Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Mumble

Auditory sensitivity - Noise Cancelling Headphones

Recommended Posts

My disability officer wants me to make a decision even though she knows I don't do decisions, so I hope someone can help me. :pray: :pray:

 

I've been assessed and awarded for funding for various aids under my DSA including noise cancelling headphones to use with my computer, MP3 player etc to help me with my noise sensitivity.

 

Trouble is, I now have to make a decision about which I want - I've read various review sites which didn't help me because everyone says different things, plus these are in all probability written by NTs so I don't know how the issues raised apply to ASD issues. My biggest concern for both was reviewers who mention a 'humming' that accompanies the noise cancelling. Given that I find such noises incredibly difficult to cope with, are these going to cause more irritation than they solve?

 

The two models I have to decide between are:

  • Sennheiser PXC 250
  • Sony MDR-NC50

Does anyone have any experience of either (or know something that will help me more?)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

noise cancelling headphones make noise to block noise,they're not great if sensory problems are bad.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
noise cancelling headphones make noise to block noise,they're not great if sensory problems are bad.

That's exactly my concern - trying to get my disability officer to understand this is however very difficult. I don't know what the solution is but I do know that it is a major isue I have that I need some type of support with.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mumble

 

In essence noise-cancelling headphones are only of use if the background noise is constant. (e.g. on a plane). They are no use at all for things like conversation as the technology doesn't work that way, so it depends why you are looking for them.

 

I *think* what you really need are isolating headphones that block the outside noise rather than cancel it. It also sidesteps the hum issue. If you are OK with something in you ear I would tentatively recommend the sure e2c which will cost around �40-50 from somewhere like Amazon. Alternatively you could try closed headphones that go over the ear, something like the Sennheiser HD25. The better the isolation the bigger the headphone will be but the more conspicuous you will look while wearing them. They come in two types supra-aural which press on the ear and circumaural which go around it. Circumaural are bigger and more conspicuous but isolate much better.

 

What budget are you working to?

 

You may wish to post something at http://www.head-fi.org asking the specific question about which closed headphones would give you the best isolation.

 

It's the biggest headphone forum on the net and someone will be able to answer your question.

 

If you are a little nervous about posting there I would be happy to post a question on your behalf as I have an account there. (Headphones were a bit of an obsession for me for a while :whistle: ) Feel free to PM me!

 

Simon

 

 

That's exactly my concern - trying to get my disability officer to understand this is however very difficult. I don't know what the solution is but I do know that it is a major isue I have that I need some type of support with.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Simon,

 

A forum just for headphones?? And I thought this forum was specialised! :lol:

 

Anyway, thanks for your advice - puts I think what is termed a spanner in the works (unsure if that's the correct phrase or not so if that makes no sense ignore it).

 

At the moment I have in-ear noise reduction ones but they are very uncomfortable after a while plus they don't really block out the noises I need them to block out.

 

I wanted headphones that blocked out, particularly, other people's conversation, people's general compter noises (keyboard typing etc.), computer humming and when in halls other students 'music' (of the boom, boom, boom variety!! - I'm afraid that's about as technical as I get :rolleyes:). I hadn't realised noise-cancelling headphones didn't work on the majority of these - that'll be why most reviews are from air-travellers.

 

My disability officer has ordered for me the Sennheiser PXC 250 - I'm not sure if these are on or over ear. Probably on as they are more compact than some NC headphones. I can see what you mean about circumaural ones - I think they're what I have with my digital piano at my Mum's - but they're to stop me annoying other people rather than anything else but they totally enclose the ear and so do block out outside sound quite well. I think I'll just give it a go with the ones my disability officer has ordered and see where I need to go from there.

 

Mumble :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Why don't you get auditory sensitivity treated rather than attempt to mask the problem?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Why don't you get auditory sensitivity treated rather than attempt to mask the problem?

Ian,

 

That's exactly where I'm at - if it can be treated/helped then surely that is the best way forward. However, my big problem is my disability officer who everything has to go through, and it has taken enough fighting to get (having been awarded DSA funding) any type of adjustment.

 

I'm desperate for anything that will help, particularly given that I've come to realise just how different my auditory sensitivity and particularly processing is to what might be considered 'normal'. The possible adjustments (such as headphones) that are now slowly being but into place (6 months since I was assessed as needing support) are not going to help me in the situations I most want to be supported in - seminars, conferences, etc. - which if I want to be successful in what I'm doing will be an integral part of what I need to do. Covering up the noise there may help me feel calmer put it certainly won't help me interact and be a part of anything going on - if anything it will distance me further from where I am now where I am really struggeling in seminar group discussions because I'm finding it almost impossible to pick out what I'm supposed to be listening to against everything else in the room - auditory and visual - that is distracting me.

 

I find it immensly frustrating knowing that there is something that might help me put that I don't have the support to access. The more I understand about why certain situations are causing me difficulties (that will continue and affect the career I want) the more frustrated I get. I did mention being properly assessed to my disability officer but she just talked about how she had sent some dyslexic (I'm not dyslexic) students for coloured overlays which some had found helpful. From what I've read this is fairly outdated and not what I need in my case (my diagnosis is AS and dyspraxia) so I've really got no where with her.

 

I know what my next step really should be put getting my disability officer to understand this is much harder - so yes, I should be getting this treated rather than mask the problem. I know masking is not the best way forward put when that's all I'm being offered, that's what I have to take.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ask your disability officer how they deal with auditory processing disorder.

 

There is a lot about it on the web (Nottingham university are doing a lot of work on this at the moment)

- and it is both inefficient and expensive to mask in comparison to treat.

 

We use both visual and aud itory interventions for APD - the visual are through the NHS, so costs are low or free!

 

Auditory processing techniques are available nationwide (our charge varies between �50 and a max of �400 - so you have some idea of price)

 

But if you have an auditory processing disorder you will almost certainly have other sensory processing difficulties - any or all of - visual procesing, balance, touch, temperature regulation, memory, smell, pain. They can all be helped - so don't suffer

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My disability officer knows nothing about APD. She knows very little about anything other than the basics of dyslexia which is her specialism. She's taken everything from a textbook to understand me and AS and where I don't fit the textbook description she's totally lost. If I want to do something about this it is something I have to do by myself. I'm terrible however about making such decisions put having talked to some other forum members over the weekend, I think this is the right thing to do - I'll PM you later with some questions I have.

 

But if you have an auditory processing disorder you will almost certainly have other sensory processing difficulties - any or all of - visual procesing, balance, touch, temperature regulation, memory, smell, pain. They can all be helped - so don't suffer

Yes to all of these - particularly visual processing, touch (how is this linked?), smell and pain - plus the majority of the list on your website. I think it is fear that has stopped me doing anything further - both fear that it doesn't work for me (so I may always have things that I now know are broblems and so have difficulties in the situations I need to be able to cope in) or fear that it does work for me and I loose what has been normal to me for 28 years - I'm not sure how I would cope with that.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You have to be in control.

 

If you address these problems you can see/ feel the change and then choose what to do

 

the difference can change your life, often make it much better - but you have to be the person to decide, no one should decide for you.

 

Tests are actually enjoyable, so if you do decide to be assessed there is nothing to worry about, and if you do not like the effect then you don't have to change.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
noise cancelling headphones make noise to block noise,they're not great if sensory problems are bad.

Well TuX - you were absolutely and totally right.

 

The 'noise-cancelling' headphones arrived today and eagerly put in the batteries and sorted them out.

 

I had them on all of 3 minutes at which point I yanked them off my head with a thumping headache. How could the disability officer have got this so very wrong?

 

As well as the sound of the computer fan, other students etc etc that I was finding difficult, I can still hear all that loud and clear and have to add on the 'hiss' of the noise cancelling, plus the sound I'm supposed to hear sounding really 'strong' (sorry I don't know the right term) and the fact that other noises like me typing on the keyboard whilst I'm wearing them actually vibrate through my ears - or that's at least what it feels like - horrible.

 

So something that's supposed to aid my sensory difficulties in actual fact causes me a headache :angry: :angry:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...