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Topic: headphones for extended wear in noisy environment (Read 3183 times) previous topic - next topic
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headphones for extended wear in noisy environment

My daughter has asked for a pair of headphones for her birthday. She will use them at work, which is a typical office environment with general hubbub of background noise. Since she plans to use them for extended periods, she feels that in-ear types would not be a good idea (for both comfort and hygiene reasons). So it seems there are two options: active noise-cancelling headphones, or over-the-ear ones that block out noise. My questions are:

1. Do active noise-cancelling headphones work well to reduce the random background chatter in an office environment? I have no experience of them, but had been led to believe they are more suited to constant background noise (such as the drone of an aircraft).

2. How good are over-the-ear headphones at isolating noise (compared to in-ear types)? Would they remain comfortable in extended use (compared to lighter on-the-ear types)?

Any comments and recommendations for make/model would be gratefully received.

headphones for extended wear in noisy environment

Reply #1 –
There are two in-ear types noise reducing types. The maximum noise isolation is most likely the type that go into the ear canal like ear plugs. The other type have a flexible plastic bulb-like end that fits into the outer ear immediately in front of the ear canal, just like ear buds, except that the soft plastic makes for a much more secure fit and provides much more noise isolation. Most come with three different interchangeable sizes of end covers to fit more ears.

I find these later type very easy to wear for extended periods. They seem to me to be at least as good as my large Sony V900 closed back, over the ear, headphones at blocking noise.

I don't know what differences in noise isolation might exist between the inexpensive and expensive one of this type but I've used a number of $5.00 that function quite well Perhaps that isn't too expensive to buy as an experiment.

headphones for extended wear in noisy environment

Reply #2 –
Quote from: AndyH-ha on
There are two in-ear types noise reducing types. ...

Thanks for the comments, Andy, but my daughter specifically ruled out in-ear types.

I eventually settled on getting her a pair of Audio Technica ATH-ANC1, based on the fact that they were the only ones I could find at a reasonable price that had no negative reviews. All the other affordable models had a mix of good and bad reviews.

headphones for extended wear in noisy environment

Reply #3 –
To each her own of course. My comments were directed to her stated reasons: (for both comfort and hygiene reasons)
which I don't see as applying to the type I described.
 

headphones for extended wear in noisy environment

Reply #4 –
1.Tell her to go to a best buy or something along those lines, and try out the bose quiet comfort. Yes bose are overpriced, yes there will be snobs who claim 'they don't sound good'. Ignore them. If you have any idea how noisy one of these stores are, with nothing playing the quiet comfort 'phones reduced the background noise to near silence. WITH NOTHING PLAYING. At least she will get an idea if active noise cancelling is what she needs, even if she chooses a different brand, as some people find the 'vacuum effect' a little uncomfortable/unsettling.

2.My opinion is just my own, but I find over ears far more comfortable than on ears, simply because I don't like the way the latter pin my ears to my head, it's uncomfortable for long periods. Heat and sweat can happen with over ears, but I prefer that to the other. How good over ears (without noise cancelling) are at isolation varies widely depending on materials used, etc.