Q30 with Imperfect Earplug Fit: Can the ANC Compensate?

Soundcore-Life Q30 plus Pretty in Pink earplugs performance

In this post, I am looking at the noise reduction performance of the combination Soundcore Q30 headphones and Hearos Pretty in Pink (PiP) earplugs. This is part 2 of a series. In part 1 reported on the Q30 together with Mack’s ThermaFit earplugs. The idea of this series is to devise ways to maximize noise …

Read moreQ30 with Imperfect Earplug Fit: Can the ANC Compensate?

Life Q30 over Earplugs: Great Noise Reduction on the Cheap (Part 1)

Soundcore-Life-Q30-over-ThermaFIt-noise-reduction

I have been able to achieve excellent noise reduction results by combining the economical Life Q30 noise cancelling headphones with two types of foam earplugs. This is what this post and the next one are about. The Soundcore Life Q30 are budget ANC headphones (test and review) that punch way above their price when it …

Read moreLife Q30 over Earplugs: Great Noise Reduction on the Cheap (Part 1)

Anker Soundcore Space One Review: ANC Test and Q30 Comparison

Anker Soundcore Space One Practical Review and ANC Test

Having used the Space One now on and off for about two months, I have found them to be comfortable, effective, and flexible budget noise cancelling headphones. They are good for reducing everyday noise and in particular for customizing how much noise reduction or transparency you want. In terms of sound quality, however, they have …

Read moreAnker Soundcore Space One Review: ANC Test and Q30 Comparison

Anker Soundcore Q30 Review: ANC Test and Q20 Comparison

Anker-Soundcore-Q30-Review-and-ANC-Test

I have owned the Soundcore Q30 for over a year now, but only recently have I done detailed tests of the active noise cancelling function. Compared to top-of-the line active noise cancelling headphones, they are very affordable. But are they good enough? Well, in my experience, if your main reason for getting ANC headphones is …

Read moreAnker Soundcore Q30 Review: ANC Test and Q20 Comparison

Why I Wouldn’t Use AirPods Pro for Hearing Protection

AirPods Pro as Hearing Protection

AirPods Pro 2 have an upgraded, powerful active noise cancelling function that can make a gas-powered lawn mower, many power tools and other machinery and even music bass appear a lot quieter. Sometimes the results are stunning. Perhaps you are wondering: “Why not get rid of earplugs and ear defenders and use my AirPods Pro …

Read moreWhy I Wouldn’t Use AirPods Pro for Hearing Protection

How Can Adaptive Transparency Help Noise Sensitive People?

adaptive transparency mode for noise sensitivity

The objective of headphones with adaptive transparency mode / adaptive awareness mode is to allow you to hear your surroundings as you would without headphones while at the same time reducing loud noises. Wouldn’t that be great? Walking around town and being aware of traffic but not stressed out by excessive honking, sirens, loud motorbikes, …

Read moreHow Can Adaptive Transparency Help Noise Sensitive People?

Adaptive Noise Cancelling: Better Than Old-School, Fixed ANC?

Adaptive vs fixed ANC performance

More and more noise cancelling headphones and earbuds are being advertised as having adaptive noise cancellation. But is that just a sales pitch or are we getting some real benefits? I recently experienced several such adaptive noise cancelling headphones and earbuds. The results were sometimes stunningly good, but in other situations the same adaptive headphones …

Read moreAdaptive Noise Cancelling: Better Than Old-School, Fixed ANC?

3M Pro-Comms Electronic Hearing Protector Test and Review: Finally a Good Mike

3M Pro-Comms Electronic Hearing Protector Test and Review: Finally a Good Mike

Very few Bluetooth earmuffs allow you to take a phone call in a high noise (>90 dB) environment. Having now tested the 3M Pro-Comms (‎90546-SIOC) against a lawn mower, saw, and router, I can report that these do the trick: callers can hear me when it gets loud, and I can hear them. Until very …

Read more3M Pro-Comms Electronic Hearing Protector Test and Review: Finally a Good Mike

How to Block Out Cricket Noise so That You Can Sleep?

how to block out cricket noise

A few readers have contacted me because they were being kept awake by chirping and trilling crickets, so I have decided to look more closely into blocking out the night time songs of common crickets. I thoroughly enjoyed conducting the experiments described below. This is intended to be both a problem solving article for you …

Read moreHow to Block Out Cricket Noise so That You Can Sleep?

3M Pro-Protect Electronic Hearing Protector Test and Review: Awareness Mode and Bluetooth

3M Pro-Protect Electronic Hearing Protector Test and Review

In this post I am reporting on my tests of the 3M Pro-Protect electronic hearing protection earmuffs. I got the version with gel cushions and a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 26 decibels. The Pro-Protect are level-dependent hearing protection earmuffs: They passively reduce noise via their ear cups like other earmuffs. In addition, they use …

Read more3M Pro-Protect Electronic Hearing Protector Test and Review: Awareness Mode and Bluetooth