Noise Cancelling Vs. Noise Isolating Headphones Explained

Noise-canceling headphones are the new fad in the world of headphones. But what exactly are noise-canceling headphones? And what about noise isolating headphones? Read on to learn more about noise-canceling vs. noise-isolating headphones differences and how they compare with each other.

Noise-canceling is a technology that allows you to cut out background noise from your headphones, which makes listening to music or watching a movie much more enjoyable as well as better sounding without needing to turn up your volume as high as it would be if there were no noise canceling.

The Efficiency Of Reducing Noise

When shopping for headphones, it’s essential to know what noise canceling and noise isolating mean. While they sound similar, their effects are very different! Noise-canceling headphones use microphones that work together with software to pick up ambient sounds and alter them in real-time, canceling out noise in specific frequencies so you can better hear your music or podcast. Meanwhile, noise isolating headphones rely on passive design—they create a physical barrier between your ears and external noises by sealing off ear canals with tight-fitting tips or solid buds so you can enjoy your tunes without distraction.

Effect On The Sound Quality

When it comes to sound quality, noise-canceling headphones win over noise-isolating headphones. This is especially true for those who listen to music rich in bass and instruments with a deeper frequency range, which you tend to find with rock and hip-hop music. With a decent pair of noise-canceling headphones on your head, you can crank up your volume higher than what most people listen to without hearing an obnoxious amount of bass-blaring from outside sounds. You can even lower your headphone volume level so you can barely hear outside sounds – making it almost as if you weren’t wearing any headphones at all – but still enjoy crisp music quality from your earbuds inside of your ears.

Portability

It’s no secret that noise-canceling headphones are more expensive than their noise-isolating counterparts—but is it worth your while to invest in a pair? How important is it that you can take your headphones with you anywhere? There are several reasons why portability is essential when choosing headphones, like listening to music on a flight or exercising outside. The flip side of portability is isolation; if you’re in a noisy environment (like in an office), you want to be able to drown out any distractions by turning up your headphones’ volume, so they should be both isolating and canceling. If mobility isn’t a priority, but isolation is, look for earbuds/headphones which feature active noise cancellation (ANC). Since ANC works through microphones that use software to block outside noises, these types of headphones can still be isolated without being worn over your ears.

Comfort

When choosing headphones, it’s essential to select a pair that you can wear for hours on end without experiencing pain or discomfort. With noise-isolating headphones, background noise is reduced by creating a seal around your ear through fit and isolation technology such as closed backs or tight-fitting ear tips to keep outside sound from seeping in and drowning out your music. The downside to these headphones is that they can get hot and sticky when worn for extended periods, which isn’t ideal if you’re exercising or dancing at a club.