Gary,
In preparation for CQ WW CW at PJ2T, our leader, N0YY, suggested we all
bring noise cancelling headsets. I bought Audio Technica ATH-ANC9
QuietPoint Noise-Cancelling Headphones because music listening is my
first hobby and they sound better than any Bose headphones. But I used
both in Curacao and of course, I use the Audio Technica at home. Both
work fine in ham applications. I was amazed at two things. One is how
much easier it was to work the contest at PJ2T. (Of course we had six
K3's!) The other was how much easier it is to copy at home. I was
unaware how much "fighting" my ears and brain do with background noise
in both places. I didn't notice it till the background noise was
eliminated. My shack is quiet except for my own equipment noise, but I
didn't realize how bothersome it was. There was benefit at PJ2T because
we had five Ameritron AL-1200's running, as well as a 25,000 BTU air
conditioner in the same room. In the reflector discussion, I don't see
anyone discussing these points, but for long term listening, there's
less neurological work with noise reducers. Even with all radios,
appliances, aquariums, and HVAC equipment off at night in my suburban
house basement, it's amazing how much more quiet our poured-concrete
room is with noise cancelers on.
Even Field Day in the middle of the night is a better experience by
getting rid of the distant traffic noise. The ears and temporal lobes
are no longer required to waste as much processor time discriminating CW
or speech. We want excellent audio and an excellent S/N ratio out of
our radios. Why mess it all up at the headphone-to-ear interface when
it's so easy to minimize the problem?
Insofar as the discussion about Etymotic in the ear monitors goes, I
agree with Jim K9YC. They are without equal at noise cancellation. I
quit blasting my ears with ham audio about five decades ago, so
in-the-ear transducers are never a problem. I also used another
manufacturer's in-the-ear monitors with molded ear pieces. The problem
with them in a ham shack is they are so good, it's too quiet. The house
could be coming down and I wouldn't know it!
But for those who want to get their ears wet with noise reducing
headsets, I've found that all the least expensive pairs I've picked up
over the years offer an advantage over standard phones.
73 - Andy W9NJY
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 32 Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2013 20:29:50 -0600
From: Gary K9GS <garyk...@wi.rr.com> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Noise Cancelling Headphones
I know that here in Wisconsin, Bose has an outlet store in a nearby
mall. I assume you could try on a pair although I have not done so.
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