Ouch, I got ripped off when buying noise cancelling earphones for my Dilbert style cubicle
@ 4:58 pm I work in a Dilbert cubicle style office environment, and there is always an irritating level of noise around: computers buzzing, people talking, phones ringing, alarms alarming, etc. I am also a very social person, so I am easily distracted and drawn in by the conversations and joking going on around me. The employer has been gracious enough to supply everyone with a set of Sennheiser noise cancelling earphones (NoiseGard Mobile HDC 451). They are quite good and definitely reduce noise. When I put fresh batteries in and turn them on, they definitely reduce the level of ambient noise. However, they are quite old. I think that the technology has probably progressed since the time these were brand new. Also, they are the type that sits on top of the ear with a plastic flexible U bracket in between. I want to try something that either goes in the ear, or covers the ears completely. I started looking around in the stores. Soon I found a set of earbud type earphones in Anttila of the Philips brand. (Philips Active Noise Cancelling SHN 2500). I paid the 44 EUR, thinking it wasn’t too much and went home. I opened up the package, put the battery in, put them in my ears and turned it on. It was nothing like the Sennheisers at work. They did not reduce the ambient noise at all. In fact I heard more noise after turning them on. I heard a slight hissing sound plus the same level of ambient sound. When I put music through them and turned them on, they slightly amplified the music. They sounded OK, but they did not have the “active noise cancelling” that I was expecting. I started reading customer reviews about them in the Internet. Many customers said the same as what I noticed: they sound alright, but they don’t reduce noise - they only amplify the audio going through them a bit. What I also noticed was that the average price I was seeing was about 20 dollars, or about 15 euros. I paid 44 euros in Anttila. So I got ripped off 300%. Needless to say, I took them back and got my money back. After reading customer reviews, it looks like I might buy a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones, listed for about 100 dollars in Amazon.com. They seem to have very good reviews and many compare them favourably to the Bose model that costs 300 dollars. I definitely know the name Bose, which is associated with professional audio systems.
 Pretty soon I want to blog about how every article I have ever read about the “open office” style workplace has been negative, saying things like it reduces peoples’ productivity, increases stress, and it takes 15 or so minutes for a person to get over a distraction and get back into their work. Some of the studies use empirical evidence, such as looking at the amount of stress hormones in peoples’ urine or how they behave. This basically means that a large part of office type workplaces in Finland are bad for your health and therefore the people are much less productive than they could be. This doesn’t just mean Finland either - many countries use the Dilbert cubicles and some workplaces even go so far as to have totally open offices. For now, I have to make my head swim in music and “active noise cancelling”. One person at work actually uses a pair of Peltor ear protectors, which is what you use for chainsawing, grind-cutting metal, using a jackhammer and stuff like that.
I am thinking of making a motorcycle helmet type thingy with air ventilation or peltier air conditioning, noise reduction, with high quality stereo speakers. At least I can put my head in a closed office that way. As I write I am unsuccessfully trying to ignore a conversation next to me that has been going on for about 20 minutes.
“What I also noticed was that the average price I was seeing was about 20 dollars, or about 15 euros. I paid 44 euros in Anttila. So I got ripped off 300%.”
I know that feeling. Sometimes the overpricing in Finland really amazes me. The high-tax economic model really sucks ass from the consumer’s perspective.
http://www.nextag.com
Comment by Kristian — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 6:23 pm
second!
Comment by nobody — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 6:59 pm
Huh, its called work from home. Only visit the office 2x days per week, and darn if the company doesn’t save big bucks on all those cubes.
Plus, you don’t even have to get dressed. Please Phil don’t let us see that.
Comment by winter, "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
And you get to write blogs in your office time? how productive is that?
Comment by Jaggi — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 7:20 pm
Its not stupid the one who asks.
Its stupid the one who pays.
Its really funny. As a Finn I wouldn’t go confessing publicly I am such a dolt. Maybe its the “American Way” to blame everyone else first. How about fact-finding *before* going on a shopping-spree? I’m really surprised they let you return the earphones - now they’ll be selling them to the next punter, after having been into your ears. Yecch.
Comment by Hank W. — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 7:41 pm
ome workplaces even go so far as to have totally open offices.
Oh man, you should go to one of my clients’. They got a “cafeteria system” of going to a table and taking a seat for the days work. Jesus I was over there twice and got very respective of the cubicle farm.
Comment by Hank W. — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 7:47 pm
@5: It is also the “American Way” to sort of have at least some trust in the places where you shop and their pricing. Walmart, for example, has a price matching policy. They try to have the cheapest prices around, but if someone happens to find another place that has a cheaper price, they will match it.
Funny how the blog page on the right started advertising earphones all of a sudden.
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
Ah, there are Headphones for sale on the right, has Phil gone to the dark side.
Comment by winter, "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 9:30 pm
In all fairness, Anttila’s prices aren’t really very compatible in the first place. But the customer should have some responsibility as well; I suppose Phil didn’t ask the clerk any help; they are surprisingly knowledgeable at Anttila. This might have something to do with the price of the items..
Comment by iJusten — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
@7 Yeah, this is fairytales you tell to children for bedtime stories.
You are in Finland. Try and live here
Comment by Hank W. — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 11:08 pm
Not to be product whore but….. I borrowed my buddies pair of Bose headphones on my last long flight and they are worth it. I was sandwiched between a loud snorer and a mother and baby and didn’t hear anything once i turned them on. It was a very pleasant 9 hour flight. No engine noise or anything. When I got back I bought my own. Love them.
As they say, you get what you pay for. People always look for the cheap route and are always disappointed when it doesn’t pan out. What does that tell you?
Comment by Winter sucks — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 11:51 pm
Speaking of rip-offs, FFT’s favourite red, Penfolds Grange, went for 245€ at CDG (which is where they first lost my luggage and then smashed my bottle of Barbera inside it, ruining two nice shirts).
The Alko price, as we recall, was 199€.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Fri, Jan 25th, 2008 @ 11:53 pm
Sirkuspele - They try to have the cheapest prices around, but if someone happens to find another place that has a cheaper price, they will match it.
In Finland the policy is opposite, “If you find it more expensive somewhere else, come back and we’ll match it.”
Alko was the worst for price and selection! You Finns don’t know what a real wine store is. lol
Comment by Nancy — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 12:23 am
@13 That’s right. Places compete for the most expensive prices. Look at Hesburger and McDonald’s for example. 8 Euro salad meals, and the restaurants sitting empty a lot of the time. The kebab/pizzerias get all the business.
That brings me to what I perceive as the Nordic work ethic when dealing with retail sales and services dealing with customers directly.
1. Have the prices as high as they can possibly be, so that
2. there will be as few customers as possible, so that
3. the customers that actually come will be as dumb as
possible, so that
4. they can be ripped off as much as possible, so that
5. we will need to do as little work as possible
Fortunately, that work ethic no longer works with the Internet and unhindered access to products and services from all around the EU, but you can still find a lot of it here, especially where you have a captive set of customers, such as with hair salons. They are among the worst ripoffs in Finland.
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Nancy:
“Alko was the worst for price and selection!”
Actually I haven’t been able to find a match in terms of pricing (for anything around and over 10€) anywhere in the world, but I am beginning to be annoyed about the selection.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
Kind of echoing the Alko comments - they are pretty bad although I’ve heard you can order wine through them and they then order wine through the companies that supply them? I got a subscription to Wine Spectator and they list thousands of wines that are really good for under 20 euros. Alko sell maybe 1% of whats on that Wine Spectator list. Is there another way to get those wines? Well if we opened up the market I’m sure there would be. I understand wanting to restrict the sale of hard booze but wines? And good wines at that? I just see absolutely no reason for the restrictions.
Apologies for straying off topic.
Comment by Andy Campbell — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 2:30 pm
You bought headphones at Anttila? You bought Philips headphones?? You didn’t read any reviews beforehand??? Shall I continue?
Read up on the technology. The good headphones will be able to cancel low repetitive noise like humming sounds from engines but not high-pitched voices or any other sounds with higher frequencies. Some ear canal headphones can block even those frequencies but may be very uncomfortable to wear.
FWIW, your employer is not gracious but a moron if s/he believes that noise canceling headphones can make up for the deficiencies of an open office.
Comment by fax — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
Sirkuspelle: “and the restaurants sitting empty a lot of the time. The kebab/pizzerias get all the business.”
They are usually empty too. If you think a McD’s salad meal for 8€ is ridiculous, then you haven’t tried falafel for 8.50€.
Here’s why they don’t offer EU prices.
Andy Campbell: “Kind of echoing the Alko comments - they are pretty bad although I’ve heard you can order wine through them”
Like most Finnish retailers, Alko offers a narrow range of highest priced goods at competitive prices. That’s because it knows people would otherwise purchase abroad. So you might save 15€ on a 150€ bottle of wine.
But for normal wine or beer consumed throughout the year, the ripoff costs you dearly.
Here’s how much.
Comment by Kristian — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
Simple rule: Don’t *ever* buy Phillips. No matter how good a deal it looks, it never is what you bargained for.
Comment by The Jester — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 5:07 pm
“Don’t *ever* buy Phillips.”
- What Queen Elizabeth got for wedding present?
- ??
- One-tube Philips.
Comment by Antti rn — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 5:24 pm
Franklin: “Actually I haven’t been able to find a match in terms of pricing (for anything around and over 10€) anywhere in the world, but I am beginning to be annoyed about the selection.”
If the alcohol business was liberalized overnight, you’d find a better selection in most Prismas or Citymarkets. Maybe. The prices should be lower, but on the other hand, for the majority of customers the selection would be more limited, or then you would have to take a longer trip to buy your wine or imported beer. Alko kind of keeps up a reasonable selection in small towns where the free market really would not bother.
Comment by Drakon — Sat, Jan 26th, 2008 @ 11:36 pm
Take the chance and liberalise. That Alko sucks! Your whole alcohol policy sucks! I like many things about Finland but those are some of the stupid part about the country.
Paying high prices for everything else sucks too. Go to a restaurant in Finland? Yep, about once a month. Anymore and its a big waste of money. I can see why they are empty most of the time.
Comment by Nathan — Sun, Jan 27th, 2008 @ 12:22 am
“If the alcohol business was liberalized overnight, you’d find a better selection in most Prismas or Citymarkets. ”
can we say the same for the telephone business, like they exploded when liberabized into a true market.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Sun, Jan 27th, 2008 @ 1:07 am
Has anyone tried to open a new liquor store supply chain in Finland? Perhaps someone should have the guts to try. Noone dares to try, afraid that they will be stopped. In principle, any EU liquor store chain or any entrepreneur could come here and set up. What grounds would there be to stop them? In fact government monopolies and special status (tax exempt) businesses are illegal. Hence the EC’s recent stance on Finland’s Destia and Avia. Not that I think liquor and alcohol are necessarily good things… But I certainly don’t think that government monopolies are.
I wish the government didn’t have a monopoly on which agency took care of tax collection. What if there was a choice of agencies who take care of tax collection for the government.
Comment by Yrjö-Kyösti Pörhölä — Sun, Jan 27th, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
“What if there was a choice of agencies who take care of tax collection for the government.”
Even better, tax collection should be completely privatised. This has been tried in the southern parts of Italy and much of New Europe.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Mon, Jan 28th, 2008 @ 10:04 pm
“This has been tried in the southern parts of Italy and much of New Europe.”
I have heard you get a lot of bang with that 10%. My russian colleague told about one shopkeeper who was constantly threatened and intimidated by two guys demanding money. He had a word with his “insurer” and the next time he heard about these guys was when they were washed ashore somewhere.
Comment by Antti rn — Tue, Jan 29th, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
About the Alko thing. The restrictions are not in importing wine (although one needs a license), but selling it directly to the public. You can sell to the public if you are a restaurant, but a person has to consume the wine on the premises.
I was thinking about giving the wine as a gift but charging for transport costs. So a person would receive the wine and not pay for it, but instead pay a high cost for transport or perhaps for another item that’s not prohibited.
Comment by Andy Campbell — Tue, Jan 29th, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
Yes, that’s true. Alko and Systembolaget lost their import monopolies after EU membership. Before that, also Alko used to have a monopoly on making alcohol too, if I remember rightly. Now they sold that division off (as Altia). Finland and Sweden have got permission to continue the retail monopolies.
Comment by JG — Tue, Jan 29th, 2008 @ 2:06 pm
@27 I was thinking about giving the wine as a gift but charging for transport costs. So a person would receive the wine and not pay for it, but instead pay a high cost for transport or perhaps for another item that’s not prohibited.
While you’re at it why don’t you give away cars as well.
You really think Finns are stupid don’t you? Like we can’t think of ways to circumvent taxation?
Comment by Hank W. — Tue, Jan 29th, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
@Hank. Of course I don’t think Finns are stupid. The idea to not charge for wine is not a way to avoid paying taxes. Taxes would still be paid to Alko. Also tax would be paid on the profit from ‘transport costs’. ALV would also be paid at the rate of 22%.
I’m sure a Finn has thought of this as well but I’ve wondered about the actual reason for not doing it.
Your anti-foreigner sentiments are more suited to Finnish language blogs and forums that share your nationalist views.
Comment by Andy Campbell — Tue, Jan 29th, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
Actually Andy that reminds me of the situation regarding Sunday shopping in Melbourne years ago. A furniture store opened on Sundays against the law and sold pens a a price of eg AUD1000 each. When one bought the pen, they got a sofa for free
The reason was due to the fact newsagents, kiosks etc were allowed to trade on Sundays however other large consumer stores were not. This was soon followed by a flow of businesses opening on Sundays and selling expensive pens and envelopes etc and giving away cars, pools and so on with them. Where there’s a will there’s a way (in most places)
Comment by Punter — Tue, Jan 29th, 2008 @ 10:46 pm
Punter, right! The only obstacle I can see is if the Finnish government charge gift tax on the wine. But I think there is a minimum limit.
The point here is not avoiding paying taxes but just trying to gain the right to sell to the public what the the public would like. We’re not talking about supplying cut price vodka or anything like that. I’m talking about supplying good value wine in the 15-20 euro bracket that real appreciators of wine would like to try.
Comment by Andy Campbell — Wed, Jan 30th, 2008 @ 12:54 am
Andy Campbell:
“I’m talking about supplying good value wine in the 15-20 euro bracket that real appreciators of wine would like to try.”
If you can beat Alko prices, I’m all for it!
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Thu, Jan 31st, 2008 @ 9:16 pm
Unfortunately, the noise-cancelling headphones don’t do that much for voice frequencies — they’re mostly good for cancelling low rumbles, like airplane noise.
I found the workplace noise so distracting that I developed an app to deal with it. You might want to take a look at my article on “Coping with Speech Noise in the Modern Workplace”, http://chatterblocker.com/whitepapers/conversational_distraction.html .
Comment by Earl Vickers — Sat, Mar 8th, 2008 @ 9:41 pm