I've bought an expensive pair ($100) and a cheap pair ($20), both have a nice fit. I didn't really see a difference between them.
Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
41–50 of 80 posts
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#42I'm very happy with the Bang & Olufsen H6 (http://beoplay.com/Products/BeoplayH6). They're the only headphones that I've had that actually feel like they're worth the money I paid for them, unlike the Bose headphones I've had which felt somewhat cheap. They're not going to be the best for cancelling out noise (although they helped me a lot at my last job, which was an open-plan office) but if you're after a pair of premium headphones, I wouldn't recommend anything else.
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#43The company that I work for purchased these for me a few days ago: http://www.amazon.com/Bose%C2%AE-QuietComfort%C2%AE-Acoustic... I'm pretty happy with them. I'm fairly easily distracted by noises: Heavy walking noises, talking, laughing, phones ringing, folks rustling potato chip bags... It can all mess up my concentration if it comes at an inopportune moment. I'm the only programmer here so most of the folks here…
Does anyone know if noise-cancelling headphones are bad for your hearing? By creating a wave that's out of phase with ambient noise, isn't that just as "loud" as the noise around you?
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#44I recently bought a high-end pair of industrial noise reduction earmuffs [1] and a jar of cheap foam earplugs [2].
For me, the combination has been great. I work in an open-plan office that I generally like, but some fiend put a chunk of common space in the middle, and people end up doing large meetings or small parties there, right next to my desk.
The high-end earmuffs, which were only $30, are much more comfortable to wear than the earmuffs I had worn previously. Several hours is no problem. And the combined noise reduction of the plugs and the muffs is amazing.
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#45Thanks to everyone for their input, lot's of great feedback from people that are in a similar situation and have found solutions to that issue. That's what I like about HN.
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#46I'm trying out loud white noise in a moderately loud environment. For about 30 minutes I"m able to concentrate. Not sure how long this will last though.
This can be dangerous, white noise is hard to modulate volume wise, and does the exact same amount of hearing damage as playing death metal or (insert type of music here).
I did not know that. Thank you.
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#47I use a pair of Bose active noise cancelling headphones (Quiet Comfort 15, over ear). I work in an open plan office with many people using the phone or talking across the room. I'm fairly distracted by this and these help, but it doesn't exactly silence outside noise. In fact, for some people their voices seem more pronounced when the noise cancelling is on. However they're pretty good quality, comfortable to wear an…
I second these and also recommend the new QC20's. Neither offer the best sound quality, but hands down the best noise canceling capabilities. The QC20's are in-ear and much more wearable outside of the office.
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#48I bought a pair of 1964 Ears quad-driver in-ear monitors for my band, and I ended up using them EVERYWHERE - when at work (open-plan office, ugh), when traveling (plane, motorcycle, etc), even when mowing the lawn. They're incredible, with the best sound quality I've personally ever experienced. All the other noise just... goes away, and I don't pick up anything that doesn't come through the IEMs.
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#49Using foam earplugs along with an ordinary set of headphones playing white noise (or rather brown—not as harsh) has changed my life. Combining the two was the critical factor; neither worked very well by itself.
I keep the volume at the lowest level that still eliminates outside distraction. Normally that is very low. If there's something particularly noisy going on, I just turn it up a bit.
I used to feel extremely vulnerable to ambient noise and get thrown off by it many times a day. I basically never have that problem any more. Curiously, after using this solution for a few months I found that I didn't need it as often. Frequently it's enough to just remember that it's available if I need it.
(Earphones covered by industrial earmuffs sounds like kind of the same solution, just inverted.)
Re: Ask HN: Best isolating headphones for hacking?
#50I have a bunch of expensive headphones (Bose QC2, multiple inner ear), and the best solution I've found costs $28 and allows me to listen to music comfortably on a Mac at 0.5 tick! I use a pair of earphones[0] covered by industrial ear muffs[1]. For comfort reasons, it's important that the earphones are not pressured by the surrounding ear muffs. I haven't found any inner ear headphones that meet this constraint. Som…
"Coworkers have gotten used to pinging me or waving to get my attention" . One of my coworker is just like you. We have to ping him to have small discussions.