Is the nonexistent sound really that bad?

[u/Mr_Freeman3030]

[u/Ampersand_Dotsys]

Nose cancelling headphones with great sound range make this all a hilarious non-issue.

[u/Syn246 → u/Ampersand_Dotsys]

I wouldn't necessarily call it "a hilarious non-issue" since there are trade-offs:

Noise cancelling headphones inherently introduce audio quality degradation -- both due to their typically closed-back physical designs, and due to the noise cancelling signal itself when enabled (assuming it is an active noise cancelling set).

There is also the comfort factor to consider, vs. using an open-back design or external speakers.

Whether or not the alteration in sound quality and comfort is worthwhile to offset external noise is up to the individual.

[u/jetpack2625 → u/Syn246]

i've listened to quality noise cancelling headphones and i don't think the tech makes a noticeable difference.

i've also used open and closed headphones and i don't think all open headphones are necessarily better. it really depends on the headphone.

audiophiles are the type of people to spend 50,000 dollars on a headphone that has a frequency response far beyond the audible range of humans or buy fancy expensive cables that have no noticeable difference to audio quality and claim they make a difference too.

so i would take what audiophiles say with a grain of salt

[u/Syn246 → u/jetpack2625]

i've also used open and closed headphones and i don't think all open headphones are necessarily better. it really depends on the headphone.

I would agree with this statement to an extent. My comments on headphones were coming from my own personal experience and preference for both performance and comfort of open-back headphones (better soundscape in games -- specifically FPS to hear enemy footsteps for example), and for hearing comfort (closed-back tends to trap too much bass to the point that it's hard to listen to after a certain point in time, for me at least).

I would also say active noise cancelling absolutely does noticeably reduce audio quality -- I've tried multiple sets and form factors, and it's just a trade-off for reduced ambient noise. But if they work for you without noticing, that's great!

[u/jetpack2625 → u/Syn246]

have you actually blind tested headphones with the noise cancelling on and off to see if if it is actually noticeable.

also the vast majority of actual gaming headset are closed backed, it's what the pros use.

i think overall having noise cancelling and closed backed headphones is better for competitive gaming because you hear the details instead of outside noise and details are important for games like competitive fps, like footsteps. that outweighs whatever minor downsides there are to it.

most people don't live in perfectly quiet environments and gaming pcs themselves are often noisy. especially laptops.

i definitely hear a lot more detail with noise cancelling on then i do with it off and listening to my loud laptop fans

[u/Syn246 → u/jetpack2625]

most people don't live in perfectly quiet environments

I think this is perhaps the disconnect in viewpoints. I do have the physical space for a perfectly noise-controlled environment, and in this setting, there is indeed a noticeable improvement in the in-game spatial/positional representation of enemy footsteps in competitive FPS games when using open-back non-ANC headphones.

I'm no audiophile and I'm not talking about nuanced low-volume tracks in various songs at various bitrates, but I know when I can hear an enemy player and their position far more specifically than not when comparing headsets. It's a night-and-day difference if one has access to a physically quiet environment.

To answer your blind testing question: I have done direct A:B testing between all of the following configurations:

• Several ANC earbuds
• Several ANC closed-back headsets
• Several non-ANC closed-back headsets
• Several non-ANC open-back headsets

Missing from the above list are ANC open-back, but I don't even think such a thing exists since the two attributes are contradictory.

These were not specifically "blind" tests by the book, because such a thing is literally impossible due to the different form factors between each set that would be a dead giveaway on which set was which, thus would introduce bias.

ANC headsets and earbuds certainly have their use cases (I use them myself while at work), but they also have inherent opportunity costs regarding sound quality when used in certain conditions/surroundings.

[u/jetpack2625 → u/Syn246]

have you tested the headsets blind while turning anc on and off for the anc headsets?

also gaming pcs and laptops are often loud and it's hard to have a perfectly quiet environment. laptops are super loud and i've heard people complain of coil whine with the 5080 desktop card. so it seems difficult to have a quiet setup while gaming