Headphone Guide Pro

What is active noise canceling (ANC)? How active noise-cancelling headphone works?

How does active (ANC) work? What is the difference between noise isolation (blocking) and noise-canceling?

noise cancelling headphones, Bluetooth headphones, Headphone 101, wireless earbuds

What is active noise cancelling (ANC)? How active noise cancelling headphone works?

You need an active noise cancelling (ANC) headphone if you want to block the ambient low-frequency noise, like engine noise in the aeroplane. For example, Sony WH-1000XM (XM1-XM4) series, Bose Quietcomfort series (e.g., 15, 25, 35, earbuds), Apple AirPods Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Buds Live all have ANC.

Active noise cancelling (ANC) is different from noise blocking/isolating, which passively blocks both high and low-frequency noises.

This headphone guide explains what the active noise cancelling (ANC) is and how the active noise cancelling headphone works. It will not only help you understand ANC but also help you choose proper active noise-cancelling headphones.

What is active noise cancelling (ANC)?

Active noise cancelling (ANC, aka active noise control) is a set of audio technologies that actively cancel the ambient noise.

Both the annoying noise and music reach your ear as sound waves transmitted through the air.

So, one simple way to reduce noise is to physically and passively block it. For example, there are many soundproofing materials and technologies.

In the airport, you may notice ground staff are wearing earmuffs to block the engine and other noises. In the shooting clubs, it is also common that earmuffs are used.

Active noise cancelling (ANC),  on the contrary, uses negative sound waves to actively cancel the noise.

This means ANC requires at least three components:

  • Power source.  Active noise cancelling (ANC) always requires a power source to detect and analysis noise and then generate a negative wave.
  • Noise detection. Normally, one or more microphones are used to sample the ambient sound.
  • Anti-noise sound wave generator. Once the ambient noise is sampled, an active noise cancelling (ANC) system must generate an inverted (negative) sound wave (with similar amplitude) to cancel the low-frequency noise.

When the ambient noise is cancelled, you will get a quieter environment for your music.

Active noise cancelling (ANC) is still evolving, especially on how to sample ambient sound, how to analyze the sampled ambient sound, and eventually how to effectively cancel the low-frequency ambient noise in real-time.

Please note,  active noise cancelling (ANC) currently is most effective for low-frequency noise only.

Active noise cancelling (ANC) vs passive noise blocking

As discussed earlier, noise can be “blocked” (passive)  and/or  “cancelled” (active).

Most headphones, in-ear or on-ear or over-ear, can block certain ambient sounds. For example, some in-ear headphones are designed to seal the ambient sound (e.g., Sony … Read the rest

What are the differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones?

The differences of in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones are explained. The guide also shows you when you should get an in-ear headphone, when to get an on-ear headphone, and when to get an over-ear headphone.

Headphone 101

differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones

Normally, headphones are classified as in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear based on their sizes and ways of wearing.

This headphone guide explains the differences in size and sound quality among these 3 types of headphones. Then we explain whether you should get an in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear headphones to meet your needs (and comfort).

Why do you need to know the differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones?

When buying a new headphone, the first question you need to ask yourself is what “size” of the headphone should be.

In the market, there are roughly 3 types of headphones based on their sizes (both wired headphones and Bluetooth headphones):

  • in-ear headphone (aka earphone, or earbud);
  • on-ear headphone; and
  • over-ear headphone.

The differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones are NOT just about the size.

Quite often, a certain type of headphone may be better than others for a special group of users (e.g. people with glass), or better for special occasions (e.g., for running).

So, it is important to know the differences among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones to get the headphone that is most suitable for you when you plan to get a new headphone.

Size matters: the obvious difference among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones

In-ear headphone, aka earbud or earphone, is the smallest among the three. For example, Samsung Galaxy Buds, AirPods, AirPods Pro, Jabra Elite Sport are all in-ear wireless earbuds.

Because of the small driver (aka transducer), a unit that converts an electrical signal into sound (air pressure), in-ear headphone is small enough to fit inside your ears.

The on-ear headphone usually uses larger drivers. But the padding is not large enough to cover your ears. Instead, the headphone sits on your ears without fully covering them.

The over-ear headphone has a large enough padding to cover your ear.  Manufactures can put larger drivers in over-ear headphones thanks to the additional space.

Sound quality difference among in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones

When sound quality is concerned, size is NOT the major factor.

Many headphone buyers have the wrong impression: the bigger driver means better sound quality. This is wrong.

Large drivers generally can boost high volume (louder) with higher capacity for the bass. But unlike the volume or bass, the sound quality (audio quality) is NOT simply determined by the driver size.

For all headphones, sound quality … Read the rest