Noise-cancelling headphones FAQs What is the difference between PNC and ANC? After hours of testing, and getting sick of at least three of our favourite albums, we’ve put together a list that’ll please any ear. There are many brands that now offer genuinely good noise cancellation, including headphones aimed at kids, as well as quality sound output. And the less said about people sneaking up on you, the better. No headphones cancel out all noise (yet), but to most ears, this doesn’t really matter – it’s an odd sensation to look down at yourself typing, only to hear nothing coming back at you. Although, as ANC senses external frequencies and negates them by matching them in your ears, this can have an effect on the music you’re listening to: after all, tracks will most likely have frequencies that match with the outside world. More on that later.Įither way, these noise-cancelling techniques can heighten your listening experience. While the former is a physical element, whereby the shape of the headphones dictates how much ambient sound can sneak in, ANC brings tech into the equation. Firstly, we have to distinguish between passive noise cancellation (PNC) and active noise cancellation.

Picking headphones with good quality noise-cancelling is a must but as there are two types of noise cancellation – passive and active – it can be hard to know where to star. Headphones with good ANC will drown out the screeches of the London Underground with ease, while others with poorly implemented ANC will let in every high-frequency sound, making the noise-cancelling feature worthless. These days, almost every pair of wireless headphones and wireless earbuds claim to be noise-cancelling, but active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t equal across every brand.

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