This is probably an idiotic question and I really have tried to find an answer without posting but have been unsuccessful, so here goes (with apologies to experienced members).
I understand that closed back headphones provide better isolation than open backed ones.
I get that they leak more sound from the sound source out. Going the other way, though, do they still reduce external environmental sound from coming in - say more than ear buds?
Background:
Some members of my household like the TV on always. I prefer to listen to music. I would like us to be able to be in the same room and enjoy our various preferences (rather than, as now, me always asking them to turn down the *****bleep telly).
I don't really care if sound leaks out from the headphones (I listen at pretty low volumes anyway so any leakage won't be heard over the telly), but I'd like to reduce the telly noise from coming in.
I've tried ear canal phones (Etymotics) but I get the hot itchy ear syndrome that I've seen reported by others in these forums, so unfortunately they're not suitable for me.
Although I set out to find some nice over the ear HPs with closed backs, the most promising HPs that I've found through my research so far (that meet my other requirements and listening preferences) have turned out to have open backs.
I understand that open backs provide less isolation, but am hoping (against hope really) that they might still be OK (if not optimal) at reducing sound entering vs sound leaving.
Thanks in advance for your advice on this question.
