What causes pressure in my ears with active noise cancelling earbuds?

[Robert_T]

I just got the new wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, and I’m honestly a bit thrown by the sensation. When I turn it on, it’s not just quieter, it feels like a strange pressure in my ears, almost like being underwater. Has anyone else experienced this with their own set? I’m wondering if it’s the specific fit or just how the technology works.

[SamuelH]

Yep, I felt the same at first. When the feature kicks in it changes the sound a lot and my ears kind of feel pressure, like being underwater for a second. It faded after a few days, but that first moment was weird.

[Eleanor.L]

I found it helped when I switched to a different ear tip and got a tighter seal. The pressure feeling dropped a notch once I got the seal right. Fit seemed to matter more than I expected.

[DavidRH]

Do you think the real issue is the fit, or the tech itself?

[GraceAT]

I tried them right after a workout and the sensation hit harder then. After a while I wore them on a longer walk and barely noticed it once I settled in. Not universal, I guess.