It was great to be able to go to the printer or do some filing without interrupting the music. Not having a cord to entangle in the phone line was also a plus. I did get some strange looks tooling through the halls, though.

Many computers, printers and other devices generating electronic interference surround my work environment. Despite all this potential interference the Sennheiser transmitter delivered a clean signal in my immediate work area. Problems arose when I moved through the building, though. Although the transmitter was only ten feet away, the fireproofed metal stairwell effectively blocked reception to the headphones. I-beams that frame the major portions of the building also seriously interfered with reception.