For what it's worth, I bought my Bose NCHP on December 27 and have worn them every day since then--what's that? 4 months.--and they hold up great and work excellent. I have a big head but my headphones fit comfortably, even loosely, on me.

The NCHP will not really block out the chatter per se but it does filter it and makes it easier to handle. If the chatter is real bad, I add some music. If the chatter/noise is excruciating (such as having to go to my nephew's birthday party at "Shenaniganz") then I add foam ear plugs AND use the head phones

I agree with Mark-- if you are primarily concerned with chatter then the cheapest and easiest thing to do is just buy foam ear plugs.

The problem with those are they indiscriminately block out everything whereas the noise canceling headphones/earbuds allow the sounds you want in.

I don't know about the earbuds; it sounds like those that have them love them. I feared as long as I wanted to wear them they would hurt my ear canals as all ear buds tend to do. The major draw back that I see from them is that they won't allow you the "belt and suspenders" approach of you must go into a particularly noisy environment like a 5yo birthday party. On the other hand, they are more discrete.

I say "ditto" to the poster who brought up the musicians ear plugs, though. My wife had read about those and now I am trying to get into an audiologist in order to get a pair custom. I am happy to hear they are so reasonably priced. They will be even more discrete than the earbuds but still allow me to have conversations. If I ever want to get back in a courtroom that will be mandatory for me.