Any music lover will admit that the biggest letdown possible in the midst of their song-listening sessions is noise leaking. Particularly if you are someone who uses headphones for extended periods then these undesirable sounds simply turn into a nightmare. This is where the necessity of noise cancellation is truly felt.

What is Noise Cancellation

What is Noise Cancellation?

As responsible buyers, many of you must have heard about this technology or read about it online while comparing earphones or placing an order. But do you exactly know what noise cancellation is?

Noise cancellation is the very feature that makes an earphone stand out when compared to similar products. It helps in eliminating outside noise which otherwise causes distractions while focusing on a meeting or trying to calm the mind listening to music. As a concept, noise cancellation started developing only two decades back. Now it has become an indispensable component in the communication industry.

In this blog, you will eventually learn about the various types of noise cancellation techniques. But before that, it is critical to find out why the different types even exist. These concepts have been developed over time to suit the listener’s needs exclusively.

At times, a person only desires to reduce the background sounds and not completely feel isolated. The desire to lower the amplitude of these unwanted sound waves is completely understandable in the modern lifestyle. It helps the individual to multitask while they are outdoors. Although there remains a risk and thus these headphones should not be used on both ears while you are driving or operating large machinery.

Some common terms that are frequently used by experts to describe noise cancellation are noise blocking and masking. They all mean the same thing, i.e., protective technical measures to nullify disturbing sounds from outside the earphone or headphones. There are a few proven benefits of applying this notion to electrically operating loudspeaker devices as well. Interested to know what they are? Then you have to keep reading.

Overview

Companies manufacturing and selling earbuds, headphones, and BT speakers these days tend to stress heavily on noise cancellation. But only a few of them assume the responsibility of spreading awareness about the concept among the masses.

Next time when one of your peers becomes confused regarding which headphone will best serve their purpose, you will be able to better guide them. This is simply because now you know what noise cancellation is. Also, you will be able to further justify your preference if you gather knowledge about the two primary types of noise cancellation modes:

Noise cancellation in the microphone

This feature does not directly benefit the headphone or earphone user but definitely creates a seamless calling experience for the caller. Microphones that enable noise cancellation mode filter out your voice from the surrounding noise employing digital algorithms.

Hence, if you have a close member who prefers taking calls using a headphone but sounds as if they are in a high-speed vehicle, ensure explaining to them what noise cancelling headphones are and why they should get one.

Noise cancellation in the headphones

Headphone noise cancellation is what enables the wearer to escape the background noise and concentrate on speaking or listening to music. On exhausting trips, you can frequently observe people using these headsets to block out the unwanted sounds of crying infants or aircraft engines.

What is Active Noise Cancellation?

Active Noise Cancellation is a technique used in earphones and other audio devices to reduce background noise. The technique uses two microphones and a digital signal processor to detect ambient noise and generate a sound wave with the same amplitude but opposite phase to the detected noise. This sound wave cancels out the background noise, resulting in an undisturbed listening experience.

The ANC concept was primarily put into use in premium wireless earbuds. The idea was to reduce excessive external noise reaching the listener’s ears, allowing them to better focus on the audio they are listening to. Nowadays, active noise cancellation technology is becoming increasingly common in consumer audio products, as it makes listening to audio much more enjoyable even in noisy environments.

What is Passive Noise Cancellation?

When your earphones or headphones naturally restrict outside noise, it is referred to as Passive Noise Isolation (PNI) or Cancellation. In other words, rather than actively using technology to filter out background noise, your earbuds isolate you from it. Because of this, this method is referred to as ‘passive’.

Ambient noise from outside is kept out of your ear canal when your earbuds are customised to fit your ears precisely. As you do not need to counteract the noise in your surroundings, you can listen to music at lower volume settings using a headphone with PNI technology.

What are the differences between Active and Passive Noise Cancellation?

Here, you can find some of the key differences between headsets backed with active and passive noise cancellation technologies.

Point of Difference	Active Noise Cancellation	Passive Noise Cancellation
Sound Quality	Earbuds with active noise cancellation produce noise to neutralise environmental sounds. Hence, it can sometimes affect the truer representation of a song.	PNI earphones are known for superior tuning abilities as they do not actively produce sounds to block external noise.
User Comfort	ANC headsets and earbuds are rarely personalised. Hence, they may lead to fatigue sooner as the ears experience constant pressure all over as you keep adjusting the position from time to time.	Passive noise cancellation wearable devices are normally custom-fitted. Thus, you feel more relaxed while keeping them on for hours.
Effectiveness	Active noise cancellation backed tools effectively process and filter out constant high-pitch background noise. Also, they are more effective in nullifying sudden sounds like honking.	These devices work best when your ears are listening to mid-high frequency sounds. For instance, the transient Decibel range of 15dB to 30 dB is ideal to be experienced using a PNI audio device.
Power Consumption	These devices consume more power and thus are provided with sufficient battery backup.	Passive noise cancellation devices consume lesser power when compared to BT headsets with ANC technology.
Affordability	Price generally varies based on the brand you select.	Price is variable depending on the manufacturer-set rates.
Long-Term Safety	It is very much safe to listen to music as long as you stay within the safe volume range.	PNI headsets are naturally safer as these devices do not attempt to blast counteracting volume to restrict undesirable noise.
Versatility	If you are buying the wearable audio device mainly to attend meetings then ANC-powered solutions should be your ideal choice. These tech pieces successfully block ear-aching sounds like those coming from a train, making them more desirable.	If you want to enjoy songs in their truest form then go for passive noise-cancellation devices. These gadgets evenly distribute the pressure on your ears and thus reduce fatigue rate drastically.

What are the benefits of noise cancellation?

Hybrid noise cancellation is a combination of active and passive cancellation techniques applied in microphones and wearable headsets as it is proven to bring the following advantages:

Improves concentration

As humans, it is difficult to concentrate on a particular thing if there are significant ambient sounds causing interference. Even some studies have reported that workplace commotion can degrade an employee's memory over time. Therefore using a noise-cancelling headset can be of tremendous help if you are finding it difficult to concentrate on work because of unwanted sounds.

Refines a listener’s experience

Frequently people tend to turn up the volume beyond the safety level when they are trying to listen to a song in noisy surroundings. In the long run, it damages their ears. Therefore, instead of following this strategy you can take a better approach. Try putting on a noise-cancelling headset while travelling in a plane or working in a crowded office which will serve your purpose without harming your ears.

Cuts off stress

Peace of mind seems to be far-fetched for those who do not use a noise-cancelling audio device. As you keep on experiencing disturbing background sounds for too long it leads to stress and even permanent hearing loss. For this reason, whenever you buy your next hearing device, rely on its noise-cancelling potential.

Improves sleep

Sleeping problems are quite common among today’s young people. Extended exposure to background noises often gives rise to these issues. Well, you need to understand that while you sleep, you allow the body to restore energy levels. Hence, to prioritise your sleep consider noise cancellation headsets to be an ideal investment.

Takeaway

For those wondering what noise cancellation is, it is a technology that helps reduce or eliminate unwanted background noise in the audio. It utilises sound waves to create an "anti-noise" that cancels out the unwanted sound waves. This concept has found widespread relevance in headphones, earbuds, and other audio devices.

Noise cancellation is especially beneficial when listening to music, as it eliminates any disturbances from the environment. For example, if you are listening to songs on a noisy train, the noise cancellation will reduce the sounds of the train so that you can still enjoy your music. Additionally, it also appears to be effective in blocking the sound of a loud engine typically experienced while flying in an aeroplane.

Overall, this technology makes it easier to listen to live or recorded audio without getting distracted by background noise. It eradicates the need to turn up the volume to drown out the noise, which can cause hearing damage in the long run.

FAQs

Q) Is noise cancelling a good thing?

Only a handful of people get concerned regarding the features of a headphone. What they tend to focus on more are their budget and product ratings. Whether you are among them or you really follow the helpful specs before buying, you should try purchasing a pair of noise cancelling headphones to ensure outside sounds do not cause hearing problems.

Q) Are noise cancelling headphones pairable with computers?

Yes, any standard wireless headphone offering noise cancellation can be connected to a computer. Also, if you are using a wired version then also it is possible provided your device is offering a regular headphone jack.

Q) When should you not use noise cancellation headphones?

There have been no studies showing the harmful effects of a noise cancelling device as they do not emit radiation. However, if you are using ANC earbuds, headphones or BT speakers then they should not be used for long if the surroundings are too noisy.

Q) Can you wear noise cancelling earphones all day?

Yes, you can use them daily for long hours as they do not emit radiation like smartphones. Also, many of them are custom-fitted to reduce pain caused in ears due to extensive usage.

Q) Why do your ears hurt while using noise cancellation headphones for too long?

Noise cancelling headphones may provide a pressure-like feeling when you use them for the first time. This effect is usually due to your brain signalling the absence of low-frequency noise that otherwise acts as a differential within the ear lobe. Also, a few ANC earphones are not custom fitted, sometimes causing discomfort to the wearer over a long term.