Noise cancelling headphones - Re: The Newly Inaugurated London.pm "Most In Need of Positivity" Award

[Piers Cawley]

"Zach Vonler" <zvonler at gmail.com> writes:

> On 8/11/06, andrew Black <andrew-li at black1.org.uk> wrote:
>> danny staple wrote:
>> > Simple solution, buy some really decent noise cancelling headphones,
>> > and listen to whatever you like on a computer or music player device,
>> > turned up so you cant hear the radio.
>>
>> Do they work - or rather more specifically does anyone have
>> recommendations for ones that work.
>> I tried some cheapo ones and to be honest think the feature was cosmetic.
>
> I have a set of these, considered "passive noise-cancelling":
>
> http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/sealed-and-noise-canceling/etymotic-er-4p.php
>
> and find that they do an excellent job of blocking outside noise while
> operating at a very reasonable volume.  They are not good for
> activity, though, because one of the results of sealing the ear canal
> is that footsteps resonate in the skull.
>
> I have used them on several plane flights, and they do a good job of
> blocking out the engine drone.

Just don't wear 'em during take off because the pressure difference
means they'll burrow into your skull to such an extent that when you
try to pull 'em out you'll pull out the driver but not the foam plugs.

Not that this has ever happened to me you understand.

-- 
Piers Cawley <pdcawley at bofh.org.uk>
http://www.bofh.org.uk/