I got a pair of $10 hearing protection headphones from Wal-Mart, but they don't quite do as much as I'd like. (For clarity I'll call headphones without a speaker ear muffs.)
I could afford a pair of expensive noise-cancelling headphones if I wanted, but since I don't even intend to play music from them I figured I'd be wasting a lot of money.
But I dunno if noise cancelling even works on sudden sharp noises (like talking, yelling, or chip shuffling) or if it's just for constant droning sounds (airplane engines, wives).
Also it'd be a plus if I didn't look super goofy while I play...but if push comes to shove I don't really care.
I am a fan of music in my ear while playing, but I dont wish to block out all noise. I fear I may miss out on some table talk that may influence my thought process.
Yah I guess I'm exaggerating a little, I don't even think it's possible to mute everything, but even with earplugs in and earmuffs over them I could still hear everything at the table pretty easily.
Definitely takes the edge off, though, the clang of the slots + casino bustle + chip shuffling...when you take off the earmuffs and hear how loud the casino is you really notice it.
Noise canceling headphones are designed to remove ambient noise but not voices. So if you wear them without turning on music, you're still hearing the people around you.
Not only do people give away a lot at the table by talking, but there are many verbal aspects of poker that you would completely miss (possibly to your detriment). People verbally checking, betting, or raising are all legal moves. Plus dealers often verbally confirm information verbally that might cost you money if you do not hear it.
Poker is a game that includes verbal commands which requires you to hear instructions by dealers and bet size announcements by players so I would highly suggest finding a quieter hobby, especially since you've already tried ear muffs over ear plugs unsuccessfully.
