New York Times:
A little bit of silence. Sometimes that’s all we want. Whether it’s halfway through a 10-hour flight with a crying baby, or trying to sleep though the snoring from the hotel room next door, the promise of noise-canceling headphones is one that every traveler probably finds intriguing.
Yet are they worth it? These headphones are often expensive and for some people, they don’t live up to the hype.
I’ve spent the majority of the last five years traveling, taking dozens of flights and train journeys, and as someone who has reviewed noise-canceling headphones for even longer, I can definitively say “maybe.”
I was an early user of the original Bose noise-canceling headphones and, while I liked them well enough, I’ve switched to noise attenuating earphones and on the motorcycle, simple earplugs that do a great job of reducing decibel levels.
I was using earpiece plugs for the longest time, but recently discovered the MEE Audio M6 Pro attenuating ear buds. Good solution if you want to reduce road noise, and listen to music. And they fit under the helmet nicely.
I actually don’t listen to music when I ride. When I was in the US and had to use the interstate for hours at a time to get some place, I would occasionally do it but most of my riding is “aggressive” backroad stuff and I find music distracts me. Distractions are deadly on a bike. 🙂
I found that the noise cancelling made me a bit dizzy. Anyone else feel physical effects from them?
I’m with you. I almost never listen to music, but these earbuds are nice for those times when I do.