[germainebull]

Everyday, I occasionally have to stop working due to loud noise coming from various sources. This inconvenience got me thinking; are there gadgets I can use to cover my my ears that would completely/significantly cut off this environmental noise?

[germainebull]

Hey friends!

I'm not ready to continue suffering from this noise pollution. I want you to advise on what I can use to cover my ears to cut off environmental noise.

[agape]

I wish I had an answer for your query pal. I am sure a knowledgeable colleague will respond soon.

[Fergal]

germainebull have you tried wearing ear plugs? You should be able to purchase them very cheaply from your local pharmacist. Another options might be to wear headphones and listen to music, do you think that might work for you?

[earthsalt]

I think you should try some of the options prescribed by fergal. Especially the ear plugs option.

Are you still there germainebull?

[Siiw]

Have you ever tried noise cancelling headphones?

They record the noise around you and play it back to you in reverse phase. The result is silence. I used to have a pair of those, and they worked very well; I could concentrate even on a plane or noisy train. I am very sensitive to human noises, so this was a huge improvement. The only downside was the fact that they needed batteries.

[earthsalt]

I think you should try some of the options prescribed by fergal. Especially the ear plugs option.

Are you still there germainebull?

Yes. I am still here earthsalt. Or, haven't I got your question right?

[jonjenkins]

Small earphones - "earbuds" can cut down a lot of noise passively. Larger headphones that cover your ears securely can also work. Pilots have been using this form of passive noise reduction for decades. Active noise reduction is usually more expensive, but also more effective. Bear in mind that because the audio you hear has to be heavily processed, it might affect the quality of music heard through the active noise reduction.

For short periods, listening to music with close-fitting headphones or earbuds can often "mask" external sounds. It's not a long-term solution, since you may need the volume up quite loud!

Hey friends!

I'm not ready to continue suffering from this noise pollution. I want you to advise on what I can use to cover my ears to cut off environmental noise.

[germainebull]

Small earphones - "earbuds" can cut down a lot of noise passively. Larger headphones that cover your ears securely can also work. Pilots have been using this form of passive noise reduction for decades. Active noise reduction is usually more expensive, but also more effective. Bear in mind that because the audio you hear has to be heavily processed, it might affect the quality of music heard through the active noise reduction.

For short periods, listening to music with close-fitting headphones or earbuds can often "mask" external sounds. It's not a long-term solution, since you may need the volume up quite loud!

Hey friends!

I'm not ready to continue suffering from this noise pollution. I want you to advise on what I can use to cover my ears to cut off environmental noise.

I appreciate your comprehensive explanation.

[peachpurple]

don't use earphones, use the internal speakers of your laptop.

[earthsalt]

Small earphones - "earbuds" can cut down a lot of noise passively. Larger headphones that cover your ears securely can also work.

A nice suggestion.
I however have to investigate the negative impacts, if any, of using earbuds.

[germainebull]

don't use earphones, use the internal speakers of your laptop.

A nice suggestion. Only that it does not quite address my concern. The highest volume of my laptop is so low that it can't white-noise any irritating noise coming from elsewhere.

[earthsalt]

You might want to check the headphones developed by Mindset. According to a source:

Mindset, which just launched as a Kickstarter project, promises to include all the bells and whistles you'd expect from premium over-ear headphones — they're wireless with noise-cancelling capabilities, and the sound comes from Onkyo, a Japanese luxury brand that specializes in audio equipment.

[ken alto]

You can use noise prevention ear plugs.This will greatly reduce the sound that reaches your ears.

[Sainfai]

I think the best way would be to use some regular earbuds to cover the environmental sounds with music or alternatively you could use ear plugs if you wouldn't like to listen to music.