Originally Posted By: tanstaafl.
I use similar earbuds, and while there is noticeable attenuation of external noise, it is nothing like true noise cancellation.

This makes me think that either your earbuds aren't much good, or, possibly, your ears are a funny shape wink

I once found myself on an aeroplane with both some Bose noise-cancelling headphones and some very pricey Etymotic earbuds, so I could try them both. The Boses definitely reduced the noise a bit (you could tell the difference when you switched on the noise-cancelling system). But the Etymotics wiped out the noise completely.

On the other hand, that probably rules out earbuds as an answer to the actual question being asked, as they work so well that you'd never be able to hear other important noises -- such as, for instance, people yelling "Oi, 'appen tha's about to run me over wi' yon tractor".

Peter