Recommended Products For Noise Reduction.

If I were you, I'd buy a $30.00 pair of noise cancelling headsets from one of the Sky Mall type catalogues.

Forget the dB ranges, as the performance of active units is mostly subjective.

Low frequencies are harder to cancel, but active units work well at the lower frequancies.

I used to work for one of Bose's competitors and have used most types and brands including David Clark, Bose and Sennheiser. The cheaps ones are fine for this application.

Don't use shooters muffs, especially the noise blocker electronic type, because the are only turned on by loud nioses.

Good luck.

The "Mickey Mouse" ears used by navy personnel on the flight decks of aircraft carriers seem to block sound over a wide range of frequencies and at a pretty low decibel figure. Go to Lowes or HD and try on the different ear muffs they carry. You might find what you are looking for there.

Ronseto:

Best posting yet! They are good, you become accustomed to them and they are cheap so that when you misplace them it isn't an expensive replacement cost.

Wish I had started to use them sooner in my career in industry because I now have a partial hearing loss in one ear. Now I even wear them when mowing the lawn trying to keep the other ear going.

Only problem with them is that my wife always seems to be able to yell loud enough to defeat them!

If you are in an office environment you can install a sound masking conditioner. If this is for personal use go to the end of this post.

I work in an office that is made up of nine offices and one conference room. All ten spaces have no ceilings. The office walls extend to 8" AFF and then there is open space another 10' to the bottom of the roof deck.

Our office is situated about 40' from a 4 lane major thoroughfare with traffic entering and exiting a major expressway.

When we first moved here, everyone complained about the noise from within the office and the automobile and truck traffic outside.

We installed a Dynamsound DS1042 sound masking conditioner (manufacturer is out of Atlanta GA).

The system consists of the amplifier (70.7 volts output) and 12 speakers daisy chained back to the amp.

The speakers are spread evenly throughout the space and the sit atop the cable suspended fluorescent lighting.

The system generates white noise which is user adjustable for volume and pitch sharpness.

It is a nice system and really cancels out the background noise. We spent under $800.

If you are looking for something for personal use, have you considered an IPod with "white noise" in a continuous loop? Might be an inexpensive alterative.

Good Luck!

"It is a nice system and really cancels out the background noise."

I take exception to the use of the word "cancels" and suggest that you use mask instead.

Cancellation actually produces a wave of equal amplitude and reverse phase that reduces the amount of acoustic energy striking the ear drum.

White noise is just that, noise that overpowers the offensive noise, but does not cancel it.

In the UK, if the noise is persistent it is possible for the local authority to issue an abatement order to the maker of the noise under control of pollution legislation.

Glue the bottom half of papier-mache egg cartons to the walls and ceiling. These will create an effect a bit like an anechoic chamber. The room will sound deader. Just a thought!

Have you considered turning the TV/Radio off? just saying....

Here are some alternatives...

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?category=&q=ear+muff

Maybe the simple solution?

Sound bounces around a room until it is absorbed. Hanging tapestries, flags, carpets, rugs, even clothing will stop the sound. Even the ceiling can be treated. Acoustic tiles or textured paint ('popcorn') will stop the bounce somewhat. Rugs on the floor will help.

Any sound generating device that is in contact with a hard surface like the floor will be magnified. Put carpet or something soft under any noisy item.

Speakers can be located closer to the listener, so the volume can be turned down.

Wireless earphones are available so only the listener will hear the speaker.

Practical and inexpensive. GA.