skym wrote:

question is this : I like to hear the engine just a bit since a little
change in the sound or hiccup can signal an upcoming problem of
potentially serious consequence, and gets my attention very fast. How
well do the ANR sets let me hear a little engine sound for peace of
mind?

a heck of a lot better than a passive headset; anything which is not
the usual drone can be heard a lot clearer, and you'll be less likely
to miss it; besides, at the end of a long flight, you'll be less
likely to be tired and more likely to deal with the snag correctly (IMHO
and all that)

--Sylvain