What is the Purpose of Noise Cancelling Headphones?

What is noise-canceling? 

When we are shopping for headphones, we often see the feature “noise-canceling” or “ANC” listed on the description, but what exactly do they do; and do we need it? Before knowing the purpose of noise-canceling headphones, the first thing to understand is the different types of noise-canceling features. 

Passive Noise-Reduction

Passive noise-reduction refers to the design of the headphone itself. For example, rubber tips in the in-ear earbuds or padding in over-the-ear headsets are the physical design that reduces unwanted noises in the environment. 

Active Noise-Cancelling

ANC is a noise-canceling function that refers to headphones with several microphones that selectively pick up sounds from different directions. For instance, the primary microphone that is near your mouth will capture sounds clearly while the secondary microphone will filter out noises. When do you need noise-canceling headphones?

Spend time on calls frequently

Noise-canceling headphones are perfect for calls due to the microphones filtering background noises. This function ensures you and the person on the other end hear words and sentences clearly, even in a slightly noisy environment. For instance, if your job requires online meetings on a daily basis, you might want to consider using noise-canceling headsets to improve the overall call quality. Better communication can reduce the need for repeating information, which does not only make the calls more efficient but also help to exchange messages accurately. 

Often in loud environments 

ANC features are extra helpful when you live in a noisy environment, such as dorm rooms, a large family, in a city with constant traffic, etc. In these cases, noise-canceling headphones are able to let you enjoy what you are doing without having to hear everything else in the room. Noise-canceling features benefit some users more than others. It is best to consider your typical environment and background noise when deciding between different models at different price points and any advanced features that are added on for specific reasons. In addition, if you are trying to sleep in a loud environment, ANC earbuds are also able to help you achieve that. Need to concentrate and relax without being disturbed Noise-canceling headphones are perfect if you are trying to study, read, or even sleep peacefully. Even when you are not playing music, the noise-canceling function with the headset's physical design can also help you avoid being disturbed. 

Things to keep in mind

Safety Issues

Although noise-cancelling seems desirable in most situations, there can be some safety issues that come into play when you can barely hear anything in your surroundings. One of the concerning occasions is using noise-canceling headphones on the road. Sometimes music can cover the honking from cars or any vocal warmings and it could be dangerous. When you are walking on the street, you might try to avoid wearing noise-canceling headphones or try to use one earbud instead of plugging both in at the same time. 

How to choose noise-canceling headsets

Different types of noise-canceling headphones have their pros and cons. The first step of deciding what to buy is to determine how you will be using it. For instance, ANC earbuds are a better choice when it comes to passive noise-reduction since they are able to block higher frequency sounds by completely sealing your ear canal, especially if the tips are made of rubber and are perfectly fitted in your ears. On the other hand, if calling is the primary use for the headphones, an over-ear or on-ear design with a foam windscreen microphone would be more suitable. The critical thing to look out for is whether the windscreen is rounded or not as the rounded design allows more precise focus on voice compared to the flat ones. 

Improving noise-canceling function

Using an amplifier instead of a direct-connect cable works better with actually filtering out unwanted sounds. With an amplifier, you are able to control the microphone by turning it up and down. This ability to adjust microphone position would help you target where your voice goes, which would affect how precise the microphone can pick up the sounds. 

Conclusion

In a world where everyone and everything hopes to be heard. It is harder and harder to concentrate on what information you want to receive. The purpose of noise-canceling headphones is to allow you to communicate smoothly, focus on the important messages, and sometimes let you relax in your own world without opinions from the outside. Hopefully, this article has answered the common questions about active noise canceling and noise-canceling headset features to assist in your shopping experience. It is important to make sure that you still thoroughly test and evaluate before purchasing the products. Overall, investing in a pair of noise-canceling headphones would be worth a while. 

Bio: My name is Tsaiyen Hu. I attend the University of California, San Diego and I’m studying Communications. I love writing about music and health topics. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsaiyen-hu-5838ab170/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImRosalieHu