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Additionally, I think the marketing around active noise cancelling has been so good that most people have no clue a good pair of in-ear earbuds can do just as w

Additionally, I think the marketing around active noise cancelling has been so good that most people have no clue a good pair of in-ear earbuds can do just as well (without causing the weird artifacting that active cancelling can) passively.

sundvor 7y ago
For the open office, my Sony XM3s are extremely easy to take on and off in an instant - and offer extremely good cancellation, and OK sound quality for programming. My Audio Technica ATH-IM02 earbuds in comparison require very careful positioning, even though it offers far superior quality in a quiet environment.
- llampx 7y ago
  I use the "palm on the side" feature a lot. It reduces the music volume and turns up the ambient noise. If I'm not mistaken, it also increases the volume of voices so you can hear conversations well.
  - sundvor 7y ago
    Yep, the ambient function is great; Sony has really nailed it for use in the office. I'm seeing lots of coworkers picking this up.
jdietrich 7y ago
Properly fitted in-ear monitors do better, because they can block unpredictable sound sources. Active noise cancellation does a very good job of reducing the constant hum of aircraft engines, but very little to block the sound of a crying baby.
opencl 7y ago
What kind of earbuds do you mean? Those incredibly expensive custom molded ones? I have some foam tipped earbuds (Tinaudio T2) and the isolation seems pretty good compared to other earbuds I have previously owned but nowhere near the 1000XM3 active noise canceling.
- plorkyeran 7y ago
  Silicone tips work much better than foam tips for me. I currently use Shure SE215s and the passive noise blocking when using silicone tips seems similar to (but not better than) the old quietcomforts I've used.
- kderbe 7y ago
  Before using custom molded IEMs I used Etymotics with foam tips, which had much thicker foam than what I see on the Tinaudio product page. The isolation with foam is just as good, if properly inserted (same technique as with foam earplugs: roll to compress, insert deeply, and hold in place until fully expanded). But after only a few insertions the foam starts to lose its resiliency and sound-blocking effectiveness. Custom IEMs can isolate noise almost as well as fully inserted foam earplugs, and they take only a second to insert or remove. The convenience and sound-blocking consistency are why I prefer them to "universal" tipped IEMs.
- omnimus 7y ago
  Tinaudio ? I would never think there would be chi-fi users on hnews.
- lm28469 7y ago
  > Those incredibly expensive custom molded ones? Cheapo shure se215 with triple flange or foam tips and you're golden. I have them on all day and I even manage to sleep with them (when I accidentally fall asleep while listening to a podcast)

sundvor 7y ago

For the open office, my Sony XM3s are extremely easy to take on and off in an instant - and offer extremely good cancellation, and OK sound quality for programming. My Audio Technica ATH-IM02 earbuds in comparison require very careful positioning, even though it offers far superior quality in a quiet environment.

llampx 7y ago
I use the "palm on the side" feature a lot. It reduces the music volume and turns up the ambient noise. If I'm not mistaken, it also increases the volume of voices so you can hear conversations well.
- sundvor 7y ago
  Yep, the ambient function is great; Sony has really nailed it for use in the office. I'm seeing lots of coworkers picking this up.

jdietrich 7y ago

Properly fitted in-ear monitors do better, because they can block unpredictable sound sources. Active noise cancellation does a very good job of reducing the constant hum of aircraft engines, but very little to block the sound of a crying baby.

opencl 7y ago

What kind of earbuds do you mean? Those incredibly expensive custom molded ones? I have some foam tipped earbuds (Tinaudio T2) and the isolation seems pretty good compared to other earbuds I have previously owned but nowhere near the 1000XM3 active noise canceling.

plorkyeran 7y ago
Silicone tips work much better than foam tips for me. I currently use Shure SE215s and the passive noise blocking when using silicone tips seems similar to (but not better than) the old quietcomforts I've used.
kderbe 7y ago
Before using custom molded IEMs I used Etymotics with foam tips, which had much thicker foam than what I see on the Tinaudio product page. The isolation with foam is just as good, if properly inserted (same technique as with foam earplugs: roll to compress, insert deeply, and hold in place until fully expanded). But after only a few insertions the foam starts to lose its resiliency and sound-blocking effectiveness. Custom IEMs can isolate noise almost as well as fully inserted foam earplugs, and they take only a second to insert or remove. The convenience and sound-blocking consistency are why I prefer them to "universal" tipped IEMs.
omnimus 7y ago
Tinaudio ? I would never think there would be chi-fi users on hnews.
lm28469 7y ago
> Those incredibly expensive custom molded ones? Cheapo shure se215 with triple flange or foam tips and you're golden. I have them on all day and I even manage to sleep with them (when I accidentally fall asleep while listening to a podcast)