[exochrono]

For a long time I thought that this was the case for me too and stuck with passive noise cancelling headphones. Then I tried the Sony 1000MX3s and didn't experience that issue, and I realized I had only really ever tried the Bose QuietComforts before. If you haven't already, it could be worth trying different brands to see if the issue persists across different noise cancelling systems!

[DoingIsLearning]

But if the issue is only a technology or firmware issue what exactly causes it? Is it like a standing wave of pressure below or above hearing range? The mistery bothers me as much as experiencing it.

[Xylakant]

I did some reading on this before I bought my last headphones and AFAIR , the cause seems to be that not all frequencies can be canceled to the same extent. It’s not actual pressure on your eardrums, but the effect triggers that feeling. Different headphones have different characteristics, so it’s worthwhile trying different models.