4 ms·
Noise cancelling headphones need to generate exactly opposite "anti-noise" to cancel noise. This of course works better at lower frequencies. They're near mag
by MarkusWandel 4y ago
Noise cancelling headphones need to generate exactly opposite "anti-noise" to cancel noise. This of course works better at lower frequencies.
They're near magical at cutting down the rumble of ventilation systems, airplane wind noise, and even bus engines. But spoken voice contains high-pitch elements that they just can't track and so you still hear it. Though attenuated, it's at about the same ratio to the attenuated background noise.
For me, personally, this means I generally don't use them as just noise cancellation devices. I'd rather have the whole sound spectrum than "cone of silence" with voices still cutting through. I find playing some music, even at a low level, solves that, but I concentrate better with random background burble than with music.
Mine are QC35s. I also have a cheap pair that cost about 1/8 as much that doesn't have quite the "whoa" effect of the Bose ones, but still very satisfyingly cuts down diesel engine roar in the rear seating row of a bus!
- Bingaloopa 4y agoI had the Sony WH1000XM3s and found similar - I still loved them but it was cutting out low droning noises etc that they shone at and voices definitely cut though quite a bit. Recently though I got the Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds 2 (in ears), and the noise cancelling on them is next-level. So much better at cutting out higher pitches and I love them. I often use them in a room with a loud television and people speaking and they cut out a lot of speech and general noise It still doesn't create silence in those conditions admittedly, but it's very impressive
- muzani 4y agoI always thought that the inability to filter voice is a feature, not a bug. They're great (or useless) in offices. One of my earliest were NC headphones, which was amazing, then I bought some of the thick ear muff ones just because they're cheap. But I plan to have one of both now that most devices don't have a headphone jack anyway.