Noise Cancelling Headphones...If You're Not Into Punk Rock

Here's an interesting fact: people who listen to music in their headphones too loudly can suffer from permanent hearing loss. Well, that's not that interesting and many people would agree with that statement. Here's why it's an interesting fact: The reason people listen to music too loudly is not necessarily because they love loud music. Rather, it's because the background sound is too loud and interferes with the music.

So what's the solution? Music should be enjoyed through headphones (remember, not everyone shares your musical tastes!)...that's a given. But music doesn't have to be enjoyed at a massive volume. After all, the true enjoyment of music does not come from the volume but from the quality of the sound.

And how do you get sound quality? One of the ways is to reduce the outside sound you hear. This is done through noise cancelling headphones.

What are noise canceling headphones? The most common type is the kind that goes over your ear and completely encloses it in a shell. There's soft padding around the sides so it conforms to your head. This type of shape is called circumaural, although you need to know that not all circumaural's are noise cancelling headphones.

Aside from that shape, noise canceling headphones have another piece of technology that allows them to actually eliminate the background sounds: they use special circuitry, padding insulation, and other technology inside the shell of the part that goes over your ear. This special circuitry works to kill noises from the outside as the sound waves are directed toward you.

The result? Put them on and the world goes quiet. That will allow you to listen to great music at a lower volume and enjoy it more, while keeping others from having to listen to your unique musical tastes.

Because of the insulation and circuitry required to deaden background sounds, the head phones will naturally be bigger in size than the small earbuds you use in your ears. So they may not always be appropriate for travel. If you're cycling or riding on the bus, you need to hear the background sounds for safety or to know when your stop is. However, if you're traveling by plane or you want to have a quiet night in a hotel that seems too loud, the noise canceling headphones are just the thing you'll need for absolute privacy.

If these types of cans are too expensive, you may want to consider circumaural headphones that are not noise cancelling. They'll still dampen the noise. Or, if you find that they are too big and bulky, you may want to bypass earbuds and instead purchase canalbuds. Earbuds fit right at the end of your ear canal while canalbuds actually go into your ear. They do a better job of deadening external sounds. These are often referred to as noise isolating or passive types of head phones.