In my previous life (before retirement), I used a number of Noise Cancelling Headphones, particularly for airplane travel, but also for things such as mowing the grass or even working on the computer to avoid distractions.
Fast forward to today (retired), I have the Philips 9050s, and very satisfied with their performance in daily situations. But, I have not traveled on airplanes since retirement, and today am faced with mowing my yard. Airline travel is looming in the near future as well.
Am curious how others with HAs use noise cancelling headphones in high noise environments, or if they simply use their HAs. If just using the HAs, do they perform well enough for high noise activities such as airplane travel? Or, if using noise cancelling headphones, do they also wear their HAs inside the headphones?
The reason for the post today is that Sony just introduced their new XM6 headphones, and I am tempted. There are also hints of a new XM6 set of earbuds coming.
I have the XM4 headphones and have had no problems wearing them over my Jabra Enhance Pro 20s in noise-canceling mode, either wired or wireless. The EP20s will squeal when I use the Music setting at mid-volume, but turning it down to 30% or so eliminates the feedback.
Thx LarsRR. I wasn’t sure if wearing my HAs and noise cancelling headphones at the same time (in certain situations) would be a smart move or not. I just have this overwhelming belief that noise cancelling headphones will do much better than the HAs in high noise environments. I definitely do not want to get on a plane and then find out I should have purchased headphones.
Back in my traveling days (75k-100k a year) I’d use noise cancelling headphones that I had my office buy (can’t remember the brand) and wore my hearing aides except when I’d rack out on flights to Europe or Asia. I never used anything but my hearing aids for yard work, but I used an electric mower on my tiny townhouse lot. I have rechargeable Shure noise cancelling headphones now that I use either my hearing aids for music practice. They also allow me to attach a microphone so I can get away without buying $1k David Clark headsets when I fly light planes and need to talk to ATC.
I have this situation all the time.
You will probably find a couple of things.
Firstly, you need headphones with big earcups. that’s ok, all the ANC phones I’ve tried do seem to have large enough earcups, at least for me to get my HA’s and ears in at the same time.
Secondly, you will hear more noise through the headphones as a result of putting your HA’s in. What I mean is that the noise canceling is vastly reduced when you wear HA’s iin the headphones.
I am also going to get the xm6s. If I were you, this is the brand I’d try, not so much because of the noise canceling, but because they have a 6 or maybe 8 I can’t remember, band equaliser. so you could work with that to get exactly the sound you want. I hope you don’t run into feedback issues with your hA’s, that’s the other thing that can sometimes happen although it’s noticably less at least for me when wearing sony headphones, where as the airpods max caused a lot of issues.