Best Smart Noise-Canceling Headphones that Stand Out Loud and Clear

Home offices, open office spaces, small businesses, and call centers can be noisy work environments where it can be difficult to focus on work and remain productive.

It is now important to reduce distractions as many of us have switched to working or studying at home, where distractions abound. Active noise canceling (ANC) headphones can be a lifesaver when your kids, pets, or roommates can’t always turn the volume down so you can get your work done.

And, if you go back, canceling technology can allow you to listen to your music or podcast without hearing environmental noise like street rules or traffic. 

What are noise-canceling headphones?

Technically speaking, any type of headphones can provide noise reduction. This is because the components of the headphones themselves block certain sound waves, especially those that tend to be high. 

However, the best noise-canceling headphones are over-ear models that are designed to maximize noise-filtering properties. That means they are filled with high layers of foam or other sound-dampening material, which makes them heavier than normal headphones. 

The trade-off for all that weight is a noise reduction of around 15-20 decibels (dB). But given that the jet engine produces 75 to 80 dB of noise in the cabin, the passive model has its limits.

This is where noise-canceling headphones come into play.

Active noise-canceling headphones can do everything passive headphones can do: their design creates a barrier that blocks high-frequency waves.

They also add a level of noise reduction by canceling low-frequency waves. How do noise-canceling headphones achieve this? They create waves that mimic the incoming noise in one direction: the sound from the headphones is 180 degrees from the incoming wave.

What are passive noise-canceling headphones?

This type of noise cancellation does not use power or electronics. Instead, it relies entirely on physical barriers to isolate your ears from the environment.

Since there is no actual noise cancellation, “noise canceling” is the correct technical term for headphones that use this technique.

Many headphones, especially over-ear headphones and in-ear monitors, have this feature. They are designed to seal your ears with padding (or ear tips) and create an air seal, which blocks and blocks out ambient sound.

Imagine how it sounds when you cover your ears with your hands. Much cooler, right? That’s the main thing he does. However, the effectiveness still depends on the overall design.

Factors that affect the noise isolation of headphones include the size of the ear cups, the thickness and material of the padding, the shape of the ear, and the tightness of the headband. 

Can Bluetooth wireless noise-canceling headphones work without music?

Yes. In fact, playing music cancels out the headphones’ noise-canceling qualities.

The frequency of your music fights and stands out against the ambient noise, making you feel isolated. But that’s the opposite of someone who just wants to keep quiet.

Fortunately, noise-canceling headphones are good for blocking out background noise, even without music. They can reduce the noise in busy streets or shops. But they are more useful for surround sound, which repeats the sound repeatedly and for a long time. 

Examples are windy weather while relaxing at home or the noise of an engine in an airplane cabin. Unfortunately, they are not good at blocking high-pitched, consistent sounds. 

5 of the Best Smart Noise-canceling Headphones