A guide to noise cancelling and why you need it
Noise cancelling has become a popular feature in headphones and earbuds, with the tech now available in many entry-level models. So, how does it work, and why do you need it?
Noise cancelling is a blessing when you want to block out unwanted ambient sounds and simply lose yourself in the music, enjoy a moment of quiet repose, or cut the background chatter of a noisy office or daily commute. Moreover, it reduces the need to pump up the volume to drown out the outside world, which is good for your hearing.
It’s particularly useful in blocking the incessant drone of an aircraft engine during a long flight, which is exactly what Dr Amar Bose – a sound engineer and founder of Bose Corporation – thought back in 1978 when he hit upon the idea to develop the tech during a noisy flight, ultimately creating prototype headphones for pilots.
Noise cancelling has since become a staple of consumer headphones and earbuds, which can utilise three different types:
Active (ANC) uses inbuilt microphones that detect ambient noise and generate an opposite soundwave to cancel it. Feed-forward ANC positions the mics on the outside and is the most common type used in earbuds, while Feedback ANC uses internal mics that can be more accurate.
ADAPTIVE is similar to Active, but more advanced in that it uses both microphones and noise-rejecting algorithms to auto-adjust noise cancelling based on ambient sound levels.
PASSIVE noise cancelling simply uses a physical barrier between your ears and the outside noise – like headphone earcups and earbud tips – to seal in the music. The stronger the seal, the better the result.
Cans and buds can also feature Transparency or Ambient modes, which let in the outside world when situational awareness or conversation is required, while keeping the music playing.
This is often adjustable, so you can select how much background noise you want to hear.
Ultimately, noise cancelling works best when the external noise is constant and low frequency, like the aforementioned aircraft noise.
It’s also worth noting that continuous use of ANC can reduce the battery level; product specs will generally indicate how long a full charge will last with ANC engaged.
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