I have these headphones and definitely feel a weird pressure that I don't like whenever I have noise canceling on, so I keep it turned off or the setting very low.
What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
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Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#32I can't say I've ever had trouble with wearing noise cancelling headphones. I wear a pair every weekday for about an hour or so while I walk outside (my walking path is right next to a highway and the constant sound of cars zooming by makes it very difficult for me to relax), although admittedly they're a much cheaper pair than Bose.
Ear fatigue itself is something I'm intimately acquainted with, however. I have a couple of daily cans I use around the house, all over-ear, and pretty much none of them can stay on for more than an hour or two without causing my ears some level of discomfort. I don't know how anyone can stand on-ear headphones--those are agony after just 15 minutes or so. Maybe I have large ears.
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#33This is so strange to read about. I’ve worn my QC35 (and QC25 before them) almost every day for about 8-10 hours a day, for years, and not once have I experienced any kind of discomfort related to their use. I’m on the completely opposite camp, where I’ll sometimes even have them on just for the noise-cancelling effect, but nothing playing. I don’t need it (not even surrounded by noise most of the time), I’m just use…
I'm really confused, as the author talks about their "searing ear pain" and then says > When I activated the noise cancelling button, things got worse. The ear pain got more severe and so did the pain close to my jaw. I'm really confused as to the claim being specific to noise cancelling headphones given the ear pain happened when that feature was off.
I thought the same.
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#34This is so strange to read about. I’ve worn my QC35 (and QC25 before them) almost every day for about 8-10 hours a day, for years, and not once have I experienced any kind of discomfort related to their use. I’m on the completely opposite camp, where I’ll sometimes even have them on just for the noise-cancelling effect, but nothing playing. I don’t need it (not even surrounded by noise most of the time), I’m just use…
It's almost as if the blog post author is making stuff up for _reasons_
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#35My QC25's make me feel like my ears are blocked or pressurised in the same way you experience when travelling in an elevator. I find myself intentionally swallowing out of instinct. Not quite headache inducing but definitely feels weird until I get used to it each time
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#36Not loading here but http://web.archive.org/web/20190220061538/https://www.pointc... If anyone wants to block outside noise without noise-cancelling algorithms: try in-ear monitors and replace the tips with foam tips designed for isolation (perhaps in a larger size for more sound blocking) - you effectively get a combination earplug/headphone.
Agreed. I find myself using my Jabra Elites for exams and deep work more than my QC35s. Not only do I get mild discomfort from the QC35s pressing on my (somewhat large) ears, but the Jabra Elites are much easier to pack and take with me anywhere.
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
The headphones are too small. For "best results" nothing about the headphones should ever touch any part of your ear. The soft foam padding should surround your ear making a seal with your skull. The 'clamping force' may also be too tight if you get headaches. The desired clamping force should enough to keep everything in-place if you briskly turn your head side-to-side but loose enough to dislodge if you try to turn…
I own two larger pairs of headphones. I haven't had issues with clamping force. I agree with the sentiment they shouldn't rest on your ears. The largest pair I can go 10 hours with no complaints
Yeah, in the modern era, I can't understand how on-ear headphones made it out of the lab. Walkman days: sure. Today? DIWhy?
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#38This is so strange to read about. I’ve worn my QC35 (and QC25 before them) almost every day for about 8-10 hours a day, for years, and not once have I experienced any kind of discomfort related to their use. I’m on the completely opposite camp, where I’ll sometimes even have them on just for the noise-cancelling effect, but nothing playing. I don’t need it (not even surrounded by noise most of the time), I’m just use…
Yeah I'm the same. I understand there is a pressure equalization type of affect, like taking off in a plane, but you get used to that after a week or two. Maybe if people have bad sinus issues then that can cause headaches, in which case they already have serious issues and the headphones 'pressure' effect triggers pain. But that's reaching IMO.
I've been using them between 4 and 6 hours a day at work for 3 years now.
The only other thing I can think of is loudness causing a problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
Loud (in terms of dynamic range) can easily cause headaches after prolonged listening even without headphones. If these people are listening to loud music at high volume with these headphones that could cause headaches easily. In fact, compared to my other headphones I found myself lowering the volume on my QC35's quite a lot. My comfortable listening volume is now ridiculously low, you don't need it loud with the noise cancellation. So for example, on 'normal' headphones, I might listen to the music at 60/100 to 100/100, depending on the situation, with the QC35's I rarely go above 10/100, usually lower in fact. So I think these people either have sinus issues or are listening to dynamically loud music at medium to high volume, or both. The fact the author states he was getting a headache and the noise cancelling wasn't even on suggests listening to loud music at high volume, in which case you'll get a headache no matter what headphones you listen on.
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#39If you consider that you hear sound (waves) carrying a certain frequency and amplitude, this sound has a total energy. Add anti noise to it and you add additional energy. Of course the energy has to go somewhere, while it propagates through air basically the air molecules carry it. Of course then it goes into your body. Wave Physics 101, you can look it up when you google for destructive interference.
Of course that's just Physics and not Biology/Medicine. I'd be curious to hear more about it.
Re: What No One Tells You About Noise Cancelling Headphones
#40I don't own any , but I think it's harsh low frequency stuff. Sound pressure, even if you don't hear it.
When I tried them it felt the same as low frequencies on expensive speakers. Expensive speakers are prone to cause listening fatigue, while the cause is not certain, any audio-guy can tell you about it.
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listener_fatigue :
"Listener fatigue (also known as listening fatigue or ear fatigue) is a phenomenon that occurs after prolonged exposure to an auditory stimulus. Symptoms include tiredness, discomfort, pain, and loss of sensitivity. Listener fatigue is not a clinically recognized state, but is a term used by many professionals. The cause for listener fatigue is still not yet fully understood. It is thought to be an extension of the quantifiable psychological perception of sound. Common groups at risk of becoming victim to this phenomenon include avid listeners of music and others who listen or work with loud noise on a constant basis, such as musicians, construction workers and military personnel." (and open-office workers....)