Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Ippus_21 t1_iy8iw5j wrote

Hearing protection actually blocks out sound pressure (which causes direct physical damage to some parts of the inner ear).

Noise-cancelling doesn't do that. Noise cancellation technology makes noise of its own, designed to create an interference patter with sounds you hear so that they don't register as noise.

So... if you're going to be in an industrial or other loud environment (concert, shooting range, trainyard, etc) where you're exposed to problematic decibel levels, choose actual hearing protection, not noise-cancelling tech.

1

mostofit OP t1_iy8juhm wrote

okay yes this is what i’ve heard as well. ( i work in a wood shop) but again i don’t really understand why. the noise cancelling makes it sounds so quiet. why doesn’t it help?

1

Ippus_21 t1_iy8p3e7 wrote

Because it only makes it "sound" quiet, without necessarily reducing the actual sound pressure you're exposed to, and it provides no protection against v. loud or percussive sounds.

Tbf, some legit hearing protection also includes noise cancelling, or has other technology to let, e.g., normal speech filter through and just break off the peak decibels.

−1

nesquikchocolate t1_iy8qqw0 wrote

Yeah, no... That's definitely wrong. Active noise cancellation (ANC) reduces the sound energy which makes it to your eardrum.

To claim that it works medically, though, takes years of medical trials under rigorous standard. Very few companies have the desire, drive or funding to commit to such an endeavor, and it won't help their bottom line either, because now other companies can use this research to support their own claims about protecting your hearing.

2