If you're shopping for some new headphones and need something that can block out noise, you'll encounter two styles: noise-canceling and noise-isolating headphones. While both aim to block out noise, they go about it in different ways. So, what sets the two apart, and which style should you get?
When this inverse sound wave is played back through your headphones, the two sound waves essentially cancel each other out, and you end up not hearing any of the noise. Well, it's a bit more complicated than that, but I don't want to get too into the weeds.
The quality of ANC varies between headphones; more expensive models can completely block out noise, whereas entry-level models just muffle it and sometimes even introduce a low-frequency hum.
Since the microphones used in ANC require a power source to work, noise-canceling headphones have built-in batteries, which is why they're usually wireless as well. Also, it's worth noting that the extra sound waves added by ANC can slightly distort and degrade sound quality, especially if ANC is poorly implemented.
In contrast, noise-isolating headphones rely solely on the physical aspects of headphones to block out noise. For example, over-ear headphones use a closed-back design in tandem with thick, cushioned ear pads made of genuine or artificial leather to form a seal around your ears that blocks out noise. Earbuds (in-ear headphones) use foam, silicone, or flanged earbud tips to create a tight seal in the ear canal, blocking out external sounds.
As the name implies, passive noise isolation can't completely cancel out noise; it simply tries to block it. Well-engineered noise-isolating headphones do an excellent job of isolating sound to the point that you'll hardly hear any external sounds, especially when listening to something. Noise-isolating headphones don't require batteries or any fancy signal processing, meaning they can be wired, and even cheap models can still perform quite well.
In these scenarios, you might still want to be aware of your surroundings or talk to people without having to take off your headphones, which is where transparency mode comes in. It's a feature available on AirPods 4, Pro 2, and other high-end headphones with ANC that allows you to hear your surroundings at a comfortable level.
Transparency mode uses built-in microphones to record and play back external sound. You might think that this defeats the point of ANC, but you can disable transparency mode on the fly. For example, if you're about to order coffee or talk to someone in the gym, you can enable transparency mode, have a quick chat, and then swiftly turn it back off to continue canceling noise.
Thanks to ANC, you can listen to music, podcasts, and videos to maintain your focus, regardless of how noisy your environment is. ANC even allows you to have a quick business call in a busy restaurant, especially when you combine it with a noise suppression feature for microphones.
Even if you prefer complete silence at work, you'll still benefit from noise-canceling headphones. ANC can still block out most external noise, even if your headphones aren't playing any audio, as long as they support the feature. Thanks to ANC, you'll significantly reduce the ear fatigue that loud noise can cause. One caveat is that ANC works best against constant sounds, such as a noisy railway, rather than loud, unexpected noises like car horns.
In some ways, noise-isolating headphones are better than noise-canceling headphones. The most important benefit is that they're significantly cheaper when everything else is equal, as they don't need microphones, microchips, and proprietary algorithms. Since noise-isolating headphones don't need batteries, you can also opt for a wired model, which can provide further cost savings.
Another major benefit over noise-canceling headphones is better sound quality. Remember, headphones with ANC play inverse sound waves to block out noise, which can degrade sound clarity. Passive noise-isolating headphones play back sound in its original state, so nothing gets lost or distorted.
This essentially means you can maximize noise blocking by opting for a noise-canceling model. A well-designed pair will isolate your ears from most of the noise, and ANC will handle the remaining noise. That's still not the end of the story, as many wireless noise-canceling headphones can be used with a wire, and some of them even change their sound profile when you do so, such as the Sony MDR1000X. Granted, this is a rare example, and most noise-canceling headphones will maintain the same frequency response.
If you value sound quality and mostly use your headphones indoors, or you just don't mind hearing occasional environmental noise, noise-isolating headphones are probably all you need.
Still, active noise cancelation is a valuable feature. It works surprisingly well, especially on higher-end models. Noise-canceling headphones are worth the investment for the literal peace of mind they provide in noisy situations.
What’s the Difference?
When we talk about "noise-canceling headphones," we're actually referring to ANC (Active Noise Cancelation). It's a surprisingly sophisticated technology that uses microphones to constantly record exterior noise, which is then processed to create an inverse sound wave.When this inverse sound wave is played back through your headphones, the two sound waves essentially cancel each other out, and you end up not hearing any of the noise. Well, it's a bit more complicated than that, but I don't want to get too into the weeds.
The quality of ANC varies between headphones; more expensive models can completely block out noise, whereas entry-level models just muffle it and sometimes even introduce a low-frequency hum.
Since the microphones used in ANC require a power source to work, noise-canceling headphones have built-in batteries, which is why they're usually wireless as well. Also, it's worth noting that the extra sound waves added by ANC can slightly distort and degrade sound quality, especially if ANC is poorly implemented.
In contrast, noise-isolating headphones rely solely on the physical aspects of headphones to block out noise. For example, over-ear headphones use a closed-back design in tandem with thick, cushioned ear pads made of genuine or artificial leather to form a seal around your ears that blocks out noise. Earbuds (in-ear headphones) use foam, silicone, or flanged earbud tips to create a tight seal in the ear canal, blocking out external sounds.
As the name implies, passive noise isolation can't completely cancel out noise; it simply tries to block it. Well-engineered noise-isolating headphones do an excellent job of isolating sound to the point that you'll hardly hear any external sounds, especially when listening to something. Noise-isolating headphones don't require batteries or any fancy signal processing, meaning they can be wired, and even cheap models can still perform quite well.
Noise-Canceling Headphones Are a Must-Have for Commuters and Travelers
If you need a pair of headphones for your daily commute, office, coworking space, or travel, you should get a model with ANC. You'll encounter plenty of constant noise coming from the people around you, passing vehicles, and the train or airplane you're on. Good ANC is the only solution if you don't want to hear any of it. You probably want a wireless model, anyway, as it'll be far more convenient than having to deal with a pesky wire, so it's a straightforward way to kill two birds with one stone.In these scenarios, you might still want to be aware of your surroundings or talk to people without having to take off your headphones, which is where transparency mode comes in. It's a feature available on AirPods 4, Pro 2, and other high-end headphones with ANC that allows you to hear your surroundings at a comfortable level.
Transparency mode uses built-in microphones to record and play back external sound. You might think that this defeats the point of ANC, but you can disable transparency mode on the fly. For example, if you're about to order coffee or talk to someone in the gym, you can enable transparency mode, have a quick chat, and then swiftly turn it back off to continue canceling noise.
Thanks to ANC, you can listen to music, podcasts, and videos to maintain your focus, regardless of how noisy your environment is. ANC even allows you to have a quick business call in a busy restaurant, especially when you combine it with a noise suppression feature for microphones.
Even if you prefer complete silence at work, you'll still benefit from noise-canceling headphones. ANC can still block out most external noise, even if your headphones aren't playing any audio, as long as they support the feature. Thanks to ANC, you'll significantly reduce the ear fatigue that loud noise can cause. One caveat is that ANC works best against constant sounds, such as a noisy railway, rather than loud, unexpected noises like car horns.
Noise-Isolating Headphones Are Great for Use at Home
If you just want to shut out the world when listening to music or playing games at home, noise-isolating headphones will be more than satisfactory. You can also use noise-isolating headphones outside, at the gym, or at work, but you won't completely block out external noise with passive noise isolation alone. Still, it will likely get you 60–70% of the way there. Once you have some sound playing, you probably won't hear anything or anyone, anyway.In some ways, noise-isolating headphones are better than noise-canceling headphones. The most important benefit is that they're significantly cheaper when everything else is equal, as they don't need microphones, microchips, and proprietary algorithms. Since noise-isolating headphones don't need batteries, you can also opt for a wired model, which can provide further cost savings.
Another major benefit over noise-canceling headphones is better sound quality. Remember, headphones with ANC play inverse sound waves to block out noise, which can degrade sound clarity. Passive noise-isolating headphones play back sound in its original state, so nothing gets lost or distorted.
Noise-Canceling Headphones Are Usually Also Noise-Isolating Headphones
Pretty much all noise-canceling headphones are also noise-isolating headphones. This makes sense, as their goal is to block out noise by any means necessary. ANC wouldn't work effectively if external noise could still leak into the headphones.This essentially means you can maximize noise blocking by opting for a noise-canceling model. A well-designed pair will isolate your ears from most of the noise, and ANC will handle the remaining noise. That's still not the end of the story, as many wireless noise-canceling headphones can be used with a wire, and some of them even change their sound profile when you do so, such as the Sony MDR1000X. Granted, this is a rare example, and most noise-canceling headphones will maintain the same frequency response.
If you value sound quality and mostly use your headphones indoors, or you just don't mind hearing occasional environmental noise, noise-isolating headphones are probably all you need.
Still, active noise cancelation is a valuable feature. It works surprisingly well, especially on higher-end models. Noise-canceling headphones are worth the investment for the literal peace of mind they provide in noisy situations.
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