Avoid loud eateries with this ear accessory.

I had been looking forward to my dinner at Tao Downtown for weeks. As I was making my reservation, I came across a box asking if I had any special requests. I paused, unsure of how my request would be received. Would I be the first person to ever ask for a table in the noisiest part of the restaurant?

It may seem like an odd request, but I had my reasons. Lately, I had been wondering if the key to being able to hear and be heard in a loud restaurant was as simple as wearing a pair of earbuds. To put my theory to the test, I needed to visit a restaurant that was known for being extremely loud - something I usually try to avoid.

You may have heard that Apple recently announced that their new AirPods Pro 2 earbuds would have a feature that allows them to act as over-the-counter hearing aids for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. This feature can be adjusted to fit the user's individual ears. But what you may not know is that the AirPods Pro 2 already have a setting that can amplify the voices of those you are speaking to, as well as one that reduces background noise. Other earbud brands, such as Sony, Samsung, Beyerdynamic, and Soundcore, also offer similar features to make it easier to have conversations in noisy environments. However, the AirPods are the most popular, which is why I decided to wear them to Tao and several other loud restaurants in Manhattan.

In my 12 years as a restaurant critic, few topics have sparked as much interest and controversy as noise levels in restaurants. When I admitted that I actually enjoy loud restaurants, many readers were angry with me. But even more anger was directed towards the restaurants themselves.

I understand where the frustration comes from. Prolonged exposure to loud noise can cause hearing damage. And even at slightly lower volumes, not being able to hear your dining companions can be incredibly frustrating. Having to constantly repeat yourself and raise your voice until you are practically yelling is even worse. And for those with any degree of hearing loss, it can be even more difficult. Most of us end up feeling helpless, drowning in a sea of background noise and seething with anger.

Before taking my AirPods out for a dinner test, I decided to conduct a little experiment at home. I sat in a chair with speakers blasting Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" on either side of me, while a third speaker played "The Brian Lehrer Show" on WNYC, where a botanist was being interviewed about fall foliage. Without my earbuds, Lou's music completely drowned out the interview. But when I put my AirPods in Transparency Mode, which allows ambient noise in, the music was even louder. It was now 2-0 in favor of Lou.

But then came the real test. With my AirPods still in Transparency Mode, I used the Accessibility settings to turn on Conversation Boost and Ambient Noise Reduction. Conversation Boost uses directional microphones to amplify the voices directly in front of the listener, while Ambient Noise Reduction decreases sound from other directions. And just like that, the botanist's voice came through loud and clear, while Lou's music played softly in the background.

However, in a real-life setting, the results were not as dramatic.
Have you ever been to a loud restaurant where it feels like you have to shout just to have a conversation with the person sitting across from you? Well, that's exactly where I found myself when I booked a table for two at Tao Downtown in New York City. As I was making my reservation, I hesitated when I came across the box asking if I had any special requests. I did, but I wasn't sure how it would be received. After all, who would ask for a noisy table on purpose?

But I had my reasons. Lately, I had been wondering if the solution to hearing and being heard in a bustling restaurant might be as simple as wearing a pair of earbuds. It seemed too good to be true, but I was determined to put it to the test. And to do that, I needed to go to the one place I usually avoid at all costs: a hellishly loud restaurant.

You may have heard about Apple's recent announcement that their new AirPods Pro 2 earbuds will soon have the ability to act as over-the-counter hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss. But what you may not know is that these earbuds already have a setting that can amplify voices and reduce background noise. Other earbud brands like Sony, Samsung, Beyerdynamic, and Soundcore also offer similar features for making conversations easier in noisy environments. But let's be real, AirPods are the most popular choice. That's why I decided to wear a pair to Tao and a few other loud restaurants in Manhattan.

In my twelve years as a restaurant critic, few topics have sparked as much intense reactions as noise. When I wrote about my enjoyment of loud restaurants, some readers were angry with me, while others were even angrier with the restaurants themselves. And I get it, being exposed to loud noise for extended periods of time can cause hearing damage. Even at lower volumes, not being able to hear your dining companions can be incredibly frustrating. And for those with any degree of hearing loss, it can be even more challenging. We often feel helpless and end up seething in silence.

Before putting my Apple-white AirPods to the test in a real-life setting, I decided to conduct a little experiment at home. I sat in a chair with two bookshelf speakers blasting Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music," a notorious album known for its abrasive guitar sounds. In front of me, I placed a third speaker playing "The Brian Lehrer Show" on WNYC, where a botanist was being interviewed about fall foliage. With my naked ears, Lou completely drowned out Brian. But then I put my AirPods in Transparency Mode, which is designed to let in ambient noise. And let me tell you, it was loud. Point goes to Lou.

But the real test was yet to come. With the AirPods still in Transparency Mode, I adjusted the Accessibility settings to turn on Conversation Boost and Ambient Noise Reduction. These features use directional microphones to amplify voices in front of you and reduce sound from other directions. And just like that, the botanist's voice came through loud and clear while Lou's guitars were like a purring, but still somewhat noisy, house cat.

Of course, the results weren't as dramatic when I wore my earbuds in a real restaurant setting. But they did make a noticeable difference. With all the background noise, I could still hear my dining companion without having to raise my voice or constantly repeat myself. And while it may not be a perfect solution, it's certainly a step in the right direction for those of us who enjoy a lively atmosphere but also want to have a conversation without feeling like we're in a shouting match.

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