Budget noise cancelling earbuds

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PANiCnz

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#290774 3-Dec-2021 12:22

I'm after some recommendations for noise cancelling earbuds?

My use case is a bit unusual though. Our neighbours have decided they like to party on a Friday night and its really impacts my sleep. Last week in desperation I tried my Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones and the noise cancelling was great. However, they're not ideal for sleeping given the size and weight etc. As such sound quality isn't my top priority, but rather the ANC capabilities.

Given the use case I don't really want to speed a fortune so am currently considering the Realme Buds Air 2 Neo for $99 at Parallel Imported (probably cheaper on Aliexpress).

Any other alternatives worth considering? Anything sub $200 that are compact and have a strong reputation for good noise cancelling.

sbiddle

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#2823751 3-Dec-2021 13:05

ANC isn't the solution for what your problem. What you really want is something like the Bose sleepbuds, but they're not going to fit within your price range.

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RunningMan

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#2823766 3-Dec-2021 13:48

Rather than electronic, try some decent earplugs. An audiologist will be able to make moulds of your ears and get fitted plugs, but in the meantime you could try this sort of thing - not much good long term, but easy to try to see if the concept works for you. https://www.chemistwarehouse.co.nz/buy/97332/otifleks-silicone-earplugs-4-pack

Easy to sleep with proper fitted earplugs - don't fall out or get loose, don't hurt if you lie on your side.

timmmay

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#2823778 3-Dec-2021 14:05

Foam / silicone earplugs are you best bet. Also, call noise control.

michaelmurfy

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#2823782 3-Dec-2021 14:10

If you do stretch your budget then the Bose Sleepbuds are amazing - I've had mine for about a year now and it has vastly improved my sleep quality.

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alasta

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#2823789 3-Dec-2021 14:18

If you can't afford Bose sleepbuds then a good alternative is to get basic earplugs from the chemist and then use a cheap bluetooth speaker to play white noise. You can turn the bluetooth speaker up loud to drown out the nuisance noise, and your earplugs will dampen the volume of both the nuisance noise and the white noise playing over the top of it.

Also, as suggested above, you need to call noise control or find out who the landlord is and make a complaint. Chances are there will be other neighbours being affected.

PANiCnz

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#2824113 4-Dec-2021 07:53

Thanks for all the advice. Have bought some of the earplugs recommended by @RunningMan and will see how they go as a cheap option. Will give some consideration to the Bose Sleepbuds, I'm not opposed to spending the money if they work well. Unfortunately they're not renters and noise control are useless so there aren't many legal options left.

My WH-1000XM3 really did work wonderfully, so curious to understand why ANC isn't the solution to my problem?

Dunnersfella

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#2824279 4-Dec-2021 16:16

Battery life was the big issue for the 1st generation of Sleepbuds...

Put simply, the tiny batteries inside the in-ears wouldn't last the night, even if they do (initially) they tend to drain in the master earbud well before they do in the slave, causing premature failure.

At the same time, many 1st gen wireless earbud owners report that their in-ears crack due to the battery swelling and damaging the earphone.

Senecio

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#2824295 4-Dec-2021 17:27

If you are still looking for affordable ANC buds, check our SoundPeats. They are always seem to get remarkable reviews considering their price.