Keeping Out the Noise, Letting In the Sound
In this post I am comparing two of my favorite noise reduction tools: active noise cancelling headphones and earmuffs. The results of an everyday noise reduction test are also included. Noise cancelling headphones (ANC headphones) have become all the rage in recent years, and for good reasons: They get rid of bass noise like no …
Read moreNoise Cancelling Headphones vs Earmuffs: Electronics or Big Ear Cups?
I have been asked a few times to recommend earmuffs that suit people with large heads, so here is my take on this. I have an above-average but not huge head, and over time, I have used my share of earmuffs with different designs and different-sized headbands. For this post, I have also measured their …
Read more7 Great Earmuffs for Large Heads and 5 That Are Too Small (Review)
The 3M Peltor Sport Ultimate and Peltor Sport Bull’s Eye are two more recent additions to 3M’s large portfolio of hearing protection earmuffs. Seeing them, my first thought was: “Hey, these earmuffs look cool.” “They could be used in the workshop as a hearing protector, as well as in the coffee shop to get rid …
Read morePeltor Sport Ultimate and Peltor Sport Bull’s Eye Review
You may have just gotten a white noise machine for your bedroom and are unsure how loud you should set it. Or you have tried to use it for a while but it doesn’t seem to be soothing enough or block enough noise. Now you are wondering how loud you should play white noise to …
I have lived in quite a few apartments and stayed in countless hotel rooms where traffic noise was waking me up several times a night. Over time, I have developed a good understanding of what works to block out enough noise to help me fall and stay asleep. Whether you have traffic noise keeping you …
Runners and cyclists use bone conduction headphones because they want to keep their ears open and maintain awareness of what is going on around them. Used this way, bone conduction headphones are not suitable for very loud environments because the louder the environmental noise, the more it drowns out the headphones. But what if you …
This article looks at when and how active noise cancelling headphones (=headphones that use electronics to reduce noise) can help to protect your hearing. Used correctly, good noise cancelling headphones have the potential to protect hearing in many situations, but they are not safety earmuffs. And, they can also damage your hearing if you play …
Read moreDo Noise Cancelling Headphones Protect Your Hearing?
My first white noise machine was a pedestal fan. It was very soothing and easy to fall asleep with. Over time though, when the traffic outside got louder, that fan wasn’t loud enough anymore. I am not sure whether consumer white noise machines even existed at that time. My friend had a marvelous trick to …
Read moreWhite Noise Machine vs Fan: Which Is Better for Sleep?
The purpose of this article is to help you out if you encounter issues when pairing 3M Worktunes with your phone or switching between different devices. I have been asked a few times, so I want to share how I do it. We will cover pairing your Worktunes, resetting Worktunes, and unpairing them from your …
Read moreHow to Pair 3M Worktunes and Troubleshoot Their Bluetooth Connection
Yes, many active noise cancelling headphones (ANC headphones) work without music, and in fact, there are some unique benefits of using them without music. I’ll get to these benefits in a minute. For most ANC headphones to cancel noise, you just need to turn them on. This engages the active noise cancelling electronics: the headphones …