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Sound cancelling speakers in bedroom for traffic

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lordvader88:
I looked around on the net for a few minutes, can't seem to find much hope. Are there any consumer products out there, not headphones, speakers, that could help reduce traffic noise in a room ?

I'm considering moving to a place right on a busy street. I don't want to go crazy, yet.

Howardlong:

--- Quote from: lordvader88 on August 09, 2018, 02:01:20 pm ---I looked around on the net for a few minutes, can't seem to find much hope. Are there any consumer products out there, not headphones, speakers, that could help reduce traffic noise in a room ?

I'm considering moving to a place right on a busy street. I don't want to go crazy, yet.

--- End quote ---

I'd move then! ISTR this has been recently discussed somewhere, but I can't immediately find the thread.

It's a physics problem. The way noise cancelling headphones work is a mixture of isolation, plus the magic active noise cancelling sauce that provides a precise inverted waveform. That inverted waveform is a 180 degree inversion based on what it hears at each ear, and is introduced at a precise volume (together with what you're listening to). As soon as either the sensing microphone or the inverted signal are moved away from very close proximity to the ear, all bets are off, it's no longer possible to correct the constructive and destructive interference of the sound waves, which are coming from several directions.

Even with ANC headphones, as the wavelength shortens (i.e., higher frequency), the noise cancelling effect reduces, because trying to accurately align that 180 degree inverted signal becomes more demanding.

In practical terms, occasionally I wear a pair of Bose noise cancelling earbuds if the outside noise is too high for whatever reason (I live in the middle of London, sometimes it's noisy), and these work really pretty well in most instances, certainly traffic noise for example. The problem is whether you can cope with the slight discomfort of the buds in your ear. I don't much like the over ear Bose, the three or four pairs I've had  have a history of feeding back if you try to wear them while sleeping.

So noise cancelling speakers aren't practical. Having said that you've given me a great idea for a flexible funding Indiegogo campaign!

In Vacuo Veritas:
You need STC rated window panes, 48 or above, professionally installed. Or you can add a second inner window pane over the existing one. Either way, you're looking at thousands of dollars. At least also get EER windows to cut on the heat gain in summer, and heat loss in winter.

sokoloff:
A white noise generator will help to some degree. I don't believe that broad location (whole room) active noise cancellation is practical.

Mass and air gaps will be a good first step; white noise a secondary supplement. We live right on a 4-lane parkway. On the first and second floor (with double pane windows) and a fence in the line of sight to the roadway surface, the noise is barely noticeable and easily ignored. On the third floor (single pane windows and more of a view "over" the fence), the traffic is easily noticed.

jmelson:

--- Quote from: sokoloff on August 09, 2018, 04:52:18 pm ---A white noise generator will help to some degree. I don't believe that broad location (whole room) active noise cancellation is practical.

Mass and air gaps will be a good first step; white noise a secondary supplement. We live right on a 4-lane parkway. On the first and second floor (with double pane windows) and a fence in the line of sight to the roadway surface, the noise is barely noticeable and easily ignored. On the third floor (single pane windows and more of a view "over" the fence), the traffic is easily noticed.

--- End quote ---
Well, there's your answer, then!  Move to the basement, and you won't be able to hear anything except the fire trucks.

Jon

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