Noise-cancelling headphones - do they work? What to buy?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Noise-cancelling headphones - do they work? What to buy?

geekIT

2417 posts

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#195855 8-May-2016 17:00

I'm in desperate need. My neighbor is a brain-dead primitive who apparently can't live without a constant diet of loud noise.

I imagine he calls it 'music' - to me it's just a mind-numbing cacophony of raucous sound and ground-shaking thumps.

(Please don't ask what I plan to do about the problem long-term. If his house burns down one night, I don't want a visit from the local constabulary)

So, question 1: Do noise-cancelling cans work?

Question 2: If so, can I get something reasonably effective without breaking my pensioner's bank?

(Low-cost Assassins: Might be best to contact me via PM)

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

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#1548348 8-May-2016 17:10

Friend has the same problem, and its quite apparant they are probably meth fueled since it seldom stops.

Noice cancelling doesnt work on that sort of noise, noise isolation may help, most headphones have both in them.

Noice cancelling seems to work best on constant non bassy noise, planes are always mentioned but I dont find them to be annoying, but my sony's work great to dull the annoyance of food court chatter and other annoying sounds when out shopping.

Richard rich.ms

kontonnz

137 posts

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#1548351 8-May-2016 17:27

Question 1 : yes the do work, I got my self some Bose Quiet Comfort 20 headphones (they aint cheap) but oh sooo worth it, their not 100% but they get rid of the bulk of the noise (using them in a office setting is fantastic, I use em even if I don't listen to music just for the silence. (i should add does not get rid of the noise 100% but it does help; the cheaper headphones don't work but the qc20s do help a lot)

Question 2 : they aint cheap, for noise cancelling headphones that work; I would suggest going instore and trying them first and see what you think, especially given the cost;

I have the same problem, as you and it was the primary reason I go noise cancelling headphones; combination of that and as soon as a hear a boo from my neighbours I call noise control, problem is noise control for the most part are as effective as a wet bus ticket; but hear is the thing if they are tenants or even owners of the property making the noise if you can accumulate enough noise complaints that have been actioned (regardless of time, noise nuisence is defined as noise that disrupts at any time of the day) you can go to the tenancy tribunal and file against them this is even better if they rent as you can go after their landlord for not insuring their tenant is not disrupting your quiet enjoyment of your property.

mind you has complaining and etc solved my problems 100% no; but it adds some controls to the problem; untill I find a chainsaw and decide thats it im insane from noise and im going to chop their stereo and speakers in half and any door that gets in my way; and if the neighbour;

and before anyone says you should talk to them, yeah been their done that; its reached the point where they sit outside watching for the noise control officer; so if you burn down their house I saw nothing and I happen to remember you were over for drinks while that house burned down whereever that maybe ....

alasta

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#1548377 8-May-2016 19:35

Noise cancelling headphones really only work against static noise such as that from an engine or air conditioning unit. They are not particularly effective against transient noise because they have to record the outside noise and phase invert it which means a slight lag between the outside noise occurring, and the cancellation of it.

To be honest you will probably get better results from some foam earplugs which you can get from a chemist for about $10. I have some for rare occasions when my neighbours make a lot of noise.

Is your neighbour in the same building or separate.

sbiddle

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#1548381 8-May-2016 19:39

Yes noise cancelling headphones work and they're brilliant in the environment for which they're designed. I won't fly on a plane without my Bose headphones.

They will however be pretty ineffective in your situation as explained above they're not designed for what you're wanting them for.

blackjack17

1705 posts

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#1548387 8-May-2016 19:55

Probably not what you are after but I have these

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Mpow-Wolverine-Bluetooth-4-1-Wireless-Sports-Headphones-In-ear-Running-Stereo-Earbuds-Headsets-with-Mic/32550420771.html

not so much noise cancelling as noise eliminating head phones they cut out almost all noise (great for the gym but not so much for road running),

however I wouldn't want them in my ears all day every day, while they are comfortable for workouts long term I would imagine they would start to hurt.

For the price they are incredible, decent sound, long battery, decent range, really good call quality

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vexxxboy

4243 posts

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#1548404 8-May-2016 21:05

am i missing something why do you need to buy headphones , in this day and age no one can play anything loud in a built up residential area. I just ring noise control and in Rotorua, within half an hour, its shut down .

Common sense is not as common as you think.

chevrolux

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#1548407 8-May-2016 21:15

I was in a cr4p motel one night, people upstairs came back in around midnight and carried on the party. Put on my Bose QC25's and went straight back to sleep. Don't know what time they finished as simply woke up when the sun came through the curtains. If they can deal to that noise they can deal to noise in a separate house.

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Jaxson

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#1548420 8-May-2016 22:13

Depends on the nature of the noise.

If you're next door to a party, or in a hotel room as above, then you're likely to be able to hear treble/higher frequency noises through the walls, and noise cancelling headphones may help.

If the party is a few houses over, or next door and all you're hearing is bass thumps, then no, noise cancelling headphones won't do much.

Really they are good at removing constant hums or drones, but not so good at thumps/noises that aren't constant.

Oh, and you typically really do get what you pay for in this product arena.

andrew027

1286 posts

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#1548468 9-May-2016 08:04

What @vexxxboy said.

If Christchurch City Council noise control can take action over a bleating goat, then your neighbours must be in line for having their stereo removed if it's as bad as you make out.

timmmay

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#1548476 9-May-2016 08:36

Noise cancelling works well on constant drones like aircraft noise. It's ineffective against noise like human voices. That's why I wear foam earplugs under my noise cancelling headphones on a plane.

Call noise control, over and over. They'll eventually remove everything from the neighbor that can make a noise - they actually take it away if they're a repeat offender, with police as support.

MikeB4

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#1548479 9-May-2016 08:44

Have you asked your neighbour to turn it down and to be more considerate to those around?

Dulouz

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#1548527 9-May-2016 09:32

MikeB4:

Have you asked your neighbour to turn it down and to be more considerate to those around?

Often this approach just encourages the buggers.

Amanon

vexxxboy

4243 posts

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#1548535 9-May-2016 09:39

Dulouz:

MikeB4:

Have you asked your neighbour to turn it down and to be more considerate to those around?

Often this approach just encourages the buggers.

and when you have to call noise control guess who gets the blame .

Common sense is not as common as you think.

geekIT

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#1548654 9-May-2016 12:40

Guys, thanks for your responses. Sounds like (no pun intended) N/C cans won't help. I was afraid of that.

Neither do my custom-molded (2-pot silicone rubber) earplugs with regular cans over the top - I can still hear - or feel - the mindless jungle-drum thumping.

Yes, tried Noise Control. But my location is a small town 50k distant from the noise-controllers in a large southern city, which shall remain nameless, but isn't Christchurch, and it takes them 40-45 minutes to arrive, by which time the noise has mysteriously abated. For a while.

Finally, after 15 or 20 complaints by myself and others, and many visits by the security firm that contracts to the council on a pay-per-visit basis, a space-wasting bureaucrat turned up and had a cozy little chat with my lay-about neighbor, assuring him that as long as he was reasonable with his rock concert broadcasts - like no more than 10 times a day, and at a noise level undetectable in houses a mile away - he shouldn't worry about the nasty, grumpy old man over the fence, and could happily carry on with his dole-bludging lifestyle without further interference from the authorities.

This in spite of the Council's own website that states categorically: "Excessive noise is noise generated by people that unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort and convenience of others. The noise might be coming from stereos, musical instruments, alarms or machinery. This may occur at any time of the day or night."

Bold italics are mine. I guess the qualifying phrase 'unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort and convenience of others' was the killer for me. After all, where's the harm in a little bit of foundation-shaking music now and then?

I'm wondering if religion might help, so I'm practicing prayer. Praying that my neighbor sells up and moves away (tomorrow - no, make that today) and re-locates next door to the space-wasting bureaucrat.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

rmt38

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#1549155 10-May-2016 11:39

Just keep complaining. Or drown out their music with your own loud muslim chanting music.

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