I’ve started studying for L2 and spending a lot of time on the tram trying to get through the readings. I’m looking for some solutions to block out the noise around me (people talking on their phones, tram noises, people’s music coming through their headphones). For level 1, I ended up putting on a pair of those industrial ear muffs (the kind you wear if you’re operating a jackhammer). I was thinking for L2 I might treat myself to something that doesn’t make me look like such an antisocial freak. So I’m in the market for alternatives.
I was thinking of investing in a pair of noise cancelling headphones? With these, does it actually cancel out someone’s conversation or does it only cancel out repetitive noise (i.e airline engine noise). I can’t study with music on so I need something to drown out the noise without creating another distraction. Next question, which are better for noise cancelling, big ear muff style headphones or in-ear types?
Either that, or are better plugs out there (i.e. really high quality ear plugs that are a bit more discreet)
I was facing the same problem, so i wanted to get some Bose Noise Cancelling headphones, I actually tried them and they do cancel noise out. But i ended up just using the earplugs you buy at the pharmacy. They are very very very useful. If you actually use headphones to listen to a lot of stuff, then get the noise canceling headphones. But before you do, you can try the foam earplugs that they sell at wallgreens, they cost around $5. At first they feel weird but once you get used to them its all good.
Hamada, I’ve tried the foam plugs you get at the chemist. They work ok, but the problem I always has with them was that they never seem to really fit in my ears (they don’t seal). So I end up spending half my time fiddling with them. Maybe I should give the wax plugs a go.
Did you find the plugs worked better than the headphones though?
The plugs worked well really good for me. But the noise cancelling headphones work really well too. I dont know if you have a bose store in Australia, if you do you can go and try them out, or I think online they have a 30 day trial, but the poing is that I dont know if they work better than plugs, i never got them, i ended up getting the normal headphones and just use them earplugs when I was going to study in a noisy place.
I recently had this problem at work when people got too chatty. I bought a pair of earphones which had a nice snug fit and downloaded this mp3 which had sounds of natural rain, which i played on loop. completely blocked out background noise. You can also download sounds of ac humming, waterfalls, etc.
Pharmacy earplugs are not good enough; you’ll need those industrial-strength plugs people use in very noisy manufacturing environments. Even better, use both industrial earplugs and noise cancellation headphones for maximum results. You’ll be Beethoven deaf.
Yeah, I used both earphones and noise cancelling headphones together when I was in college. College dorms are noisy - there is always some jackass playing loud bass music. And for some reason, I am extremely sensitive to noise. I get distracted very easily.
Also fun trivia: Chelsea Clinton lived in the dorm room across the hall from mine. She is older than me though, so there was no overlap. According to Wikipedia: “For her security, bullet-proof glass was installed in her dorm windows and cameras placed in hallways. In addition, Secret Service men dressed as students lived in her dorm”. There was no evidence of such modifications while I was there, however.
I roll w/ these. They block out a ton of sound and you can wear them in public w/o looking douchey… I think AAPL store sells them if you want to try them out first.
People are loud and I’m very sensitive to sound. I know a lot about this, here’s what you want:
Etymotic ER4 line. These suckers look like you’re just walking around with some earbuds listening to your iPod but it’s a totally different trip. First off this is more in the category of pro audio, the earbuds sound insanely good, I can’t even tolerate the stock ipod ear buds anymore. These have serious bass and thick midrange, good clarity on the top, just a touch soft up there.
But the other thing, these cancel out an insane amount of background sound, so much that it can be dangerous. Basically you are wearing earplugs, which block out most everything, and on top of that streaming in some music which masks what little sound is getting thru.
Expensive, I think I paid like $400 or something, but worth it to me, puts you in your own world. I can be listening to classical music in the jam packed subway with people screaming all around and I just see their mouths move, total tranquility!
