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It seems like there's a lot of high-end kit flying around this thread. I'm sure everybody's recommendations are quite good, but this isn't a problem on which you need to spend a ton of cash to solve.

When I had this problem I went to Best Buy and picked up a $12 pair of earbuds which used memory foam instead of silicone. They might've been skull-candy brand? They came with three sizes of memory foam. For me the medium-sized one made the best seal, but wasn't so tight that they were uncomfortable to wear for a full 8-hour coding session.

Personally I work best when I listen to music which I can easily tune out. Sometimes that's music without lyrics (techno, classical guitar, or other random stuff like Explosions in the Sky or The Section Quartet), sometimes it's catchy upbeat pop songs which I've heard a million times. If you don't want to listen to music, download a white (or pink) noise generator. Between the seal formed by the memory foam buds and the white noise (which your brain will very quickly tune out for you) you won't hear a thing.

Another tip: I also find that if my screen is in a position where it faces the crowd, it negates some of the benefit of wearing headphones since I can't tell who's looking over my shoulder as easily. It's not that I usually have things on my screen which I feel I need to hide, more that I'm kind of a privacy nut. This would probably still be the case even if I were to get one of those privacy filters, just because I'd periodically feel the need to look over my shoulder to see who's there. Maybe one of those C.H.I.M.P. mirrors from Think Geek would solve that, however.




I've taken a pair of earbuds and replace the foam with actual earplugs. Does wonders, especially on airplanes. They can be a bit awkward to get in and out, but great if you plan on settling in.




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