Why? For several reasons.
One is that it is new and it offers a unique experience. Instead of having to think about a sound source for volume and watching some training video I can just wear it.
What this means is that I am slowly shifting my habits. Instead of watching some video to help drown out the background noise, I can just listen to silence and not feel any pressure to find content.
Now this has had both helpful and unhelpful consequences. By not using the Sonos Ace as much I have been able to study more. Clearly helpful as a consultant. One negative is that when someone calls me I have to take off the headphones and then answer the call instead of just switching to the Sonos Ace sound. However it has also made it super easy to charge the Ace which I used to hate to do before because it would mean that I would hear the background sound.
Other helpful and not helpful things in having hearing protection is that it slightly increases my risk of safety. Without them I might be able to hear noises from my neighbors or the hall easier, but right now with them on I can’t hear them at all. While they were quiet before, I can hear very little with these on.
For example, right now the building is doing yard work and that means that the loud machines are working. Without the headphones they were kind of annoying even with the Sonos Ace. While they helped, their high pitched whine was something I just had to tolerate. Just now I briefly heard them but it sounded far away and didin’t have the edge of harshness they had with Sonos Ace.
Now don’t misunderstand. I love the Sonos Ace and listening to music/videos/telephone calls it is the best headset I have ever worn. With that said, they don’t isolate 31DB of noise like these do. The 3M Peltor are made for industrial applications and they are amazing. The Sonos would block perhaps 95% of the noise. These almost block 100% of noise.
Today for example there was a constant stream of Firetrucks, Ambulance, police sirens for a long time. Normally the sounds are pretty brief. Maybe a minute tops. This went on for awhile today. This kind of noise happens randomly perhaps once a month. It was one of the reasons that I started looking for better headphones and got the Sonos Ace. With these I heard it of course, but it was distant and far away and didn’t hurt my ears like it had in the past. It was a transformed experience for me, and I was so glad I was wearing these.
Nothing is perfect and these are not perfect. Remember how I said with the Seinheiser that I felt some pressure on my inner eardrum? I feel the same sense of pressure with these. It is not as harsh, but it is present. So far I have been able to deal with it by randomly removing the headphones and letting the pressure out. Based on my experience so far this won’t be a deal breaker for me. The helpful aspects far outweigh this very minor annoyance.
I continue to research other options. Not because I am unhappy with this, but because I am curious. I have spent probably $2000 in the last decade on headphones, earplugs and different kinds of noise protection. This may seem excessive and wasteful to many people, but when you are an HSP loud sounds are not just painful but stressful as well. So far I love the combination of the Sonos Ace when I want sound, and the 3M Peltor when I don’t.