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Comment by m463 | Hacker News Reader

my noise journey:

1) try noise cancelling headphones

NO: they have undefinable effects on your psyche. Maybe "pressure" or some sort of non-silent silence that your body still reacts to?

2) white noise, pink noise, music, classical music, new age music, atmospheric sounds, etc

NO: actually, these are similar to noise-cancelling headphones. Your brain is still reacting to the sound in a non-passive way.

3) giant earmuffs

NO: heavy, physical head pressure, etc

solution) 3M ear classic NRR 33 earplugs. when I need to concentrate. while sleeping. Keep a pair around for "that guy" playing videos on his phone in public. The BEST. I buy 200 at a time.

After reading this article, I wonder if noise-cancelling headphones + 3m earplugs might work together?

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This is me.

I trim the length to ~half to avoid sticking out, which causes them to catch and loosen. I also find that washing them first with an organic soap (Dr B) can reduce skin irritation during long-duration wear. When earplugs get wet they inflate almost comically, but after drying they shrink back down to regular size.

I use the rounded 3M EarSoft rather than the square-edge Ear Classic.[1] And actually, I just get the clone down at Harbor Fright...

Presumably this changes the attenuation somewhat (and voids the cert), but any difference isn't noticeable and it helps a lot for long-duration comfort and overall wearability.

(and yes, obviously I don't stick them in too far :D )

[1] https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/c/ppe/hearing-protection/earpl...

How long did you try the ones that you say have an impact on your brain? I've never tried white/pink/brown noise for long but I can imagine that you get used to it. Can relate to the noise canceling headphones too, but only during the first experience.

Mind you, I really like listening to music so I never really have them on with nothing or white noise or whatever.

>> NO: they have undefinable effects on your psyche. Maybe "pressure" or some sort of non-silent silence that your body still reacts to?

I understand the pressure comment. It does not bother me that much and it's wayyy worth getting used to. I have tried the Apple Airpods Max and QC45. I think QC45 is a little less on the pressure than the Apple noise cancelling. Just my 2c.

> noise-cancelling headphones + 3m earplugs might work together

Sure, any closed back headphones work and cancel out noise very nicely — I tried Sony WH-1000XM4, and they weren't much more effective than a pair of much cheaper closed backs without ANC.

I've been living in this combo for many years (using ear plugs 24/7 and changing them as needed, headphones on top when not sleeping), and it's been really helpful in keeping me relatively sane.

If you don't care about the sound quality, just set the volume to the max so it can yell through the ear plugs, and you don't have to take them out even when listening to something.

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