Hear What You Want

Each day, we work our way through this crazy world as victims of sound. We listen to the noise of our co-workers, the office fax machine, the car, our families (especially our mothers), cell phones users that talk too loud and people on the streets, all without a choice. Now, imagine a world free of these sounds, free of beeping or honking, free of the loud plane engine that roars during take off and free of all that other static noise that drives us crazy. Well, maybe we can’t get rid of all the noises that make us want crawl into a deep dark hole, but at least we now have a choice. And that choice is noise canceling headphones. With these headphones on, you will be a sound victim no more, all those noises will fade into dust, and freedom of hearing will reign.

Noise canceling headphones that reduce unwanted sounds by means of active noise control are one of the hottest gifts for the 2006 Holiday season. They involve using a microphone placed near the ear that has electronic circuitry, which generates an anti-noise sound wave of the opposite polarity of the sound wave arriving at the microphone. This results in destructive interference, which ultimately cancels out the noise within the headphones. The biggest benefit in using noise cancellation headphones is that you can enjoy your music without having to raise the volume unnecessarily high. You also might be able to catch some sleep during a noisy plane or bus ride.

Repeated exposure to high volumes will absolutely reduce your hearing ability. This is why, in the age of the MP3 player, it is not a smart idea to turn your audio device’s volume up to the maximum just to block out your mother when she asks you to set the dinner table, (otherwise known as “external” noise.) Noise canceling headphones allow you to blockout the sound of buses, airplanes and other sources of aggravation while still enabling you to hear every note of your personal soundtrack without blowing out your eardrums.

The idea of noise cancellation has been around for quiet a few years, yet it has been in the form of passive noise reduction, such as ear plugs, which is nothing more than the dampening of sounds. This holiday season, active noise cancellation technology, involving the complex science of detecting an annoying low-frequency sound and producing an opposite sound wave, has arrived. Most testing has suggested that noise cancellation headphones reduce up to 80% of low-frequency sounds. The hardest noises to block out are also some of the most common, such as crying and talking, so some headsets also come with passive noise canceling properties or modes that, when combined with listening to music, can significantly reduce outside noise.

There are a few different companies that sell products that use this new technology, and they each come with different features to maximize your listening pleasure.

Before you get the complete list of the newest noise cancelation headphones, it is important to remember that comfort, style and price are all factors to consider before you delve into the world of hearing music and music alone. Style is obviously important if you are going to be wearing these headphones around town. Some headphones fit around your ears and head, others rest on your ear and some fit into your ear(these are often reffered to as ear buds). But, which ones provide the most comfort? People say that ear buds can sometimes be uncomfortable after a long period of time and that the headphones that wrap around your head provide the most comfort for long flights or walks around town. As far as price goes, there are a few good deals this season, so if silence is in your budget, here are some products to try.

Bose Quiet Comfort 3 features acoustic headphone structure, active equalization, ear cushions, an adjustable headband, and a dual-plug and stereo-plug adapter. These headphones run for around $350.

Sony MDR-NC50 offers to cut almost 90% of all low-frequency noise. These headphones are slightly cheaper than Bose, at $200.

Panasonic RP-HC300 offers noise cancellation technology for $130.

Creative HN-700 has a removable cable that allows you to hook up to a home theatre system, and costs only $70.

JVC HA-NC80 costs $60 and has two different modes for filtering out ambient sound.

Now that you have a good idea of the cost, range and function of these sound-savers, you can spread some holiday cheer and be merry, because no matter how loud or annoying the nagging, you won’t have to worry. You won’t hear a damn thing.

– Victoria L. Cooper