How Noise-Cancelling Headphones Reduce Sound

The main reason people opt for noise-cancelling headphones is their ability to create a space of privacy in noisy or public areas. They allow you to enjoy your music or conversations in peace, wherever you might be. But how exactly does noise cancellation work?

In this article, we'll explore the science behind active noise cancellation and discover some of the best ANC headphones out there, including soundcore Space One Pro and Space Q45. We'll also provide some handy tips to help you decide which of these models aligns best with your lifestyle.

What Is Noise Cancellation?

Noise cancellation is the technology that deals with unwanted ambient sounds in headphones and earbuds. There are two types of noise cancellation:

• Passive Noise Cancellation: Achieved with thick padding/tight ear cups, which physically block unwelcome external noises.
• Active Noise-Cancelling (ANC): Achieved with the manipulation of soundwaves and sound detection through microphones to neutralise noise before it reaches your ears.

While passive cancellation is useful, active noise cancellation is what truly makes a difference in noisy environments. Let’s look into how that works.

Understanding Sound/Noise

To understand how noise-cancelling headphones work, let's first take a look at what sound and noise are.

The Physics of Sound Waves

Sound is a form of energy that travels in waves. These are created by vibrations that move through the air (or other media) and reach your ears. The louder the sound, the greater the amplitude.

Why Noise Is Problematic

Noise is sound. It's sound that is unpredictable, loud, or distracting, or all three. Background noise can affect concentration, increase stress levels, and ruin audio experiences, especially in places like planes, open offices, or on public transportation. This is where ANC headphones come in handy.

How Active Noise-Cancelling Works

Active noise cancellation uses microphones, speakers, and the processing of signals to counteract external noise through the creation of specific sound waves. Here is a detailed description of the process:

• Detection: The external microphones pick up noise like ambient sound, engine noise, and chatter.
• Analysis: The processor analyses the frequency and waveform of incoming signals.
• Inversion: The processor produces a sound wave that is equal to but opposite the noise.
• Cancellation: An inverse wave is played alongside the audio through the speakers, reducing and cancelling environmental noise via destructive interference.

Key Features of Effective Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Here are some features to take into consideration in your purchase:

• Hybrid ANC Technology: Precise noise detection and cancellation with support from feedforward and feedback microphones.
• Adaptive Noise-Cancelling: Automatic adjustment of noise-cancelling levels based on noise in your environment.
• High-Resolution Audio: Hi-Res or LDAC audio playback support for impeccable sound quality when ANC is enabled.
• Long Battery Life: An essential feature to last you through long journeys on your travels, especially since having ANC on can drain your device's power.
• Comfortable Design: Passive noise isolation and comfort during extended use should be a priority, such as through the use of memory foam padding on the ear cups.

When Is ANC Most Useful?

Active noise-cancelling isn't just a nice-to-have—it's become an essential function you need in your daily life. ANC headphones excel in a variety of situations, including:

• Air Travel: Drowns out engine hum and crying babies.
• Commuting: Blocks train or traffic noise on your daily ride.
• Office Work: Helps create a quiet space when working in open spaces.
• Studying: Boosts focus by removing background chatter or distractions.
• Sleeping: Some users wear ANC headphones, playing white noise for uninterrupted sleep.

Recommended ANC Headphones

Here are two top-performing noise-cancelling headphones from soundcore that are worth considering:

soundcore Space One Pro

Space One Pro combines high-fidelity sound with advanced active noise-cancelling. It uses adaptive ANC technology that adjusts to your environment in real-time, offering up to 98.5% noise reduction. The headphones are designed for all-day wear with plush ear cups and deliver up to 60 hours of playtime with ANC off (or 40 hours with ANC on). Its LDAC support ensures excellent audio clarity.

Key Features:

• Adaptive ANC 2.0
• Hi-Res Wireless certified
• Ultra-long battery life
• Multipoint connection

soundcore Space Q45

soundcore Space Q45 uses two microphones and custom ANC algorithms to cancel up to 98% of environmental noise. The 50-hour battery life with ANC turned on is more than sufficient to take you through any travel. Coupled with LDAC support, Space Q45 delivers excellent high-resolution audio streaming while also offering impressive comfort.

Key Features:

• Hybrid ANC with two microphones
• Up to 50 hours of battery with ANC on
• LDAC support for Hi-Res audio
• 5-level adjustable transparency modes

Conclusion

Silence is golden. Active noise-cancelling is a key feature you'll find useful so you can focus, relax, or travel in peace with your headphones on. Having the ability to block unwanted sound waves grants you total control over what you hear; in a world of constant noise, silence is most certainly a luxury.

With numerous options with ANC technology on the market, such as soundcore Space One Pro and Space Q45, achieving total comfort with great sound is easier than ever.

FAQ

Can ANC headphones block all noise?

No. Even the best active noise-cancelling headphones cannot eliminate 100% of noise. They're perfect for muting steady, low-frequency sounds, but sudden or high-pitched sounds may still get through (though they would sound very quiet).

Can ANC headphones harm my hearing?

Generally, no, they won't. This is because you won't need to turn up the volume to drown out background noise when you have ANC headphones on. However, do note that listening to any audio for extended durations at high volumes, regardless of whether you're using ANC headphones, may cause damage.

Which is better, over-ear or in-ear ANC headphones/earbuds?

When it comes to noise cancelling, over-ear ANC headphones fare better since, by design, they offer passive noise isolation and also have more space for larger ANC hardware. In comparison, earbuds, while more portable, tend to perform poorly in noisy environments.