Anyone tried noise-canceling headphones for drums?

[switchdoc]

So,

After reading the very popular thread on foam rubber and felt to quiet the drums, I went out to my local Michaels and could not find the exact supplies mentioned. I bought some foam and some felt and some glue for 17 dollars and proceeded to make... a mess.

The end result was two pieces of gluey foam that didn't to much for noise reduction.

So, I went to the local Music store and checked out the real electronic drums. After explaining to the sales person I needed less clack and more quiet, he suggested some rubber tipped drumsticks for 11 dollars.

I got those home and while they are definitely funner to play with (more weight and balance) than the included set, they aren't much quieter either.

So, for the last couple of days I've been playing with regular headphones on and cranking the volume up to the point my eyeballs rattle. This kinda works but I can still hear the hits and it makes my ears ring and has causes obvious long term hearing issues.

So I was wondering if anyone has tried drums with noise-canceling headphones. If so, did they reduce the drum noise without having to blow out your eardrums?

I've looked at everything from 300 Bose sets to these:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Vic-Firth-SIH1-Isolation-Headphones-101547305-i1137888.gc

45 dollar Firth gizmos but I think it'd be good to get some feedback before I try it.

Anyone have experience with a solution like this?

Thanks in advance!

-Switch

[SoulScreme]

Dude, If you can find self-adhesive felt I have a bunch of extras of the self-adhesive foam pads.

[Nate Finch]

Noise cancelling headphones won't work. They only work on persistent environmental noises, like the hum of your computer, the rumble of an airplane's engine, etc. Short, sharp sounds are barely affected at all, because the processor doesn't have enough time to produce a wave to counteract the sound.

I think you're much better off trying to find mufflers for the drum pads rather than for your ears.

[ClinTrojan]

So,

After reading the very popular thread on foam rubber and felt to quiet the drums, I went out to my local Michaels and could not find the exact supplies mentioned. I bought some foam and some felt and some glue for 17 dollars and proceeded to make... a mess.

The end result was two pieces of gluey foam that didn't to much for noise reduction.

So, I went to the local Music store and checked out the real electronic drums. After explaining to the sales person I needed less clack and more quiet, he suggested some rubber tipped drumsticks for 11 dollars.

I got those home and while they are definitely funner to play with (more weight and balance) than the included set, they aren't much quieter either.

So, for the last couple of days I've been playing with regular headphones on and cranking the volume up to the point my eyeballs rattle. This kinda works but I can still hear the hits and it makes my ears ring and has causes obvious long term hearing issues.

So I was wondering if anyone has tried drums with noise-canceling headphones. If so, did they reduce the drum noise without having to blow out your eardrums?

I've looked at everything from 300 Bose sets to these:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Vic-Firth-SIH1-Isolation-Headphones-101547305-i1137888.gc

45 dollar Firth gizmos but I think it'd be good to get some feedback before I try it.

Anyone have experience with a solution like this?

Thanks in advance!

-Switch


dont get me wrong.....the headphones are great, I own a pair myself b/c I play drumset. Though if what your looking to do is make the sound of hitting the pad quieter to not disturb other people or to be able to hear the TV better then you dont need these. It will block the tapping on the pads but you also wont be able to hear the tv very well.

Those headphones are like those used in shooting guns....that is how strong the are. If you wanting one to block the tapping you might try the cheaper sound canceling headphones at bestbuy. The Vic Firth are sound isolation headphones, there different and much more stronger and cost more.

[AdamWill]

Nate is correct (and I know from headphones, card-carrying member of www.head-fi.org).

Also, never buy Bose headphones.

There is a possible headphone-based solution, though: get some good canalphones, Shure or Etymotics. These are basically consumer versions of the in-ear monitors many musicians now use to a) hear their own playing and b) save their ears from the ridiculous volume levels of their own PA systems. You can get a decent pair of low-end Shures or Etys for about $100. They sound very good (use 'em with your iPod), but they also block a huge amount of external sound; they're good for 20-40dB of sound cancellation, which is more than *any* pair of sealed headphones (and about the same as active noise-cancelling headphones like the Bose ones claim in *ideal* conditions, like on a plane). This should help you out a lot.

Some bigger electronics stores now carry Shures (you used to have to buy these kinda things at specialist stores, or mail order).

Of course, it only solves the problem for you - not your neighbours.

[ClinTrojan]

Noise cancelling headphones won't work. They only work on persistent environmental noises, like the hum of your computer, the rumble of an airplane's engine, etc. Short, sharp sounds are barely affected at all, because the processor doesn't have enough time to produce a wave to counteract the sound.

I think you're much better off trying to find mufflers for the drum pads rather than for your ears.


lol so your saying ISOLATION headphones made by a drum associated company who's product is made to cancel out real drums which is about 20x as loud as the little pads wont work???

Trust me those vic firth isolation headphones work, I use them playing drumset myself. They make some that dont have speakers inside that just made to protect your ears also that are cheaper.

[Credge]

Isn't there a headphone jack built into the drumset? Also, some newer T.V.'s have headphone jacks which would be oh-so-nice with noise-canceling headphones.

[fairysausage]

noise cancelling headphones will NOT work good for drumming, in fact, it will make things WORSE.

Noise cancelling headphones block out "consistant" noise (such as a hum on an airplane), it will NOT block sharp changes in noise.

Many say they can hear people talking etc. MORE and it is AMPLIFIED... and I would imagine the drums would have the same effect as they are loud, brisk, uneven rates of sound.

So, do not buy noise cancelling headphones unless you want to waste your money. They are good for certaint hings, but I would thinkt his game would NOT be one of them.

[Sairynn]

I thought the reason for quieting the drums was so that other people can't hear you?

[Nate Finch]

lol so your saying ISOLATION headphones made by a drum associated company who's product is made to cancel out real drums which is about 20x as loud as the little pads wont work???

Trust me those vic firth isolation headphones work, I use them playing drumset myself. They make some that dont have speakers inside that just made to protect your ears also that are cheaper.

I never said anything about noise isolation headphones. I specifically mentioned noise *canceling* headphones, since that's what he said in the post in the first place. I didn't click on the link, but the bose ones he's talking about *are* noise canceling, and no, they won't work.

And yes, the linked noise isolation ones will work. As AdamWill mentioned, in-ear canal phones are probably your best bet, if you want to be able to use them for more than just solo drumming (like on a bus/subway/airplane), since they're much more portable (and you won't look like a dork with huge cans in public). I have a pair of Ultimate Ear's SuperFi 5 Pros:
http://www.ultimateears.com/_ultimateears/products/superfi/superfi5pro_description.php

They work really well for blocking out all sound, and they sound fantastic. They're not cheap, but they're a really good all-round headphone (you can find them significantly cheaper if you don't buy through the manufacturer's website).

-Nate

[ClinTrojan]

ok there is a difference in noise canceling headphones and noise isolation headphones.

Noise canceling heaphones uses microphones on the outside of the headphones to detect sound coming from outside and attempt at lowering the sound that comes through the headphones..most wont work unless it is airplane travel which is what they are made for.

Noise isolation headphones are made like earprotection headphones for shooting guns which use a gelly like cushion that "suction" kinda to the ear and isolate all the outside noise, there is no canceling (Vic Firth Headphones). Another way they do it is like Shure brand isolation which go in the ear and isolate alot of the sound and play music directly unto the eardrum. They both work about the same for about the same price, $50 for the Vic Firth and $100 for the Shure in the ear which there is little difference between the two......both are used by many many real drummers, Shure used by more singers to hear themselves over the PA.

Noise Canceling headphones suck but the post showed Noise isolation headphones which are different and much better but yet most time alot more $$$.

Overall I believe cheapest and best thing to do to quiet the drumpad is to make homemade drumhead mufflers or go to a music store and buy some for the right size. They make things that go ontop the head of real drumsets that make them alot quieter.

[switchdoc]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the all the replies so far!

As things stand now I haven't had any complaints from the neighbors so I am mainly trying to quiet them down for myself. Hearing clack clack-clack clack when I should be playing tish ti-ti tish just ruins the immersiveness of the game for me. I'm not saying it wouldn't be a bad idea to mellow the sound for others mind you.


I had a feeling that would be the case concerning noise-canceling headphones. I'm definitely glad I checked before shelling out any cash.

It sounds like those Firths or the other brand mentioned might be worth looking into. My ears are still ringing from playing last night so I know I can't continue to use massive amounts of volume as an answer :)

-Switch

[ClinTrojan]

switch read my post and maybe it help you understand a little more between the diffence, the link you gave were noise isolation headphones and would work wonders, I will even wear the pair I have when I get home tonight and see if I can even hear the banging of the drumpad.

[AdamWill]

yes, clinTrojan's third post is correct in all aspects, just go by that. =) as we said, either proper *passive* isolation headphones or in-ear phones should work fine. the real heavy-duty isolation headphones might block a little more noise than in-ear phones, but in-ear phones are more appropriate for general purpose use (they're really great for just listening to your mp3 player). so take your pick.

just don't buy active noise-cancellation phones.

[switchdoc]

Yeah, thats the rub.. looks like the in ear ones are nicer but way more expensive whilst the ones I linked to are only 45 bucks.

I also need to find an RCA to Headphone adaptor. My wife hates playing with headphones so I'm using the audio out on my TV instead of the headphone jack, so we both can hear.

Anyone know if they even make such a thing?

-Switch

[AdamWill]

the cheapest decent IEMs (Ety ER-6i, Shure I'm not sure of the model name in their new line up) are $99 list, sometimes cheaper. Not bad at all for the sound quality you get, which is really rather good.

RCA -> 3.5mm is a very very common adapter, I have piles of 'em lying around. Any Radio Shack should have tons.

[NismoRR]

I'm a noob, but my system is cranked up that I can barely hear the drum licks, and what I do hear doesn't bother me much.

If you are looking for headphones/buds, the Ety er-6i's are great and can be had on Amazon for $69 last I checked.

[x_nico_x]

Hey I just wanted to post that i went to Micheals after reading the drum mod instructions...I bought 2mm thick self adhesive foam rubber and self adhesive felt....I cut two foam rubber circles for each drum head...4mm total foam rubber per drum head for those keeping track...and then felt on top...all tolled I have a awesome looking set with very very very little noise....

What noise there is left isnt at all as annoying as it was out of the box....it also does not effect the performance of the drums...

thanks to those you posted the instructions to do this as now I can play drums at night...

[switchdoc]

Just to update this...

I went to Guitar Center last night and got the 49 dollar Vic Firth's I linked to earlier. With a reasonable amount of volume through them they work really at blocking out any sound from the hitting the drums at all.

-Switch