[Elecraft] Noise cancelling phones

[Andrew Catanzaro]

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

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Message: 32 Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2013 20:29:50 -0600

From: Gary K9GS <garyk9gs at wi.rr.com> To: elecraft at 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.