(Any Kind) Wired with the best Noise Isolation and Comfortable? Sensitive to noise

[yaargh]

I apologize in advance for the length of the post, and my snowflake ears, I've tried to make it skimmable.


What I've found so far:
I've mostly been looking at closed back and IEMs.

Someone recommended the Bose Quiet Comfort to me, they were very comfortable in the store but I didn't like the sucking feeling on my eardrums.

Also I've read various things about them collecting data (for such expensive headphones??), headphones failing at warranty end, and that they were rumored to send out firmware that degraded the quality of the sound of their headphones when a new model came out. They sound like a very shifty company. I don't want to purchase anything from them.

I don't like triple flanges they really hurt my ears so I have a feeling I won't like the deep insertion Etymonics.

I've been looking at things based off this chart and people's recs: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/tools/table/12761

I've used the Mee Audio M6 when walking around. Out of the cheap ones I've tried the microphonics seem the least bad and the isolation is the best. I clip the cord to my jacket and wear them when walking because they reduce noise but I can still hear traffic and other stuff around me and not get hit by a car.

That's not my situation now: I'm trying to block everything out as much as possible so they're not great for my situation.

Looking at chart, The Shure 215 sounds like the best optionn but is 100$ I'm hesitant because I'm unsure they're worth the price for my needs. People seem to complain that the sound is not great for the money, so I'm not sure.

I've also seen people recommend the KZ AS10 and the Mee Audio M6 pro as budget replacements for the Shure. The Mee Audio M6 PRo has the same isolation as the M6 sport that I already have. It seems silly to pay more. Not sure about the KZ if it's going to be worth spending more for my needs at least.

According to the chart the M6 sport is better isolation wise than the Audio Technica ATH-M40x/M50x, Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, and the Koss Porta PRo KTC. All of which have been recommended to me for noise isolation. I'm not sure how they all sound.



Noise
I'm in a noisy place, at various times sirens, planes, dogs barking, yapping, screaming, yelling, neighbors upstairs dropping things, thudding, banging kitchen cabinets and doors (goes right through the walls and makes me jump out of my skin) you name it. Unfortunately I am noise sensitive. Certain sounds really bother me particularly chewing or eating noises, a friend said I might have misophonia. I don't like anything sibilant. I need a break from earplugs, they start to hurt my ear canals after a couple of hours. Fans hurt my ears above a certain volume, but I have fans running all over my house. And I keep one on my desk at work. It would be nice to also listen to something calming while blocking out noise.

I am looking for something I can listen to for several hours while I'm at work/at home. I do move around some, but I can live with a cord attached to a portable device when I'm moving around.

What I'm looking for
I'm looking for something with the best wired with passive noise isolation, not noise cancelling. I don't like the pressure from noise cancellation from the headphones I tried and I'm not sure it's good for your ears in the long run.

I don't want bluetooth or wireless, I heard people don't like it because like noise cancellation it messes with the sound. I'm kind of more the paranoid type who doesn't like the data collection aspects and lack of security, not to mention health issues that surround wireless. Wires are fine. Give me wires. I will find a device that uses them.

Stuff I'm listening to

I often have trouble hearing lyrics, when I try to change things with the equalizer but often it winds up magnifying something else that hurts my ears. I don't know what's up.

I don't think I have have a genre, I like to try new things and listen to different music, but my favorite bands are led zeppelin, system of a down, tool, the prodigy, chemical bros. I tend to return to them. I personally find them soothing though others do not.

I also listen to audiobooks and podcasts.

A friend of mine has suggested calming meditative music might help me feel better around the constant jump scare noises. It was weird but the flutes in the music she recommended were sometimes piercing to my ears. I don't know if tha'ts me or my headphones.


If you've actually read this I greatly appreciate it, I'm sorry it's long and picky, and that I do'nt know much about this topic so it's hard for me to know exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[baskingshark]

I apologize in advance for the length of the post, and my snowflake ears, I've tried to make it skimmable.


What I've found so far:
I've mostly been looking at closed back and IEMs.

Someone recommended the Bose Quiet Comfort to me, they were very comfortable in the store but I didn't like the sucking feeling on my eardrums.

Also I've read various things about them collecting data (for such expensive headphones??), headphones failing at warranty end, and that they were rumored to send out firmware that degraded the quality of the sound of their headphones when a new model came out. They sound like a very shifty company. I don't want to purchase anything from them.

I don't like triple flanges they really hurt my ears so I have a feeling I won't like the deep insertion Etymonics.

I've been looking at things based off this chart and people's recs: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/tools/table/12761

I've used the Mee Audio M6 when walking around. Out of the cheap ones I've tried the microphonics seem the least bad and the isolation is the best. I clip the cord to my jacket and wear them when walking because they reduce noise but I can still hear traffic and other stuff around me and not get hit by a car.

That's not my situation now: I'm trying to block everything out as much as possible so they're not great for my situation.

Looking at chart, The Shure 215 sounds like the best optionn but is 100$ I'm hesitant because I'm unsure they're worth the price for my needs. People seem to complain that the sound is not great for the money, so I'm not sure.

I've also seen people recommend the KZ AS10 and the Mee Audio M6 pro as budget replacements for the Shure. The Mee Audio M6 PRo has the same isolation as the M6 sport that I already have. It seems silly to pay more. Not sure about the KZ if it's going to be worth spending more for my needs at least.

According to the chart the M6 sport is better isolation wise than the Audio Technica ATH-M40x/M50x, Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, and the Koss Porta PRo KTC. All of which have been recommended to me for noise isolation. I'm not sure how they all sound.



Noise
I'm in a noisy place, at various times sirens, planes, dogs barking, yapping, screaming, yelling, neighbors upstairs dropping things, thudding, banging kitchen cabinets and doors (goes right through the walls and makes me jump out of my skin) you name it. Unfortunately I am noise sensitive. Certain sounds really bother me particularly chewing or eating noises, a friend said I might have misophonia. I don't like anything sibilant. I need a break from earplugs, they start to hurt my ear canals after a couple of hours. Fans hurt my ears above a certain volume, but I have fans running all over my house. And I keep one on my desk at work. It would be nice to also listen to something calming while blocking out noise.

I am looking for something I can listen to for several hours while I'm at work/at home. I do move around some, but I can live with a cord attached to a portable device when I'm moving around.

What I'm looking for
I'm looking for something with the best wired with passive noise isolation, not noise cancelling. I don't like the pressure from noise cancellation from the headphones I tried and I'm not sure it's good for your ears in the long run.

I don't want bluetooth or wireless, I heard people don't like it because like noise cancellation it messes with the sound. I'm kind of more the paranoid type who doesn't like the data collection aspects and lack of security, not to mention health issues that surround wireless. Wires are fine. Give me wires. I will find a device that uses them.

Stuff I'm listening to

I often have trouble hearing lyrics, when I try to change things with the equalizer but often it winds up magnifying something else that hurts my ears. I don't know what's up.

I don't think I have have a genre, I like to try new things and listen to different music, but my favorite bands are led zeppelin, system of a down, tool, the prodigy, chemical bros. I tend to return to them. I personally find them soothing though others do not.

I also listen to audiobooks and podcasts.

A friend of mine has suggested calming meditative music might help me feel better around the constant jump scare noises. It was weird but the flutes in the music she recommended were sometimes piercing to my ears. I don't know if tha'ts me or my headphones.


If you've actually read this I greatly appreciate it, I'm sorry it's long and picky, and that I do'nt know much about this topic so it's hard for me to know exactly what I'm looking for.

What's your budget and would u prioritize isolation over sound quality?
And what is your preferred sound signature, as in do u prefer a neutral tuning, V shaped tuning, more bass/more treble or vice versa?

IMHO noise isolation in IEMs is quite dependant on eartips and fit, so I would advise u to try tiprolling. Sometimes foam tips may provide better isolation than silicone ones too.
I read in the forums that the KZ ZS4 and ZS3E are very cheap sets that have great isolation, though I don't own them, so maybe u can check with the rest.

My best isolating IEM is the Audiosense T800, it gives about -30 dB isolation. I use it extensively for stage monitoring as I'm next to a fullset drum and subwoofer amp, so I need to protect my hearing. For general music listening, with music on at soft volumes, I can't hear anyone talking to me if there are not within a 0.5 m radius from me with the T800 on. Though this set retails at $298 USD and is not exactly cheap.

I can get about -15 dB isolation with the KZ ZS10 Pro ($35 USD) with spinfits, and about -18dB isolation with the Hisenior B5+ ($80 USD), those are cheaper sets to consider too.

These are all IEMs with passive noise isolation.

 

[royjl]

it‘s really hard to eliminate the high frequency sounds, still looking for good noise cancelling earphone

 

[serman005]

Maybe I'm an idiot, but you are talking in your post about various IEMs and then you mention several over-ears and an on-ear. What exactly are you looking for? An over-ear, or an IEM?

 

[megabigeye]

Hey yaargh,
Your post looks like something I could have written. I've also suffered from misophonia in the past and it can be a real pest of a problem. Nothing quite like flying into a rage or becoming horribly depressed when you hear a loved one eating. Sounds like you might also suffer from hyperacusis, which I also suffer from.

The thing about both noise isolating ear-/headphones (in particular IEMs) and noise cancelling is that neither blocks noise of all frequencies or types. IEMs are great for blocking out things like voices or deadening sudden noises, and active noise cancellation (ANC) is good for droning noises, especially low to mid frequencies.
IEMs generally come with two main driver technologies, balanced armature (BA) and dynamic (DD). Of the two, BA IEMs are generally better for passive noise isolation because BA drivers don't need to be vented and can therefore completely seal in the ear. DD based IEMs often have a pin-prick sized hole for ventilation that lets in some outside noise.
I use Westone UM Pro 50, and they really attenuate a lot of noise. My wife was running the vacuum and I was using my IEMs with the stock tips and volume at a low level and I could not hear the vacuum at all. However, on a plane I'm still able to hear quite a bit of engine and wind noise.

Also, not all noise cancelling headphones are created equal. Bose and Sony go for absolute maximum noise cancellation, which some people (like you) feel as pressure in your ears. From what I gather, the less noise cancellation, the less pressure.
My wife has the Anker SoundCore Space and I'd say, for me, the pressure is little to none, but they're still able to cancel a droning jet engine. The problem is that you can still hear a baby crying in the seat behind you.

My awesome trick? To combine the best of both worlds: I put my wife's ANC headphones on over my IEMs. I might look like a weird-o dork, but I don't care— I'm able to block out almost all noise. An added benefit is that I get to hear my IEMs without any background noise at all. If you go for this method, just make sure your IEMs have a low enough profile that they'll fit under headphones; and make sure the headphones are big enough to fit over IEMs.

Anyway, good luck with your hunt and with overcoming your misophonia and hyperacusis. I know from experience that misophonia is something you can overcome (I use St. John's Wort).