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Ippus_21 t1_iy8p3e7 wrote

Reply to comment by mostofit in ELI5. Why do active noise cancelling headphones/earbuds not protect your hearing? by mostofit

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.

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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.

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