Modding on the Spectrum

I bundled/linked the strategies that I found most useful at the bottom of the [goto=Selene's strategies]first post[/goto] to create a better overview in the thread. Furthermore, I added a new strategy which I developed yesterday on the train ride home.

After testing and comparing various devices and combinations since I bought the over-ear [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_noise_control]ANC[/url] headphones, I finally know now what helps me the most in each situation.


Over-ear ANC heaphones: I use them during working in the office/home-office and when I hear certain noises from the neighbors like loud talking, loud TV, loud laughing, spinning washing machines, the noise of a shower (the walls of my apartment are like cardboard which means I hear the living noises of the neighbors intensely and this is amplified by my general noise sensitivity and I might have [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misophonia]misophonia[/url] on top).

In-ear ANC headphones (buds) without music: when I want to talk with somebody for example in a cafe and there's too much noise in the background

Buds with music and ear muffs over the buds: public transport (e.g. when people are talking too loud on the phone)

Foam earplugs: sleeping, sometimes in the office/home-office which depends on the noise


Edit:

I have the idea to write an article about living with noise sensitivity on Selene's Shadow Realm to complement this thread.

[size=130]Comparison of various strategies[/size]

Office test: Blocking keyboard and mouse noise is minimal better with "Sony WH-1000XM5" than the in-ear ANC buds "Galaxy Buds 2". Both can block distant voices equally. The Sonys can reduce the volume of nearby voices. If I combine them with sound masking sound, I don't hear the nearby voices. The passive noise reduction and the ANC of the Sonys allow playing the sound masking sound at a lower volume. "Ear muffs + ANC ear buds + sound masking sound" combo is very similar regarding voice blocking.

(Final) Public transport test: The "Sony WH-1000XM5 (with nothing under them) + music" combo offers a similar protection like "ear muffs + ANC ear buds + music from buds" combo.

Car and loud music from speakers of the car, two people talking in front of me:
About 1 year ago, I tested the "ear muffs + wired in-ear headphones + music from in-ear headphones". It was enough to block out the other music and the conversation.


[size=130]Conclusion and additional advice[/size]

[anchor]ANC[/anchor] is not necessary but can help to reduce the volume of music. But if you have a very good passive noise reduction, the effect is very similar. Reducing the volume of the music is better for your ears in the long run.

[anchor]Ear muffs[/anchor] cost a lot less than ANC headphones, offer a very good passive noise reduction but are not very comfortable (high clamping force). You can increase the comfort by wearing a ball cap under them, however the ear muffs can be a bit less protective by doing this. Furthermore, it's possible to combine the ear muffs with earplugs to increase their protectiveness. If you want music, you can either use ear buds or wired in-ear headphones (I didn't notice a loss of protection through the cable). There are models with built-in speakers but it's not sure if they are loud enough and/or have a good sound quality. Save your money by buying normal ear muffs and combine them with ear buds or wired in-ear headphones.

Combine your device with music to increase the effectiveness of noise blocking/reduction. If you need to concentrate, choose sound masking sound instead. Feel free to use my [url=https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-7rFy7tmKO6zLEwWEL9Pq-WjYejUjT_n]playlist[/url] with sound masking videos (it now can be seen by all users and not only by those who have the link ;)). If you don't have mobile internet available, use a white noise generator app like [url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mynoise.mynoise]myNoise[/url]. Masking speech: "The important speech frequency bands are 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz" according to [url=https://noisyworld.org/noise-cancelling-headphones-voices/]this guide[/url].



[anchor]Noise from neighbors[/anchor]: Play a sound masking video in the background. Start low and increase the volume step by step until you don't hear the noise from your neighbors anymore or it's bearable enough. If the noise from the neighbors is still too loud, combine the sound masking video with headphones, earplugs, and/or ear-muffs - keep the video playing in the background or hear it with your headphones.

You can increase the effectiveness by playing multiple sound masking videos at once. If you want sound masking in every room, use your available devices: tablets, phones, TV, etc.

But be aware: If you play the video very loud (so the neighbors can hear it) and long enough (like I did unintentionally while I'm writing this post), they will react to it - I just heard a single thud and turned the volume of the sound masking video down. I achieved what I wanted nevertheless: no loud music from them right now.


[size=130][anchor]Useful resources[/anchor][/size]

Finding the right ANC heaphones for your budget: https://www.soundguys.com/best-noise-cancelling-headphones-5220/
Blocking voices: https://noisyworld.org/noise-cancelling-headphones-voices/
Crying babies: https://noisyworld.org/block-out-baby-crying-sounds/

"ANC buds + ANC over-ear headphones + music from buds" combo is not as optimal as I thought because the buds lose their bluetooth connection very often as soon as I put the headphones on. This happens a way more frequently than the ear muff/ear bud variant. This time the connection only worked when I put the buds deep inside the ear canal which is not that comfortable. That's why I switched to regular wired in-ear headphones and wore them under the Sony WH-1000XM5 because the volume of the bluetooth connection of my phone is still not loud enough when it's connected with the Sonys (the buds don't have this problem). I chose the wired in-ear headphones because I simply forgot the connection cable for the Sonys. Taking the bus with the "wired in-ear headphones + ANC over-ear headphones + music from in-ear headphones" combo was a piece of cake nevertheless because the combo blocked out a lot of the noise. So I need to test the Sonys alone (with nothing under them) in the bus when they are connected to my phone via cable. I hope the bluetooth volume issue is solved with a new phone. It can take some time to find the right phone. Until then I could also take my tablet with me to use the Sonys via bluetooth because the tablet doesn't have the bluetooth volume issue. Why some things don't work out as expected right from the start...

I told you in the Regulars' Table recently that I [url=https://modding-on-the-spectrum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1391#p1391]got over-ear ANC headphones[/url] but not which ones. I wasn't sure if I should keep them. I tested them a couple of days since they arrived and compared them to the equipment I already possess. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are truly a relief and help me to concentrate and to be more productive. The ANC of my ear buds (Galaxy Buds 2) is good and not that far away from the ANC of the Sonys. But the passive noise reduction of the Sonys give me a thick layer of extra protection. If I combine the Sonys with the Galaxy Buds 2 and put music on the buds, then (nearly) nothing can disturb me. But I can't say if this strategy is better than "buds + ear muffs + music from buds" because it needs further testing. The headphones are a way more comfortable than the ear muffs at least (the ear muffs have a very good passive protection against noise but come with a high clamping force).

Here's my playlist of [anchor]sound masking videos[/anchor]:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-7rFy7tmKO6zLEwWEL9Pq-WjYejUjT_n


The strongest/loudest one to mask the noise of neighbors is "Loud Noise Blocker • 10 hours"
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyHT9bG_uXs[/youtube]


Regarding tinnitus relief, you can try "BEST Tinnitus Relief Sound Therapy Treatment"
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3jrNmrP-ic[/youtube]


Do you want a video to be part of this playlist? You can either comment in this thread or write a message to me. The pinned tweet on my Twitter profile lists several options to contact me: https://twitter.com/Sethra87

I have been suffering from tinnitus since a Leopard 2 tank fired its cannon during an exercise near me. We had inadvertently not been informed that the tanks were firing.
Tinnitus is something you have 24/7, it can't be turned off. There are medications that dampen the ringing in the ears somewhat.

So I understand very well what noise can do to some. I have become accustomed to it, so everything is good.

[spoiler]Ich leide unter Tinnitus seit bei einer Übung in meiner Nähe ein Leopard 2 Panzer seine Kanone abfeuerte. Wir waren versehentlich nicht informiert worden, dass die Panzer scharf schießen.
Tinnitus hat man 24/7, das kann nicht mehr abgestellt werden. Es gibt Medikamente, die das Ohrgeräusch etwas dämpfen.

Daher verstehe ich sehr gut, was Lärm bei manchen anrichten kann. Ich habe mich daran gewöhnt, von daher alles gut[/spoiler]

I have no problems with noise, except when my neighbours are having a fight or one of their kids is crying a lot when they have to go to bed. Sound of my PC is connected to my Kenwood amp with speakers that could wake up the whole street when set to max volume. Our houses are pretty noisy, so I just rise volume for a short time when the neighbours are fighting or just a little when I hear a child is crying so I don't hear it. Otherwise I don't have a strategy to combat noise and don't use headphones.

Edit:
A lot has changed this I wrote this post. I bought the Sony WH-1000XM5, tested them and compared them with my other devices that I use to combat noise. I made several posts with different strageties. It's about time that I bundle/link the most useful in one single post, the first post. I named this section Selene's strategies (updated: ...) which you can find at the bottom.



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I use ear buds with Active Noise Canceling ([url=https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Cancelling-Bluetooth-Lightweight-Graphite/dp/B094242FV1]these ones[/url]) and combine them with ear muffs if the noise is too strong. Sometimes I think of buying ANC headphones which you wear over your ears (for example the [url=https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B08WZXP336/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=sony+anc+headphones+xm4&qid=1675521303&sprefix=sony+anc+headphones%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-6]Sony WH-1000XM4[/url]). But I don't know if it offers better protection than my current strategy.

[color=#80FF80]What do you do to protect yourself from noise?
[/color]

Yesterday, my strategy was not enough to cancel out the music of one of my neighbors. I finally went downstairs to get help from the concierge to locate the source of the loud music. It turns out the noise came from the neighbor above me and not below me. We knocked at the door because the bell didn't work. A man, maybe her friend, opened the door. He thought that it's Saturday and that he's allowed to play loud music. But there's the rule for all tenants to stop any loud noise and play music in household noise level after 22 pm (nighttime peace). We told him to turn the music down and he did this indeed. It was a big relief for me. Next time I will get help earlier because I endured the noise far too long.



[size=150][anchor]Selene's strategies[/anchor] (updated: April 2023)[/size]

[list][*]Strategy 1: Using [goto=sound masking videos]sound masking videos[/goto] in the background or over the headphones/buds
[*]Strategy 2: Noise cancelling ear buds + ear muffs + music/sound masking sounds from buds
[*]Strategy 3 (NEW): Ear plugs + noise cancelling over-ear headphones + optional: sound masking sounds from headphones (at the moment I use this strategy to combat nearby voices in the office)[/list]

[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_noise_control]What is ANC (Active Noise Control)/NC (Noise Cancelling)?[/url]
[goto=ANC]Is ANC a must-have?[/goto]
[goto=Ear muffs]Ear muffs vs ANC headphones[/goto]
[goto=Noise from neighbors]Noise from neighbors[/goto]
[goto=Useful resources]Useful resources[/goto]