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MP3 players: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing
Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing
by karolinary - 4/26/06 2:34 AMAfter looking through some of the other headphone threads, I didn't see anything that specifically addressed this.
Does anyone have any recommendations as to a set of noise-cancelling or noise-isolating headphones or earbuds that might reasonably counter the loud drone of a lawn mower?
I wouldn't expect anything to even come close to completely blocking such a loud sound, but anything that would save me cranking the volume up just to hear the music would be nice. (So as to avoid permanent hearing damage.)
I'm starting to lean towards noise-isolating as opposed to noise-cancelling sets as I have a feeling the former would work better on the type of noise a lawn mower makes. I'd be using it with an iPod mini. Any thoughts on the Sony MDR-NC11 as a good compromise between price and performance? I see it as kind of a hybrid between noise-isolating and noise-cancelling technology. Also, are there any places or ways to ''test-drive'' sets before buying?
Thanks!
...
by rbovani - 4/26/06 4:52 AM In reply to: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing by karolinaryI'd think the best thing for that would be the big headphones that cover your whole ear...but then again a portable music player might not be able to drive those big speakers.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
by langr - 4/26/06 5:48 AM In reply to: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing by karolinaryHaven't used the Sony MDR-NC11s, but can report on the MDR-NC20. I don't think this headphone is available new any longer, but have seen a number pop up on eBay. Used these many times on airplanes (not lawn mowers), including extended flights to Japan. Noise cancellation is pretty good and comfort level is above average. More detailed reviews available here: http://www.audioreview.com/cat/headphones-home-audio/headphones/sony/PRD_122776_2750crx.aspx
Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing
by martella3 - 4/26/06 6:49 PM In reply to: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing by karolinaryHave tried Senheissers and Bose. Frankly they do block off *some* noise. Best ones are my drumming headphones from proheadphones.com. They are heavy duty and have stood up to more than lawn mowing for me - my dusty and noisy woodworking hobby. Hope this helps.
Carl
This doesn't sound very safe.
by dano83860 - 4/26/06 9:06 PM In reply to: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing by karolinaryI wear ear plugs when I operate loud equipment but I also want to be able to tell if the equipment starts to make an odd noise. It can be a sign that something is wrong.
Noise block headphones
by martella3 - 4/27/06 1:17 AM In reply to: This doesn't sound very safe. by dano83860You're right. I use them only when I'm doing safer taks like sanding. The long and more mundane tasks 
. Thanks for pointing this out.
This doesn't sound very safe.
by karolinary - 4/28/06 8:02 PM In reply to: This doesn't sound very safe. by dano83860That's a good point. My experience with lawn mowers though is that generally the only abnormal sounds they'll make is that of choking on grass or running out of fuel - generally the stuttering sound of the engine stalling. This doesn't generally pose much of a hazard considering a stalling engine means the blade (arguably the most dangerous part of a lawn mower) is stopping too. On top of that, it is unlikely even the most effective anti-noise device available today could overcome the penetrating baratone of a lawn mower engine to the point that abnormal sounds would not be heard.
Thanks for the input though as it's generally a good rule of thumb.
Earbuds plus hearing protection
by Wilf_Brim - 4/28/06 5:14 PM In reply to: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing by karolinaryI have played around with various configurations, and I have found a decent solution. I use Sony Fontopia earbuds under a good pair of muff type hearing protection. The hearing protection is pretty good, 7dB attenuation. Combined with the in ear buds I can hear podcasts very well at less than half volume. You should wear hearing protection when using a lawn mower anyway.
The only thing I had to do is turn the earbuds upside down (so the wires face mostly up) so the earbud doesn't interfere with the cups of the muffs.
Earbuds plus hearing protection
by karolinary - 4/28/06 7:51 PM In reply to: Earbuds plus hearing protection by Wilf_BrimThanks for your suggestion. I've heard of some people doing this before. What kind of muffs do you use? And where might I find a good selection? Do you have an idea of how effectively this blocks lawn mower noise compared to noise cancelling or isolating headphones? Thanks!
Ear Bud Style Headphones and Ear Muff Combination
by homerjsimpson8 - 9/3/06 7:32 PM In reply to: Earbuds plus hearing protection by karolinaryThis may sound like a silly question but has anyone tried using an ear bud style headphone covered by industrial ear muffs?
I currently use Etymotic Er6i Isolator Earphones which are great but they do not block off all sound (eg, in buses, near busy roads or in server rooms). Therefore, I still have to turn the volume up in very noisy environments.
Yep.
by BassBinDevil - 9/4/06 8:29 PM In reply to: Ear Bud Style Headphones and Ear Muff Combination by homerjsimpson8The earmuffs are ones my Dad got years ago (probably "borrowed" from work); my current favourite earbuds are Koss "The Plug" which sound good and are very cheap.
"David Clarks" or custom earmolds for earbuds
by BassBinDevil - 9/4/06 8:38 PM In reply to: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing by karolinary"David Clark" headphones are the ones you see on almost every aircraft pilot; they have a noise reduction rating comparable to hearing protectors. Expensive, but cheaper than hearing aids.
Some people have good results by getting custom earmolds made for earbuds; an audiologist should be able to make those for you.
I can specifically not recommend the Sony MDR-V900 headphones; they are comfy and sound good, but they don't provide much isolation. They can however be played at dangerously high volumes to overcome external noise. I suppose one could wear ear plug hearing protectors UNDER the V900's and crank the volume up accordingly; this is kind of how I deal with the road noise in my truck (earplugs, loud stereo).
earbud phones with a pair of muffs
by vtgoble08 - 4/13/09 7:34 PM In reply to: Best Noise Cancelling / Isolating Headphones for Lawn Mowing by karolinaryI am a golf course superintendent and use my mp3 player all the time. I usually wear earbuds under a pair of earmuff style hearing protectors. Believe it or not you can still hear anything that may be going wrong with the motor and blades of your equipment. The 21dB reduction provided by the earmuffs is enough to knock the harshness off mower, tractor, etc and keep the music at low enough volume not to harm your hearing. I also find that listening to talk radio or preaching kills the monotony of mowing grass better than music and you can learn something at the same time. I am looking at purchasing a pair of earplug phones like these http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/e-a-rbuds.html because in the summer I like to wear a floppy hat to protect my skin and that just doesn't work with the muffs.
Solution: Peltor Work Tunes
by captawol - 10/28/09 9:19 AM In reply to: earbud phones with a pair of muffs by vtgoble08I have tried the earbuds under the earmuffs but for some reason it feels like the earmuffs are pushing the earbuds into my eardrums.
Peltor Work Tunes now has a model that supports mp3 players. Peltor Digital WorkTunes 26 Radio Earmuff, these are regular type ear muffs with a built in radio and mp3 port.
I understand that most of these muffs...
by make_or_break - 10/28/09 10:36 PM In reply to: Solution: Peltor Work Tunes by captawol...sound like garbage. My newest shooter's muff (by Howard Leight) has a 3.5mm audio in jack, and its ability to play music that actually sounds passable is pretty sad. Of course if you really don't care about the sound quality then I suppose any music--however bad it sounds--is better than nothing.
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