Are You Shopping for Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones? There Are Plenty of Good Options To Consider We have reviewed some of the top options to help make your decision.
Noise cancellation headphones operate by listening to and then creating anti-sound waves to block out noise intruding from outside sources, creating an ideal state of silence through which only music or podcasts can play.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
ANC headphones and earbuds feature small microphones that monitor ambient noise in your environment while you wear them, using this information to reduce or cancel out external sounds that interfere with your listening experience.
How this works: the mic on your headphones or earbuds picks up noise, while an antiphase chip in them inverts soundwaves (known as antiphase) to cancel out original noise and play them back to cancel out ambient sounds altogether. The result? Ambient sounds vanish.
Considered noise cancellation (ANC) doesn’t completely block out all ambient noise; you will still hear things such as the hum of an air conditioning unit or person talking, as well as higher-pitched sounds such as shouting. The best ANC headphones offer customizable EQ settings for optimal levels of transparency as well as an ANC off switch for listening to music or podcasts without reducing overall sound quality.
Passive Noise Cancellation (PNC)
Noise-canceling headphones offer hearing protection by blocking out ambient outside noise. That allows users to listen to music and podcasts at lower volumes without damaging cells in their ears that transmit auditory signals; an excellent benefit for people already suffering from noise-induced hearing loss.
PNC headphones may not be as effective at blocking sounds than their ANC counterparts, but they still make an affordable way of reducing environmental noise. This style doesn’t rely on microphones or any complicated technologies like vibration isolation to muffle noise; rather they use closed-back ear cups and snug in-ear buds to physically block the outside noise from entering your ears.
These make them an excellent choice for travel, helping to block out jet engines or train tracks while blocking transient sounds like gunshots and firecrackers. Many headsets also include both PNC and ANC technology so you can switch between modes as needed to suit the environment around you.
Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (AANC)
Many ANC headphones struggle to block higher-frequency sounds like screeching brakes and your seatmate’s animated conversation, yet technology is improving at meeting these challenges.
One of the latest innovations is Adaptive Noise Cancellation, which adapts its strength according to your environment. When in a noisy space, more sound cancelling takes effect while lessening in quieter settings.
ANC works best at eliminating low, steady sounds such as jet engines or air conditioners, since their frequencies have consistent wavelengths that can be detected more precisely. Unfortunately, higher frequency sounds like gunshots or sirens don’t react in quite the same way and may still be audible.
Noise-canceling technology won’t make the outside world go away completely, but it can keep you more focused in an office or help you sleep on an airplane ride. Just be sure to use your ANC headphones responsibly so as not to expose your hearing by turning up their volume too loudly and risk damage to it.
Sound Quality
Sound quality is of utmost importance when selecting headphones, whether listening to music or talking on the phone. Noise-canceling models require that audio be heard clearly for their technology to work optimally.
Focal Bathys headphones received top marks during our lab evaluations for both comfort and sound quality, earning top honors from both categories. French audio manufacturer Focal is known for producing high-end speakers and headphones; the Bathys is no exception with their V-shaped sound profile perfect for rock and pop genres as it includes extra bass and crisp cymbals; additionally you can customize their sound using their companion app’s EQ and preset features.
These over-ear headphones are one of the most comfortable pairs we’ve tested. Their noise isolation features can effectively block out sounds such as an aircraft engine humming or chatty coworkers. Their sound quality and battery life also makes these ideal choices for commuters and business travelers.