How Noise Cancelling Headphones Can Improve Your Listening Experience

Noise cancelling headphones use microphones to track ambient sound and create an anti-noise signal that counteracts unwanted sounds. They are ideal for blocking out rumbles as well as chatter from trains and planes but they won't help to stop screeching brakes or your seatmate's animated conversations.

Active noise cancellation requires a great seal whether it's earbuds, over-ear headphones or padding around the ears. We've tested how well they mute lower-frequency constant sounds such as train and traffic also.

What is noise cancellation?

Noise cancellation is a feature which helps listeners concentrate on their music and audiobook without being distracted by distracting ambient sounds. Noise cancelling headphones are equipped with microphones that block external sounds from getting to your ears. This lets you enjoy your audiobook or music in peace.

Active noise cancellation, or ANC is among the most sought-after headphone features in the market today. It is available on many different brands of headphones, in a wide range of colors and sizes, and even on some models that are budget-friendly. The principle behind the technology is quite simple: the headphones or earcups contain tiny microphones that "listen" to ambient sound frequencies and then play back equal but opposing noise waves to block them before they reach your ear.

The crests and troughs of these waves cancel each other in a process known as destructive interference, leaving nothing but the music you're listening to. This is great for monotonous, continuous sounds like the drone of an airplane engine, or the hum of your colleague Bob who is unable to stop talking. However, it's less effective on sudden or higher-frequency sounds that are more difficult to detect and eliminate, such as the ping of a keyboard or the alarm sounding from your phone.

Another type of noise isolation is passive, which stifles noise by forming an ear-to-ear connection using the foam padding in the ear cups. This is a good alternative for those who don't want to rely on batteries to provide their ANC function, but prefer a peaceful environment while working or relaxing at home.

All headphones require power to function, regardless of whether it's a battery or audio processing. Even though ANC can eliminate most external noise, the headphones aren't able to create a solitary cone around your ears. If the ambient sounds are too loud, they'll just bleed into your ears. This is why it's important to wear the headphones in a snug way enough that they don't have any gaps in the fit, so that you can enjoy the maximum benefit from ANC.

How does it work exactly?

The technology behind noise cancelling headsets involves tiny microphones in earcups or buds which listen to sounds around you. They're processed inside the headphones to produce an opposite sound wave that effectively blocks out the sounds and blocks the sound from reaching your ears.

Air molecules oscillate, generating sound waves. This means that sound waves have a size or amplitude, which is measured by the distance between peaks on an undulating graph. Higher-quality sound waves have higher amplifies, while shorter ones have smaller amplifies. ANC headphones use this to create the opposite sound of the sounds that you hear around you.

ANC headsets have several features that make them more effective at blocking ambient noises, including feedback microphones and an ANC chipset. These chips employ algorithms to invert incoming sound signals and then emit an opposing signal. This is basically like launching anti-ballistic missiles to shoot down the warheads coming in (again think of military-grade countermeasures from war movies).

The ANC drivers in each ear cup produce these opposite signals. When you activate the ANC by pressing a button within your headset, sounds from the outside are muffled or Bluetooth headphones eliminated.

The technology behind ANC is impressive but it has some drawbacks. The additional electronics required to enable this technology can add weight and bulk to your headphones. They also consume more power, which could result in a decrease in battery life and potentially some high-frequency hiss.

Another issue is that some users have reported feeling dizzy or disoriented while wearing ANC headphones. This can be frustrating but is usually due to something else, not necessarily the ANC.

The good news is that the latest ANC headphones are beginning to address some of these issues. The Bowers & Wilkins PX7, for instance, has various ANC modes, including "office", 'plane' and 'city', with a slider that lets you customize the amount of external sounds you want to pass through. Apple's newest AirPods Pro 2 also feature a similar function, with 'Ambient Aware mode which digitally adjusts the amount of ANC to the surroundings.

What are the top headphones for noise cancellation?

Noise cancelling headphones will improve your listening experience. They can help you focus at work, or block out engine noise on planes and trains. They are also great for commuting or working from home. They can be used with any kind of audio equipment like computers, tablets and smartphones. There are wireless ANC headphones to suit every budget. They can be expensive, but they're worth it.

The most effective pair of noise cancelling headphones will be comfortable to wear for long periods of time, with a good seal around your ears. They'll also have a battery that lasts at least 30 hours, which should suffice to get through your commute or your workday. Check whether the audio source is supported, whether it be Bluetooth or USB-C.

Over-ear headphones are usually more comfortable than in-ear designs. They have a larger band and cushioned cups which sit over your ears. This helps to keep them in place for longer. They are also more effective in blocking out noise from the outside. But, it's important to note that there are exceptions, and the best headphones to block out noise will depend on your lifestyle and preferences in music.

The degree of noise reduction will differ depending on the design and how it fits in your ears. An insufficient fit could let in more ambient sound, and could affect the quality of the bass. A great tip is to swap out the headphones' stock tips to see if they improve the fit and reduce ambient noise, and you can do this with a majority of earbuds as well.

In-ear headphones are less comfortable to wear for long listening sessions as they do not sit on your ears instead, but inside them. You can alter the size of your headphones by tilting them either forward or backward. They are also lighter, which makes them more mobile and easy to carry. In our tests, the majority of headphones provide some degree of noise cancellation, but it's not as impressive as with over-ear headphones.

What should I look for when purchasing noise cancelling headphones

The best noise cancelling headsets reduce background noise to allow you to concentrate on your audio without being distracted by the surrounding. To achieve this, they typically use active noise cancelling (ANC) but not all ANC headsets are made to be equal. It's crucial to think about the type of ANC used, whether they're in-ear or over-ear, and the quality of their construction.

Both in-ear and over-ear headphones offer excellent noise isolation. In-ear headphones are lighter and less bulky. While over-ear models are more comfortable, they can also be more expensive. Over-ear headphones are more expensive however, they usually have better sound. In-ear models are more affordable, but still deliver a solid performance.

Some ANC headphones come with different levels of ANC offering you the possibility of adjusting the level to the circumstances at the moment. You can disable ANC on an airplane, in public transport or at home, but turn it back on when you are at work or home to block out the whirr of your PC's cooling fan or the lawn mower of your neighbour. Many headphones come with a 'transparency mode' that allows some external noise to pass through, so you can hear important sounds like traffic or conversations.

The best noise cancelling headsets come with ANC and bluetooth headphones (similar resource site) for wireless listening. Some of them support the aptX and aptX HD Bluetooth codecs, which provide superior audio quality when compared to traditional Bluetooth.

While there are a few ANC headphones that cost less than PS50 You'll likely get the most value from a pair of over-ear headphones like the Bose QC35 II. They have a great ANC, which includes the ability to pause tracks to let you hear your voice when you talk. Their sound is crisp and full of detail, and their ANC is excellent.

Children's noise-canceling headphone are also worth looking into, Bluetooth headphones particularly if your children have sensory issues and require assistance in processing auditory stimuli. Some even have popular cartoons or video games. They are more comfortable for children than conventional headphones, and usually come with parental controls such as volume-limiting features.