Noise canceling headphones

Anisa

Junior Member
I've been playing with a DJ lately, but my headphones cannot block out the sound of my drums.

Does anyone know of a good pair of headphones that blocks outside sound, but plays music inside? I don't want the headphones to blast out my eardrums.

We're playing a show this Saturday so I want to start practicing with them asap :)

Thanks,

Anisa
 
Forget over-the-ear headphones, use in-ear earbuds. I switched to these and the difference is incredible. If they seal in the ear canal you can actually turn the volume in your ears down to the point where the sound inside is softer than that outside. The first time I used them, i was amazed - for the first time in 25 years I got done playing and my ears weren't ringing!
 
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/happenings/8348746d4fb8725b/index.html/

i use these. i use them at home for practicing (with electronic drums) and also for gigs with bands/DJs.

they also double as mixing headphones, and i find myself using them ALL the time as a reference (even in comparison to my adams monitors). the response is amazing, and they produce bass notes extremely well (very little distortion even on saw type synths below C2 - and who the hell needs it that low anyway?).

to be honest these headphones are absolutely perfect for me. i found a cheap pair on eBay (£100~) and had them shipped from america. one of the best investments i ever made.

now, i've no experience with in-ear headphones, i might buy some in the future, but for now these are absolutely perfect. ESPECIALLY if we're talking dance music (dubstep, drum and bass, electro, etc).
if i'm playing live then i wear a pair of alpine ear plugs with attenuation filter too as well. i can adjust the filter depending on how much outside noise i need to deal with.
it's very quiet on stage, i like it that way.

good luck!
 
Yes - forget about noise canceling technology. This is not what you are looking for. Like said further up what you need are In-Ear monitors to not only hear the mix perfectly but to also protect you ears. Depending on the model you buy you can get anything from -28dB to - 40dB, the very high-end custom models nearly cut out completely the ambient sound. This will allow you to set your mix in your In-Ears to very low volume.

Keep in mind that you will need a limiter with these. It's important because if something goes wrong and you accidentally get a loud input, you will not only suffer hell but there are grand chances you will damage your hearing.

Really do yourself a favor with these.
 
I have heard good things about the EX-29 so give them a try. My friend use them for studio monitoring and he loves them. They block outside sound really well according to him.
 
I use Ultimate Ear UE-7 Pro Custom in ears, they are amazing!!! They aren't cheap, but the are the best investment I ever made after my drums of course. You can get cheaper, non custom ones that sound good also. I also have the UE Triple Fi 10's for my iPhone, and they sound amazing also for just ear buds. Check them out, here is the link.

http://www.ultimateears.com/_ultimateears/
 
I just picked up some Etymotic HF5's. They isolate so well I cant hear my drums at all when say, playing while listening to my ipod at half volume. My only gripe is the bass isnt very loud.
 
I use In Ears + Isolation Headphones, and I don't use my left In Ear, so I hear the click and mix on my left ear, and can actually hear (without ear damage, because the headphone is still there) on mjy right side.


Fox.
 
I'm having trouble getting my hands on in-ear buds that works well and doesn't make me broke for a month. They are mainly just for playing at home with my drumkit. I don't know if it's the acoustic in my room 'cause I can hardly hear anything that comes out of my cell phone (sony ericsson w201 if it matters). I have tried my shells (not ear buds and not ear phones... the other kind) with noisecancelling phones and ear phones with hearing protection in my hear. All the time with maximum volume and I still can't hear the music.

My english vocabulary isn't the best some times so I hope you understand my hearing set ups.

I'm willing to spend around $60 for a good (I get a decent for this price, if even that...) piece of ear buds. I know it's much less what people pay for ear buds but I can't really afford any more expensive at the time...
 
HokosPokos,

The cheapest good quality In-Ears you can get right now are the Shure SCL2 model. These go for about 66€. You'll have to check on on-line stores how much they go for in dollars. I wouldn't bother with anything less that that model, as far as I know it won't be worth it...
 
Active Noise Control (noise canceling) is a technology which is pretty much useless when it comes to protecting your hearing while drumming. ANC is not very effective against high frequency sounds nor sounds that are not continuous (fast changing signals). It is a fact that ANC is far from being as effective as sound isolating ear gear.

I've been saying this all over the forum - (proper use of) In-Ears or isolation phones are highly recommend for musical applications if you want to preserve your audition.
 
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... The cheapest good quality In-Ears you can get right now are the Shure SCL2 model. These go for about 66€. You'll have to check on on-line stores how much they go for in dollars. I wouldn't bother with anything less that that model, as far as I know it won't be worth it...
Hmm, okey. Well if they're really worth it I guess I could juice up the budget a bit. Better to have a good expensive piece of equipment that will last long then cheap that will last for shit, right?

I buy most of my stuff from Thomann. They have Shure SCL2-CL and Shure SCL-2K. The description looks like to be the exact same on both of them and the price is same too. What's the difference between them and which one should I get?
 
I had a pair of SCL2s and used them nearly everyday practicing and for gigging. They lasted me 3 years and a half before the wires broke (all the sweating ends up ruining the plastic on them in the long run) which I consider satisfying.

The only difference between the two models you are speaking of is the color. The CLs are transparent and the Ks are black, so it's down to your personal preference on which to get.
 
Yes - forget about noise canceling technology. This is not what you are looking for. Like said further up what you need are In-Ear monitors to not only hear the mix perfectly but to also protect you ears. Depending on the model you buy you can get anything from -28dB to - 40dB, the very high-end custom models nearly cut out completely the ambient sound. This will allow you to set your mix in your In-Ears to very low volume.

Keep in mind that you will need a limiter with these. It's important because if something goes wrong and you accidentally get a loud input, you will not only suffer hell but there are grand chances you will damage your hearing.

Really do yourself a favor with these.

I'm looking into getting some in ears like the Shure SCL2 or SCL3. But I was wondering what this limiter is that you are talking about and where to get it?
 
I'm looking into getting some in ears like the Shure SCL2 or SCL3. But I was wondering what this limiter is that you are talking about and where to get it?

Limiting is a type of single-ended compression that limits the maximum volume from an input to prevent large peaks occurring. If we work from a nominal 0dB level, you can select a limiter to prevent any playback, for instance, over -4dB. It doesn't stop the sound, it merely squeezes it to a quieter level. Some are stricter than others (brickwall limiting, for instance) and some allow a little give. It will reduce the dynamic range of the music.

Most DAW software packages have a limiter plug-in of one description or another. You could use a compressor to the same purpose, but a limiter will preserve more of the musical dynamics and is easier to set up.
 
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