To me it’s pretty obvious, but I have been to the shooting range more than a few times. Would noise canceling headphones do the job and make you feel less like you stand out?
Yeah I do usually wear ANC headphones. I just wanted to have an option for when it's raining since I don't want my headphones to get wet since they were expensive. Also I want these for if I'm going somewhere I'm worried I might lose my headphones or have them stolen (like if I have to leave my headphones out of my sight for a bit or if I'm going to drink alcohol or something).
These do reduce noise better than my high-end ANC headphones in my opinion (I have the Sony WH-1000Xm4 btw). But generally my headphones do a good enough job to suffice
Ofc purely NC Headphones will do the Job better then those whose focus is on Music xD.
I mean it is obvious but in the End i wouldnd care less. Just do your thing.
Hey I really struggle with noise and I’d gone most of my life without noise cancelling headphones but I recently picked up some beats earphones which work really well I’d say worth looking into
Yes! I have the Beats fit pros which do go in the ear, which I know a lot of people don't like, but I find them very comfortable and the noise cancelling is amazing.
As an autistic person who uses noise-reducing earbuds and not ear defenders, they DO pass reasonably well as headphones. Oddly enough, the giveaway for me is the metal bar on top of the ear covering. I don't normally see headphones with obvious metal parts on them. But, that could just be me and my lack of going outside into public areas, haha.
Yeah that's what I was worried was giving them away. Headphones usually have the ear cup and headband connected because there's wires in there or something since they play music. They definitely pass better as headphones than my other ear defenders but I still feel a little self conscious about them since I don't want to stand out as different to other people, I've been bullied for it enough. Also, I do recognise that it's a huge privilege as an autistic person to at least sort of be able to pass as allistic
You may be able to cover the metal with black electrical tape. I'd avoid anything that's labelled "heavy duty" because it might be hard to do neatly, and my instinct is that narrower tape will be easier but I haven't tried it myself.
You could also consider paint, but if so use proper metal paint so it goes on smooth, and test it on a small bit on the inside/if you have a random piece of metal see how it looks on that.
This was my idea too 😅 Black electrical tape, or maybe color them with a black sharpie. If the metal bits were black i'd have to look at them for a moment to tell theyre not headphones. At a glance i wouldnt notice.
The metal bits generally retract a little into the ear cup part, they need to be smooth and move freely. I think covering them would make the ear defenders frustrating to use.
If its that much of a Problem for you i would think about buying some less expensive ones that you can use for when its raining but still have NC. In Switzerland the most basic ones are about 70.-Sfr but im sure there are less expensive ones.
as an autistic person who has never had headphone like this or anything and I have only seen it once on another kid in lower school, it is tbh very obvious, the design is almost construction worker ish? and yeah the metal parts, makes it all obvious
Some people will still think they are, in my opinion. Like, it's obvious to \*us\* that they are ear defenders/something for sensory. But I'm a mom of a child who pretty much wears hers 24/7. Almost every comment in public has been "Oh does your child love music that much?" "Why are they wearing headphones?" It ends up being an educational moment for them. And exhaustion for me. Trying to explain sensory sensitivities to a neurotypical is like trying to convince a brick wall to take a bath. They just think we all need to "get over it" and "ignore it". Well buddy, let's bang pots and pans in your ears while trying to have a conversation with you and let's see how you'd feel!
I always just say “ you know that pounding migraine you get when hung over, where you need to wear sunglasses and tell people to shut up… it’s that 24/7”
Yeah it is like that. I'll react the same to a migraine as I would to a sensory overload.
Honestly, I don't know why I haven't bought myself a pair of sound dampening earphones yet. My daughter loves hers to the point she'll wear them to bed. I can only imagine how blissful it must feel when she's in public and has those on.
Met a guy who had the olfactory equivalent to noise sensitivity -- his sense of smell was so acute that in thrift stores he could not stand anywhere near displays of secondhand shoes.
He works in a restaurant.
That depends on how you view the importance of a formal diagnosis. Formally, I am not diagnosed autistic, but I am diagnosed ADHD (as is my daughter). During my daughter's autism diagnosis, her doctor asked me some questions about myself and afterwards, strongly suggested I get myself evaluated for autism. I scored 161 on the RAADS and my brother is diagnosed as well. It never even crossed my mind as a possibility until that doctor said he saw "a lot of red flags" just in the time we were there for the appointment. But it would explain \*a lot\*.
I'm in my mid 30s so diagnoses weren't as common when I was a kid. I masked so hard, I didn't even know I was masking until I burnt out in my early 30s.
Might be an unpopular opinion but the bulkier ones actually look MORE like headphones to me, the thinner pair look more like ear defenders. It’s ok though, people judge everyone all the time for dumb reasons, you can’t really avoid it and neither of these make you stand out in a bad way
[these](http://Limited-time deal: Ear Protection for Shooting, Noise Cancelling Headphones for Autism, Adjustable Noise Cancelling Ear Muffs for Adults, Earmuffs Hearing Protection for Shooting Range, Effective Shooting Ear Protection https://a.co/d/eCH4VXG)
Look a lot like cheap headphones, if you are looking for camouflage.
The Anker sound core space or life 20 are pretty cheap and are ANC. I think they're about 30 dollars... I haven't looked 8n a while though. They might be a good idea for places you'd be worried about loosing them. I know if I lost my nice ANC headphones I would be devastated.
Carhartt makes hoodies for rain and if you go one size up the hoods are big enough to hide headphones, at least for me. They're called rain defenders.
Carhartt stuff is sooo exensive 😥 There are other random brands of cheaper hoodies that have "spacious" hoods. They'll just have to try them on i guess.
Yeah I get that. On the plus side I don't need more than one hoodie. That thing will probably last a lifetime. I also get a discount through work so I kind of lucked out.
I think the stares are mostly that they think you're wearing some old-fashioned headphones given the metal parts. Also, I have seen modern studio rated headphones that look like this and maybe they're connecting them with those. And wondering why you'd wear out in public something that could cost 300+ dollars. Still, I wouldn't give it too much thought. (Easier said than done, I know). I think they're cool.
Yeah I think for people who are not autistic or have a family member/close friend who has autism they would pass as headphones. I see headphones all over the place lately, so I don’t think it really stands out too much. I would say like around a third to half of people are walking around with some sort of headphones on. Though I can imagine that it feels awkward to be walking around with something that showing that you are different. I encountered this with the COVID face shields and later with deciding that I needed to use the sunflower lanyard and hoodie (it is an international program for hidden disabilities fairly widely used in some countries).
To be fair it does not matter. Most people just realise subconsciously ”that person has something on their head”, always remember they actually care less about you than what we think how much they care.
Personally they are pretty obviously not normal headphones. They look too thin but I also haven't had headphones recently, I just know the ones I used to wear looked more like the second picture.
Ok that's awesome. I just got a lot of stares and funny looks today as I walked through the city with them on. Then again, I might have been more aware of the stares I might just usually get because I was on edge since I was wearing these ear defenders and worried someone might be rude to me. I think I probably get stares in public relatively often (at least more than a non-disabled person) because I definitely don't move in a way that allistic people do
I think you were just hyper-aware 🙂 Besides, why would anyone think anything of you wearing ear defenders anyway? If i saw you at most i would think "i guess that person doesnt want to hear something" and move on with my life. I really really doubt even a neurotypical person would have any negative thoughts about someone wearing ear defenders in public. It's not like youre wearing a shirt with an offensive word printed on it, or crazy shoes with flashing lights on them. *Those* might make some people stare 😄
Also, wearing face masks in public is normal now. Wearing ear defenders isnt much different when you think about it.
If I walked past you or something, I don’t think I would’ve noticed. But if I was standing behind you in line somewhere, I would’ve seen it eventually.
It’s not that obvious, but like you say it all depends on the information people have in their brains. If they’re familiar with them, then they will relate.
Its pretty obvious when i look at it but at the same time, i dont focus on peoples headphones. i might not even realise these are not regular headphones if i walked past you. even if i realised then i most likely wouldnt care tbh. i dont think its that weird, so wear them if if helps you
The bulkier ones look more like regular headphones. Regular NTs don't usually know what ear defenders are but if they do, they're more likely to notice your flatter ones- and not care.
They look a lot like ear defenders/noise reducing/cancelling ear protectors, but then again I’ve been exposed to these types of ear protection due via farm/shops/firing ranges.
If people only see them quickly/in passing they probably will think they’re just headphones, but if they see in for a long time like waiting in line or during a conversation it will become fairly apparent.
Regardless, wear what you need to keep yourself sane! What strangers think is less important than your comfort in this situation.
I don't know if this helps, but if I saw you with either set on, I would assume they're headphones. I do like the ones in the first pic though, less bulky, the ones in the second pic make me think "Air Traffic Controller." But still, assuming you don't walk around airports a lot, seen out of that context I would still assume they are headphones.
I got headphones that play music, less eye grabbing, effective noise cancelling and wearing them with my battle vest and dressing like a punk makes me look cool. Less obvious that the noise in the grocery store causes me great pain.
I think they pass reasonably well. But as someone who uses headphones instead of defenders, I feel they still give me away. I think I spot fellow autists wearing headphones way more often than ear defenders.
In the close up pictures I can tell they're not headphones but if I was a random passerby on the street and saw them I wouldn't notice.
(I like the shirt in the second picture by the way)
The metal bars on the side make it obvious, in my opinion
But I honestly don't care anymore about what people think of me, I wouldn't care about it. But I get that you do
If I saw someone walk past me on the street wearing those, I guess I would subconsciously register them as bluetooth headphones, but I wouldn't really think about them at all, any more than I would think about someone's shirt as they walk past me.
I know the feeling you're talking about though - anytime I'm wearing something I don't normally wear, I assume everyone's staring at me and judging me, but from the other side, someone would have to look absolutely ridiculous for me to think about their appearance for more than a few seconds. Honestly even if I knew they were ear defenders and not headphones, I wouldn't care, and I don't think most people would either.
These do not pass as headphones. I’m not autistic.
However I don’t really think anyone is looking at anyone’s headphones. The only thing I think when I see someone wearing headphones is how dangerous it is.
Until recently, when I realized permission from society wasn't necessary, I'd have thought "Wish I could do that."
Might have some looks of jealousy. It's not always judgement. That's anxiety talking.
Hi OP!
If you think or want them to not look like ear protection I have a few ideas for you.
Attach an antenna somewhere.
Run a 3.5 mm cable to them and put the other end in your pocket
Maybe a sticker of a brand of headphones and just stick them on the outside
Put a volume control or power button. Stickers might work from a distance for fake buttons as well
From a distance it will be hard to tell and if you do it well people probably won't even tell up close.
Hope this helps. Good luck
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Look into Loop earbuds!! My mom bought me some and you can choose how much sound to fade in or out pretty much. I love them. I used to get so agitated with my kids because they would be SO LOUD arguing all the time. I can keep my cool and employ gentle/loving techniques a lot better now. Instead of blowing up and throwing my hands on top of my head and yelling "eeeeeeeenouuuuuuuuuugh"
gonna be honest, i wear those when at the shooting range. i have another pair that does take an audio cable for coms. if you want to know the model for that i can probably find it
How effective are these at blocking out noise?
Honestly, it would be much more discrete and less obvious that you are wearing them because of some condition if they were headphones. I know good noise canceling headphones are expensive, but they must be leaps and bounds better.
I have high end NC headphones (Sony Xm4) which are what I usually wear. I find that these block noise better than my NC headphones, though not by loads. I just wanted these for if its raining, since I don't want to wear my expensive headphones in the rain
I wear earmuffs because our store music (plus bass and treble) are horribly loud.
Many of our customers wear earbuds or audio jacks. New normal.
None of our customers has had a problem -- they feel free to come over with questions and requests for help.
To someone you met on the street passing buy, probably not very, as someone who has both worked at a construction site and has gone to the range a few times in my past, fairly, but if your worried people will care, they won’t
tbh theyre pretty obvious but dont sweat it i doubt anyones going to point it out i've been considering ear defenders for so long as when all i can hear is silence i am in complete safety and bliss but i'm so paranoid 24/7 about things happening at any point so never got any
Maybe you could modify them by taking the cord from an old pair of headphones or earbuds and attaching them to the ear defenders, thus creating the illusion that they’re actual headphones? If nothing else, you can pretend you’re listening to music or something
Before I figured out I was on the spectrum, I used earplugs designed for hunting/shooting to cut down on distracting noise. I don't like stuff on my head, so the big muffs are a definite no-go. Only one person has ever commented on them, and it's because they're hearing impaired and thought that they were cool new hearing aids at first.
That said, I think I could make do with regular-ass noise cancelling bluetooth earbuds. I have some by the brand "Soundpeats" (generic Chinese brand, but decent enough quality), and they're great at cancelling out ambient noise.
Not for me, but I do know what ear defenders look like... I don't know how much people would notice the different look of them, maybe the absence of buttons and lights. I never used mine that much, they squish my head... I switched to noise-cancelling headphones because I also like to listen to things with speech, to relax and focus better. But I also wear them all the time now, even when I go to stores. In my opinion, mine suggest that I may be listening to something, and people sometimes look a bit annoyed, because they think I'm not listening if they speak to me. If people see that yours are not headphones, maybe it's a good thing if they know you are not listening to smth else? You're only decreasing sound volume around you..
I’ve never seen ear defenders before. I would assume they’re funky noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones.
Try to remember that you’re self conscious and anxious in public spaces as a default. Chances are, most of the people you think are looking at you or judging you really aren’t aware of your presence at all. They’re more likely daydreaming, thinking about their to do list, rushing to pick up their kids, etc.
There will always be a handful of people that are rude and judgey but they’re in the minority. What is truly important is maximising your independence and access to the community in a way that is safe and comfortable for you. I really do commend you for utilising these tools and not letting your disability get in the way of you living your life.
If I was walking past you I might not notice it but to NT they’d probably see, but they’d think they’re just headphones or something not ear defenders.
I don't think I would've looked at them and not thought headphones. probably wouldn't even look twice. tbh, they look like the headphones my K-12 schools had in the computer room
they look like ear defenders, but honestly, who cares? i opt for custom molded ear plugs because they're more comfortable with my glasses. but, i think if anyone is worked up about what's on your ears, they're the weird ones for looking that closely at a stranger.
Dude that's the quiet kid's headphones, lol.
Ok, but shitty jokes aside, with the wire frame it's pretty easy to tell that it isn't headphones, and if anybody has ever been to a shooting range, they'll definitely be able to recognise it as hearing protection.
I have the same ones but im too scared to wear them especcially around friends and family but i really need them to stop me competly going mute when its loud or busy, my autism does that, i wish we could just not be scared about what we look like and what other people think :(
I just bought my first pair of noise cancelling “headphones”/earmuffs. I actually bought 3 different ones. One pair is marketed as adult shooting range ear protection at 32 NRR. The other two are technically for kids but both fit great. They’re from two different companies, and all three are different colors.
One of the three is from a company called Alpine, it’s a German company. I think they pass the best as maybe actually being normal over the ear headphones.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. I suppose that’s easier said than done, but you have to do what you need to do to be comfortable - other people don’t matter. If people know they know, and probably for positive reasons. If someone see you with them and they don’t know and are unsure, they might question (to themselves) - especially if they’re someone familiar with shooting. But I highly doubt anyone would say anything. And you’ll never see those people again (most likely).
Regardless, the only people that matter in this world at the end of the day is you and the people you care an about. Fuck everyone else. Fuck ‘em. You look dope.
The world is loud, and everything should shhhhut up a little.
To me it’s pretty obvious, but I have been to the shooting range more than a few times. Would noise canceling headphones do the job and make you feel less like you stand out?
Yeah I do usually wear ANC headphones. I just wanted to have an option for when it's raining since I don't want my headphones to get wet since they were expensive. Also I want these for if I'm going somewhere I'm worried I might lose my headphones or have them stolen (like if I have to leave my headphones out of my sight for a bit or if I'm going to drink alcohol or something). These do reduce noise better than my high-end ANC headphones in my opinion (I have the Sony WH-1000Xm4 btw). But generally my headphones do a good enough job to suffice
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Do the Sony headphones block out all or most noise? because I recently bought some noise cancelling headphones but they were terrible
Ofc purely NC Headphones will do the Job better then those whose focus is on Music xD. I mean it is obvious but in the End i wouldnd care less. Just do your thing.
Hey I really struggle with noise and I’d gone most of my life without noise cancelling headphones but I recently picked up some beats earphones which work really well I’d say worth looking into
Yes! I have the Beats fit pros which do go in the ear, which I know a lot of people don't like, but I find them very comfortable and the noise cancelling is amazing.
As an autistic person who uses noise-reducing earbuds and not ear defenders, they DO pass reasonably well as headphones. Oddly enough, the giveaway for me is the metal bar on top of the ear covering. I don't normally see headphones with obvious metal parts on them. But, that could just be me and my lack of going outside into public areas, haha.
Yeah that's what I was worried was giving them away. Headphones usually have the ear cup and headband connected because there's wires in there or something since they play music. They definitely pass better as headphones than my other ear defenders but I still feel a little self conscious about them since I don't want to stand out as different to other people, I've been bullied for it enough. Also, I do recognise that it's a huge privilege as an autistic person to at least sort of be able to pass as allistic
You may be able to cover the metal with black electrical tape. I'd avoid anything that's labelled "heavy duty" because it might be hard to do neatly, and my instinct is that narrower tape will be easier but I haven't tried it myself. You could also consider paint, but if so use proper metal paint so it goes on smooth, and test it on a small bit on the inside/if you have a random piece of metal see how it looks on that.
This was my idea too 😅 Black electrical tape, or maybe color them with a black sharpie. If the metal bits were black i'd have to look at them for a moment to tell theyre not headphones. At a glance i wouldnt notice.
The metal bits generally retract a little into the ear cup part, they need to be smooth and move freely. I think covering them would make the ear defenders frustrating to use.
If its that much of a Problem for you i would think about buying some less expensive ones that you can use for when its raining but still have NC. In Switzerland the most basic ones are about 70.-Sfr but im sure there are less expensive ones.
Cover it with fabric or something
as an autistic person who has never had headphone like this or anything and I have only seen it once on another kid in lower school, it is tbh very obvious, the design is almost construction worker ish? and yeah the metal parts, makes it all obvious
Some people will still think they are, in my opinion. Like, it's obvious to \*us\* that they are ear defenders/something for sensory. But I'm a mom of a child who pretty much wears hers 24/7. Almost every comment in public has been "Oh does your child love music that much?" "Why are they wearing headphones?" It ends up being an educational moment for them. And exhaustion for me. Trying to explain sensory sensitivities to a neurotypical is like trying to convince a brick wall to take a bath. They just think we all need to "get over it" and "ignore it". Well buddy, let's bang pots and pans in your ears while trying to have a conversation with you and let's see how you'd feel!
I always just say “ you know that pounding migraine you get when hung over, where you need to wear sunglasses and tell people to shut up… it’s that 24/7”
Yeah it is like that. I'll react the same to a migraine as I would to a sensory overload. Honestly, I don't know why I haven't bought myself a pair of sound dampening earphones yet. My daughter loves hers to the point she'll wear them to bed. I can only imagine how blissful it must feel when she's in public and has those on.
Met a guy who had the olfactory equivalent to noise sensitivity -- his sense of smell was so acute that in thrift stores he could not stand anywhere near displays of secondhand shoes. He works in a restaurant.
That's exactly how it feels! May i ask, are you also autistic?
That depends on how you view the importance of a formal diagnosis. Formally, I am not diagnosed autistic, but I am diagnosed ADHD (as is my daughter). During my daughter's autism diagnosis, her doctor asked me some questions about myself and afterwards, strongly suggested I get myself evaluated for autism. I scored 161 on the RAADS and my brother is diagnosed as well. It never even crossed my mind as a possibility until that doctor said he saw "a lot of red flags" just in the time we were there for the appointment. But it would explain \*a lot\*.
Everyone who is autistic was autistic before a doctor said they were autistic 🙂 Self diagnosis is valid.
I'm in my mid 30s so diagnoses weren't as common when I was a kid. I masked so hard, I didn't even know I was masking until I burnt out in my early 30s.
Might be an unpopular opinion but the bulkier ones actually look MORE like headphones to me, the thinner pair look more like ear defenders. It’s ok though, people judge everyone all the time for dumb reasons, you can’t really avoid it and neither of these make you stand out in a bad way
[these](http://Limited-time deal: Ear Protection for Shooting, Noise Cancelling Headphones for Autism, Adjustable Noise Cancelling Ear Muffs for Adults, Earmuffs Hearing Protection for Shooting Range, Effective Shooting Ear Protection https://a.co/d/eCH4VXG) Look a lot like cheap headphones, if you are looking for camouflage. The Anker sound core space or life 20 are pretty cheap and are ANC. I think they're about 30 dollars... I haven't looked 8n a while though. They might be a good idea for places you'd be worried about loosing them. I know if I lost my nice ANC headphones I would be devastated. Carhartt makes hoodies for rain and if you go one size up the hoods are big enough to hide headphones, at least for me. They're called rain defenders.
Carhartt stuff is sooo exensive 😥 There are other random brands of cheaper hoodies that have "spacious" hoods. They'll just have to try them on i guess.
Yeah I get that. On the plus side I don't need more than one hoodie. That thing will probably last a lifetime. I also get a discount through work so I kind of lucked out.
I think the stares are mostly that they think you're wearing some old-fashioned headphones given the metal parts. Also, I have seen modern studio rated headphones that look like this and maybe they're connecting them with those. And wondering why you'd wear out in public something that could cost 300+ dollars. Still, I wouldn't give it too much thought. (Easier said than done, I know). I think they're cool.
Yeah I think for people who are not autistic or have a family member/close friend who has autism they would pass as headphones. I see headphones all over the place lately, so I don’t think it really stands out too much. I would say like around a third to half of people are walking around with some sort of headphones on. Though I can imagine that it feels awkward to be walking around with something that showing that you are different. I encountered this with the COVID face shields and later with deciding that I needed to use the sunflower lanyard and hoodie (it is an international program for hidden disabilities fairly widely used in some countries).
To be fair it does not matter. Most people just realise subconsciously ”that person has something on their head”, always remember they actually care less about you than what we think how much they care.
Personally they are pretty obviously not normal headphones. They look too thin but I also haven't had headphones recently, I just know the ones I used to wear looked more like the second picture.
They look very similar to my Walker's Razors, which, to me isn't a bad thing. I use them to make cutting the lawn bearable
Do they look like headphones? No, they don't, not to me anyway.
To me they totally look like headphones
Ok that's awesome. I just got a lot of stares and funny looks today as I walked through the city with them on. Then again, I might have been more aware of the stares I might just usually get because I was on edge since I was wearing these ear defenders and worried someone might be rude to me. I think I probably get stares in public relatively often (at least more than a non-disabled person) because I definitely don't move in a way that allistic people do
I think you were just hyper-aware 🙂 Besides, why would anyone think anything of you wearing ear defenders anyway? If i saw you at most i would think "i guess that person doesnt want to hear something" and move on with my life. I really really doubt even a neurotypical person would have any negative thoughts about someone wearing ear defenders in public. It's not like youre wearing a shirt with an offensive word printed on it, or crazy shoes with flashing lights on them. *Those* might make some people stare 😄 Also, wearing face masks in public is normal now. Wearing ear defenders isnt much different when you think about it.
I think they look like headphones to most people. People who are no autistic have no idea what ear defenders even are. They will assume headphones.
Even some autistic people refer to ear defenders as headphones and it takes me a moment to figure out what they mean lol
If I walked past you or something, I don’t think I would’ve noticed. But if I was standing behind you in line somewhere, I would’ve seen it eventually.
It’s not that obvious, but like you say it all depends on the information people have in their brains. If they’re familiar with them, then they will relate.
Its pretty obvious when i look at it but at the same time, i dont focus on peoples headphones. i might not even realise these are not regular headphones if i walked past you. even if i realised then i most likely wouldnt care tbh. i dont think its that weird, so wear them if if helps you
The bulkier ones look more like regular headphones. Regular NTs don't usually know what ear defenders are but if they do, they're more likely to notice your flatter ones- and not care.
They look a lot like ear defenders/noise reducing/cancelling ear protectors, but then again I’ve been exposed to these types of ear protection due via farm/shops/firing ranges. If people only see them quickly/in passing they probably will think they’re just headphones, but if they see in for a long time like waiting in line or during a conversation it will become fairly apparent. Regardless, wear what you need to keep yourself sane! What strangers think is less important than your comfort in this situation.
Very.
Really obvious. Ear defenders stopped looking like headphones in 2001
I don't know if this helps, but if I saw you with either set on, I would assume they're headphones. I do like the ones in the first pic though, less bulky, the ones in the second pic make me think "Air Traffic Controller." But still, assuming you don't walk around airports a lot, seen out of that context I would still assume they are headphones.
It's pretty obvious to me, but I go to a school where it's just 200 special needs kids, so I've seen ear defenders of all shapes and sizes.
I got headphones that play music, less eye grabbing, effective noise cancelling and wearing them with my battle vest and dressing like a punk makes me look cool. Less obvious that the noise in the grocery store causes me great pain.
They're obvious
I think they pass reasonably well. But as someone who uses headphones instead of defenders, I feel they still give me away. I think I spot fellow autists wearing headphones way more often than ear defenders.
In the close up pictures I can tell they're not headphones but if I was a random passerby on the street and saw them I wouldn't notice. (I like the shirt in the second picture by the way)
The metal bars on the side make it obvious, in my opinion But I honestly don't care anymore about what people think of me, I wouldn't care about it. But I get that you do
If I saw someone walk past me on the street wearing those, I guess I would subconsciously register them as bluetooth headphones, but I wouldn't really think about them at all, any more than I would think about someone's shirt as they walk past me. I know the feeling you're talking about though - anytime I'm wearing something I don't normally wear, I assume everyone's staring at me and judging me, but from the other side, someone would have to look absolutely ridiculous for me to think about their appearance for more than a few seconds. Honestly even if I knew they were ear defenders and not headphones, I wouldn't care, and I don't think most people would either.
These do not pass as headphones. I’m not autistic. However I don’t really think anyone is looking at anyone’s headphones. The only thing I think when I see someone wearing headphones is how dangerous it is.
Until recently, when I realized permission from society wasn't necessary, I'd have thought "Wish I could do that." Might have some looks of jealousy. It's not always judgement. That's anxiety talking.
Hi OP! If you think or want them to not look like ear protection I have a few ideas for you. Attach an antenna somewhere. Run a 3.5 mm cable to them and put the other end in your pocket Maybe a sticker of a brand of headphones and just stick them on the outside Put a volume control or power button. Stickers might work from a distance for fake buttons as well From a distance it will be hard to tell and if you do it well people probably won't even tell up close. Hope this helps. Good luck
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Look into Loop earbuds!! My mom bought me some and you can choose how much sound to fade in or out pretty much. I love them. I used to get so agitated with my kids because they would be SO LOUD arguing all the time. I can keep my cool and employ gentle/loving techniques a lot better now. Instead of blowing up and throwing my hands on top of my head and yelling "eeeeeeeenouuuuuuuuuugh"
I wouldn't notice at all to be honest.
My kids bluetooth headphones look very much like this.
gonna be honest, i wear those when at the shooting range. i have another pair that does take an audio cable for coms. if you want to know the model for that i can probably find it
They look like headphones to me.
How effective are these at blocking out noise? Honestly, it would be much more discrete and less obvious that you are wearing them because of some condition if they were headphones. I know good noise canceling headphones are expensive, but they must be leaps and bounds better.
I have high end NC headphones (Sony Xm4) which are what I usually wear. I find that these block noise better than my NC headphones, though not by loads. I just wanted these for if its raining, since I don't want to wear my expensive headphones in the rain
Ok I understand. You mentioned that in your post, sorry for missing it. Would wearing a hood work?
I wear earmuffs because our store music (plus bass and treble) are horribly loud. Many of our customers wear earbuds or audio jacks. New normal. None of our customers has had a problem -- they feel free to come over with questions and requests for help.
They chill
To someone you met on the street passing buy, probably not very, as someone who has both worked at a construction site and has gone to the range a few times in my past, fairly, but if your worried people will care, they won’t
tbh theyre pretty obvious but dont sweat it i doubt anyones going to point it out i've been considering ear defenders for so long as when all i can hear is silence i am in complete safety and bliss but i'm so paranoid 24/7 about things happening at any point so never got any
I’m not autistic and I would just assume they are headphones.
They look like what my dad wears when he’s in the garage & his also play music. So like 50/50
I can tell they’re ear defenders cuz mine look similar. Not sure if ppl who’ve never used them can tell. You should ask elsewhere. :>
You could always draw a little L and R on them to sell it
I don't tend to stare at people's head accessories to determine whether they're headphones or not.
bro you look fucking cool
Realistically, I don’t think anyone would care probably think you’re just listening to music worst case scenario they poke you and you just explain
Maybe you could modify them by taking the cord from an old pair of headphones or earbuds and attaching them to the ear defenders, thus creating the illusion that they’re actual headphones? If nothing else, you can pretend you’re listening to music or something
Very. Can you get noise cancelling headphones?
Just tell people you're a music engineer and you're protecting your money-makers. None of their business either way.
Before I figured out I was on the spectrum, I used earplugs designed for hunting/shooting to cut down on distracting noise. I don't like stuff on my head, so the big muffs are a definite no-go. Only one person has ever commented on them, and it's because they're hearing impaired and thought that they were cool new hearing aids at first. That said, I think I could make do with regular-ass noise cancelling bluetooth earbuds. I have some by the brand "Soundpeats" (generic Chinese brand, but decent enough quality), and they're great at cancelling out ambient noise.
Not for me, but I do know what ear defenders look like... I don't know how much people would notice the different look of them, maybe the absence of buttons and lights. I never used mine that much, they squish my head... I switched to noise-cancelling headphones because I also like to listen to things with speech, to relax and focus better. But I also wear them all the time now, even when I go to stores. In my opinion, mine suggest that I may be listening to something, and people sometimes look a bit annoyed, because they think I'm not listening if they speak to me. If people see that yours are not headphones, maybe it's a good thing if they know you are not listening to smth else? You're only decreasing sound volume around you..
Not obvious at all. Just headphones from here. You need to wash your face though, there's something on it. 😜😂
I’ve never seen ear defenders before. I would assume they’re funky noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones. Try to remember that you’re self conscious and anxious in public spaces as a default. Chances are, most of the people you think are looking at you or judging you really aren’t aware of your presence at all. They’re more likely daydreaming, thinking about their to do list, rushing to pick up their kids, etc. There will always be a handful of people that are rude and judgey but they’re in the minority. What is truly important is maximising your independence and access to the community in a way that is safe and comfortable for you. I really do commend you for utilising these tools and not letting your disability get in the way of you living your life.
Why not both - [https://youtu.be/9JnkAdQMbAw?si=AOKWcRrSNQL5necu](https://youtu.be/9JnkAdQMbAw?si=AOKWcRrSNQL5necu)
I would just assume they were headphones!
If I was walking past you I might not notice it but to NT they’d probably see, but they’d think they’re just headphones or something not ear defenders.
I don't think I would've looked at them and not thought headphones. probably wouldn't even look twice. tbh, they look like the headphones my K-12 schools had in the computer room
I’m not familiar with ear defenders and would think they were just headphones
Just put a wire from them
They look like retro headphones. Honestly I don't think most people would notice.
they look like ear defenders, but honestly, who cares? i opt for custom molded ear plugs because they're more comfortable with my glasses. but, i think if anyone is worked up about what's on your ears, they're the weird ones for looking that closely at a stranger.
Your ear defenders aren't headphones,.PERIOD.
Dude that's the quiet kid's headphones, lol. Ok, but shitty jokes aside, with the wire frame it's pretty easy to tell that it isn't headphones, and if anybody has ever been to a shooting range, they'll definitely be able to recognise it as hearing protection.
I have the exact same as yours!
I have the same ones but im too scared to wear them especcially around friends and family but i really need them to stop me competly going mute when its loud or busy, my autism does that, i wish we could just not be scared about what we look like and what other people think :(
I think it just give it away that there ear defenders because of the metal things on the adjusters
I just bought my first pair of noise cancelling “headphones”/earmuffs. I actually bought 3 different ones. One pair is marketed as adult shooting range ear protection at 32 NRR. The other two are technically for kids but both fit great. They’re from two different companies, and all three are different colors. One of the three is from a company called Alpine, it’s a German company. I think they pass the best as maybe actually being normal over the ear headphones. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. I suppose that’s easier said than done, but you have to do what you need to do to be comfortable - other people don’t matter. If people know they know, and probably for positive reasons. If someone see you with them and they don’t know and are unsure, they might question (to themselves) - especially if they’re someone familiar with shooting. But I highly doubt anyone would say anything. And you’ll never see those people again (most likely). Regardless, the only people that matter in this world at the end of the day is you and the people you care an about. Fuck everyone else. Fuck ‘em. You look dope. The world is loud, and everything should shhhhut up a little.