I currently work in a noisy office (shouting, explosive sneezing, etc.). I find this very distracting when I'm trying to do work that requires concentration, which is most of the time. Raising the issue with management is unlikely to help. I currently wear Sennheiser HD 202 closed back headphones, which have good sound quality, but don't block external noise much, and are uncomfortable to wear all day.
Can anyone recommend a better noise-blocking solution? I don't mind spending a few hundred pounds if necessary.
The reviews for Sennheiser HD-25 headphones suggest they are good at blocking out noise but squeeze the head very hard?
Would active noise-cancelling headphones help? The reviews I've read suggest that they are more effective with fairly constant noises, rather than the sudden unpredictable noise in an office. I would prefer a model that I could adapt to be powered from a USB port.
Ideally the headphones should not be too garish either.