Keeping Out the Noise, Letting In the Sound
Recently I tested a pair of basic wired ISOtunes and was impressed by their noise isolation and selection of ear tips. The ISOtunes XTRA 2.0 (NRR 27) are the wireless upgrade: they have Bluetooth 5, a rugged design and high dust-and-water resistance rating (IP67), and can be connected to two devices at the same time. …
Read moreISOtunes XTRA 2.0 Earplug Headphones Review (plus Tweaks)
Against low-frequency noise, active noise cancelling headphones (ANC headphones) reign, but against everything else, foam earplugs are more effective. That’s what I used to think, having used both for years now. But ANC headphones and ANC earbuds have become better and better, so I wondered, “Is this still true?” Besides, maximum noise reduction and isolation …
Read moreNoise Cancelling Headphones vs Earplugs: Who is Boss?
ISOtunes Wired and Plugfones Guardian both are wired work earplug headphones with a noise reduction rating of 29. They combine hearing protection earplugs with the ability to listen to music and audio books. I have decided to test and compare these particular models because they offer pretty much the same ear tips as the more …
Read moreISOtunes Wired vs Plugfones Guardian Earplug Headphones
Our brain is constantly listening to what is happening around us, and intermittent noises draw our attention away from studying whether we want it or not. Noise reduction earmuffs are an inexpensive and effective antidote against these distractions. Noise sources include talking, rustling paper, eating noises, coughing, ringing phones and message alerts, video game sounds, …
Read moreWhat Are the Best Noise Reduction Earmuffs for Studying?
Do you have a hard time wearing your earmuffs or headsets for longer periods of time? Perhaps the ear pads are pinching your ears, your glasses are digging into your temples, and the headband is a vise. You find yourself readjusting your muffs to alleviate pressure points all the time. In this article, I am …
Read moreHow to Make Noise Reduction Earmuffs and Headsets More Comfortable
Worktunes and Bluetooth safety earmuffs in general are designed to protect your hearing from loud noise (e.g., power tools, gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers, etc.) while at the same time allowing you to listen to audio. Unlike standard headphones, Bluetooth earmuffs are first and foremost hearing protectors. Most of them attempt to limit the maximum …
Read moreHow to Make Quiet Recordings Louder on 3M Worktunes and Other Earmuffs
During celebrations like New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year, and 4th of July, it is almost impossible to escape firework shows. Besides, most people, including myself, enjoy the spectacle. Fireworks are beautiful, but they can get really loud. You may have heard that active noise cancelling headphones are particularly good against low-frequency noise, and the …
Read moreDo Noise Cancelling Headphones Block Out Firework Noise?
You have been running your white noise machine at maximum volume to drown out the stomping from above, the neighbor’s bass-heavy music, or the rumbling of the trucks passing by. Or perhaps you tried to cover an obnoxious hum permeating your room. Alas, the white noise machine didn’t help all that much. Now you are …
Read moreWhy Most White Noise Machines Don’t Block Low-Frequency Noise
You are sitting in an office, a coffee shop, or your home office and can’t focus because you have to listen to your coworkers or the folks at the next table. Or you are in your bedroom or a hotel room, having to listen to your neighbors having a good laugh and cranking up the …
Quality active noise cancelling headphones work great against low-frequency noise, OK against mid frequency noise (speech, office noise, etc.) and well against high frequency noise. Then we have noise cancelling earbuds. They can be nearly as good as over-ear ANC headphones for low-frequency noise, but are substantially weaker against mid and high frequencies. Good hearing …
Read moreCombining ANC Earbuds and Earmuffs: Ultimate Noise Cancellers?
