If I were to spend $400 on these headphones, though, I’d feel like I was getting my money’s worth.

They're simply amazing. But are they worth the price? For most people I would say no way. I think these are only for those frequent flyers who are regularly taking flights longer than 5 hours.

The Sony MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones may lighten the wallet, but they are a great option for frequent fliers and tetchy commuters who need superior noise cancellation.

The MDR-NC500D headphones are a good pair of noise cancelling headphones for mainstream listeners who don't care too much about audio quality. The only issue is the headphones' $400 sticker puts them out of a mainstream listener's price range.

We found that the quality of the MDR-NC500D and its functionality was excellent ... Noise canceling headphones make a big difference on a flight, even a short one. Now does it make a $400 difference? That is your choice, really.

The MDRNC500D cans are impressive – but the reduced noise cancellation offered by other ANC headphones for a more affordable price may win you over.

Hard treble and pudgy bass makes these cans tiresome with prolonged listening.

Our major gripes — inability to turn off the cancellation, a poorly designed monitoring feature, and no sound without power — are offset by the headphones’ sound quality, accessory bundle, and digital noise cancellation.