Headphones that amplify outside noises...

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I grabbed a pair of AudioTechnica DR-HX100 headphones during recent sale at Guitar Center. It seemed that I can't go wrong paying $30 for a $100 piece of gear.
The sound turned out to be OK for the price paid, but there was something that I've never ever experienced before: I put them on unplugged, and instead of isolating outside noises, they make them louder and more vivid. For example, there are voices at my neighbors' patio, which I barely hear, but with these cans on my ears I almost understand what people are saying! I could hear mechanical noise of the keys of my keyboard!
Was that weird!
I don't know, how good are Audio Technica microphones, but their headphones are definitely off my checklist now.
Just venting.

 

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is the microphone on when you put on the headphones?

 

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No, nothing is on. I just put them on my head unplugged!
My wife would surely like them: normally, when I have cans on I don't hear what she is saying to me, in these I would.
It is probably the construction of the cans themselves, or material they used, or both that produces such an effect. Actually it is a discontinued model, and I wouldn't be surprised if this was the reason for taking them off the market.

 

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yeah its a defect in the building of it...its not isolating the ear and its letting in outside sounds which bounce all over the inside of the can and thus produce an amplifying effect....the same idea can be applied by cupping your hands behind your ears with your palms facing forward. by doing this you block sounds going passed you and the ear can hear them more clearly....try this in front of a tv.