Noise cancelling helmets
Discussion
Correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am) but ANC works by playing sounds into your ear to counter the ambient, thus cancelling the ambient sound out and making it appear quieter.
But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
Tam_Mullen said:
Correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am) but ANC works by playing sounds into your ear to counter the ambient, thus cancelling the ambient sound out and making it appear quieter.
But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
How I understand it too. But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
Tam_Mullen said:
Correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am) but ANC works by playing sounds into your ear to counter the ambient, thus cancelling the ambient sound out and making it appear quieter.
But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
I wondered about this too but its actually cancelling out the soundwaves or something. Was beyond me but its not generating extra noise into your ear, it is reducing it.But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
P675 said:
Tam_Mullen said:
Correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am) but ANC works by playing sounds into your ear to counter the ambient, thus cancelling the ambient sound out and making it appear quieter.
But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
I wondered about this too but its actually cancelling out the soundwaves or something. Was beyond me but its not generating extra noise into your ear, it is reducing it.But it doesn't actually reduce the decibels of the sound, so the damage would still be being done to your hearing (if you rode without protection) you just may not realise it.
P675 said:
I wondered about this too but its actually cancelling out the soundwaves or something. Was beyond me but its not generating extra noise into your ear, it is reducing it.
+1The soundwaves have peaks and troughs, create another soundwave out of sync so the troughs of one coincide at least roughly with the peaks of the other then it's exactly the same result as having smaller (quieter) waves in the first place.
Austin Prefect said:
P675 said:
I wondered about this too but its actually cancelling out the soundwaves or something. Was beyond me but its not generating extra noise into your ear, it is reducing it.
+1The soundwaves have peaks and troughs, create another soundwave out of sync so the troughs of one coincide at least roughly with the peaks of the other then it's exactly the same result as having smaller (quieter) waves in the first place.
P675 said:
Bob_Defly said:
I would love to see some scientific proof of the effect on hearing before I gamble my future deafness on it though.
Noise cancelling has been around for a while in headphones, we would have heard something by now.The theory is unquestionable, there's been experiments on things like warships and submarines since the 80's that I'm aware of, so probably a lot longer. Miniturisation has got to the point the kit can fit on a lid, I'll happily give it a go. I'm more concerned about the other qualities of the lid than whether ANC works, but I'll go into it planning on using it alongside earplugs.
I think that the sound energy reduction capability of ANC as long been proven and it's the energy that causes the damage.
I'm really interested in this, not as an ear plugs replacement, but to support the use ear plugs to further protect hearing.
The concern is obviously the price. It's significantly more than I'd expect from incorporating the technology from existing ANC headphones/ear buds with existing technology from in helmet intercoms.
I'm really interested in this, not as an ear plugs replacement, but to support the use ear plugs to further protect hearing.
The concern is obviously the price. It's significantly more than I'd expect from incorporating the technology from existing ANC headphones/ear buds with existing technology from in helmet intercoms.
RizzoTheRat said:
How do noise cancelling headphones work then? I thought they generated an out of phase sound wave to reduce the volume?
There are two different types. 'Passive' and 'active'. Passive just block your ears from anything other than the internal speaker, active use electronic cancellation as well.Austin Prefect said:
There are two different types. 'Passive' and 'active'. Passive just block your ears from anything other than the internal speaker, active use electronic cancellation as well.
I was intrigued by the comment that's not how noise cancelling headphones work, but I guess he might be just meaning the passive ones (noise isolating rather than noise cancelling in my opinion.black-k1 said:
I think that the sound energy reduction capability of ANC as long been proven and it's the energy that causes the damage.
Surely the sound is the energy. Or does ANC only cancel out the audible frequencies and there are still high or low frequency sound waves that we don't register but still cause damage?There appears to be some confusion.
I understand how the phase shifting works, an opposing wave cancelling out the sound wave. And I do use noise cancelling headphones sometimes, and they are really good.
But given that motorcycles/wind can cause permanent hearing damage, I am very reluctant to give up on earplugs until someone publishes a scientific study that says noise cancelling technology is 100% safe for hearing protection. I would hate to be deaf in 10 years because 'something' in the way that additional sound waves are created still does some damage to your hearing, even if you can't hear or feel it at the time.
I get that one sound wave cancels the other out, I just don't fully trust my hearing to it yet.
Plus, my Sony WH1000XM3's (which are amazing) need a pretty good seal to work properly, I very much doubt you can get that in a helmet.
I understand how the phase shifting works, an opposing wave cancelling out the sound wave. And I do use noise cancelling headphones sometimes, and they are really good.
But given that motorcycles/wind can cause permanent hearing damage, I am very reluctant to give up on earplugs until someone publishes a scientific study that says noise cancelling technology is 100% safe for hearing protection. I would hate to be deaf in 10 years because 'something' in the way that additional sound waves are created still does some damage to your hearing, even if you can't hear or feel it at the time.
I get that one sound wave cancels the other out, I just don't fully trust my hearing to it yet.
Plus, my Sony WH1000XM3's (which are amazing) need a pretty good seal to work properly, I very much doubt you can get that in a helmet.
John D. said:
P675 said:
Bob_Defly said:
I would love to see some scientific proof of the effect on hearing before I gamble my future deafness on it though.
Noise cancelling has been around for a while in headphones, we would have heard something by now.Bob_Defly said:
There appears to be some confusion.
I understand how the phase shifting works, an opposing wave cancelling out the sound wave. And I do use noise cancelling headphones sometimes, and they are really good.
But given that motorcycles/wind can cause permanent hearing damage, I am very reluctant to give up on earplugs until someone publishes a scientific study that says noise cancelling technology is 100% safe for hearing protection. I would hate to be deaf in 10 years because 'something' in the way that additional sound waves are created still does some damage to your hearing, even if you can't hear or feel it at the time.
I get that one sound wave cancels the other out, I just don't fully trust my hearing to it yet.
Plus, my Sony WH1000XM3's (which are amazing) need a pretty good seal to work properly, I very much doubt you can get that in a helmet.
The only health complaint postulated to be related to the use ANC headphones that I can find is Audio Processing Disorder, and the link seems pretty tenuous (I'm a longterm sufferer). ANC headsets are used for noise reduction in industry and building sites so I think should suit motorbikes well, but I'll keep using earplugs.I understand how the phase shifting works, an opposing wave cancelling out the sound wave. And I do use noise cancelling headphones sometimes, and they are really good.
But given that motorcycles/wind can cause permanent hearing damage, I am very reluctant to give up on earplugs until someone publishes a scientific study that says noise cancelling technology is 100% safe for hearing protection. I would hate to be deaf in 10 years because 'something' in the way that additional sound waves are created still does some damage to your hearing, even if you can't hear or feel it at the time.
I get that one sound wave cancels the other out, I just don't fully trust my hearing to it yet.
Plus, my Sony WH1000XM3's (which are amazing) need a pretty good seal to work properly, I very much doubt you can get that in a helmet.
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