[CopperCrazy]

Ok, so my school put in affect a new policy stating that headphones are no longer allowed but earbuds are because headphones are obstructive and could be a hazard if there is a fire alarm. First off I'm not even going to get started on how much I hate earbuds, but don't earbuds isolate more sound than headphones?  I just need some facts I can add to a petition I'm taking to the school board.  What is the decibel cancellation with in- ear earbuds vs. headphones.  Which is really more hazardess?  I just need some facts and maybe some links that would support this. If I am wrong please let me know, but I thought that earbuds isolate more sound than headphones because they go in the ear and form a seal inside the ear canal.  Thank you
 
P.S. I hope I put this in the right forum.

 

[esldude]

In ear type that seal the ear are some of the most isolating.  But what people typically call ear buds just sort of rest in the ear, and generally are not as isolating as circumaural heaphones.  The real issue is likely whether or not one is listening to fairly loud music.  With either you might miss the alarm.  On the other hand, if you are in a school, how would you miss all the other students running out of the room?

Does sound like a bogus rule, and if anything they should just ban all such earphone/headphone devices.

 

[CopperCrazy]

Well yeah aren't earphones the ones that rest in the ear, like apple earpods, but earbuds are like the ones that go into the ear, like most skullcandys?

 

[audioops]

  Does sound like a bogus rule, and if anything they should just ban all such earphone/headphone devices.

Which is what may happen if OP's petition gets any real attention.

 

[Claritas]

Crazy do-gooder. 

 

[proton007]

I'd say headphones and earphones both are an obstruction, because at some point it'll be hard to listen to ambient noise.