Keeping Out the Noise, Letting In the Sound
In recent years, the two most popular white noise machines have been the Marpac Dohm and the Lectrofan, now called the Lectrofan Classic. The Dohm has been made since 1962—and is still being made. While similar in popularity, these two are very different sound conditioners, appealing to different people and uses. I have tested the …
Read moreMarpac Dohm vs Lectrofan: Is the Original Better than Digital Sound?
To our neighbor the music might sound perfectly balanced, but for us “it’s all about the bass.” Or, suppose the bass is coming from a party across the street or a dance club. You live pretty far away, but still, the rhythm of the drums coming through your windows and door is inviting you to …
The purpose of this post is to provide an overview of different types of earplugs, prime use cases, and some peculiarities you need to know when using them. Common uses of earplugs include: Hearing protection at work and at the range Hearing protection at concerts and other entertainment venues while maintaining sound fidelity Noise reduction …
Read more7 Different Types of Earplugs and What They Are Used For
Combining hearing protection earmuffs and Bluetooth headphones for listening to music and making phone calls is what these 3M Worktunes Connect aim to do. To me the description “hearing protector combined with Bluetooth headset” sounded like a great marriage, so I had to get a pair. In this post, I am giving the 3M Worktunes …
I work in libraries, offices and coffee shops, and I enjoy all three for their different vibes and inspiration. With different environments though come different mixes of distracting noises, and I can’t concentrate well with too much noise. Chatter, someone on the phone, whispering, coughing, eating noises, clicking keyboards, creaking floors, AC, ventilation, generator, and …
Read moreThe Best Tools to Block Noise While Studying or Working in an Office
Wax earplugs, invented in 1907, and virtually unchanged to this day, and moldable silicone earplugs have a huge following, and for good reasons. Still, foam earplugs are the most popular earplugs today. They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. On average, they are also the most effective for blocking noise: I am a huge …
Read moreFoam vs Wax vs Silicone Earplugs: How Do They Compare and When to Choose One Over the Other
I recently got myself a pair of bone conduction headphones, the Aftershokz Sportz Titanium and put them through some good testing. In this post, I am reviewing the Sportz Titanium for various applications, including listening to audio while keeping an open ear and awareness of my surroundings, and the opposite: using them together with the …
Read moreAftershokz Sportz Titanium Bone Conduction Headphones: Review and Favorite Uses
Are you sitting at your desk and trying to concentrate but can’t? You really want to dive into that article, book, or paper but keep losing track after short while. You are getting increasingly agitated. How the hell can I get these folks around me shut the … up? I have been there many times, …
Read moreHow to Create Effective Speech Noise Blockers for Office and Studying on a Shoestring
Many people get expensive noise cancelling headphones in the hope that they will somehow completely shield them from environmental noise. But when they switch on their headphones’ noise cancelling without music, they notice that all that chatter, shouting and screaming is still coming through. It may appear at times as if voices are even amplified. …
Read moreWhy Noise Cancelling Headphones Don’t Block Voices and What You Can Do About it
In this review I am reporting on my test of the Howard Leight Sync Stereo Earmuffs. Unlike other industrial earmuffs, these have built-in headphone speakers and a 3.5 mm audio jack, allowing the wearer to listen to audio while working in a high-noise environment, e.g., with power tools. Read on to find out how they …
Read moreHoward Leight Sync Stereo Review: Noise Blocking Earmuffs with Integrated Headphones