this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2023
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Headphones

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Can't wear ANC headphones for long, weird feeling (alien.top)
submitted 1 year ago by PrivyPaul@alien.top to c/headphones@hi-fi.community
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Hi,

I don't know if its just my imagination or can active noise-canceling actually be felt in your ears? Like I get they cancel out soundwaves but it leaves a kind of pressure behind. After some time it stresses me out more than actual noise from traffic. Is this placebo or a real thing?

It feels like when you go on a airplane and your ears close because of the altitude switch, and I get the same reflex of trying to yawn to make it go away

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[–] MF_Kitten@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I believe It's your brain misinterpreting the low frequency "silence", assuming the eardrum is encountering resistance in the form of pressure.

I saw a study on this, and it's very clearly caused by the low frequencies being canceled. If ANC is focused on everything from low mids up instead, leaving the low bass alone, this alleviates the ear pressure sensation.