By now you've probably heard about them. Either through a friend or reviewer, you've probably heard something about the greatness of noise cancellation in headphones. But what does this really mean? And which of these headphones is really the best? In this article we will explore what are considered to the best noise cancelling headphones on the market right now. We will also look at what the technology really is and how it works.
What Are Noise Cancelling Headphones?
These headphones are derived from a special technology that allows you to tune out the unnecessary noise in your headset speakers. But, of course, you don't actually do the work - the headphones do it for you. To break the process down for you, noise cancellation is created by a few steps that all take place in or around the headset speakers.
First, there is a microphone that is placed near the ear that produces a sound called an antinoise wave. The wave has an opposite polarity of the sound wave that is arriving at the microphone from the actual music source. When they meet up (or collide) they cancel each other out. This effect is called phase cancellation. Once phase cancellation occurs, a new sound wave is created called destructive interference. Destructive interference works to eliminate all of the "messy" sounds that come from the music source so that when the original sound wave comes to the speakers, only the clean aspects of the sound will be heard - very complex and very cool!
Are There Benefits to Noise Cancellation?
There are many benefits to finding the best noise cancelling headphones out there. For one, you are able to benefit from a very detailed process meant specifically to increase the quality of your listening experience. Many reviewers say this is great because the result is so clean and crisp that you don't have to turn up the volume on your musical device to hear all of the intricacies of a composition, which is not only good news for those who love to hear the subtleties of music, but also for those who feared going deaf in the near future from turning the volume up so high.
Another reason to seek and find the best noise cancelling headphones available is because they are able to block out not only what you don't want to hear in the song, but also what you don't want to hear around you. Because the technology involved in the headphones helps to diffuse noises near the speaker, it also helps to diffuse noises around you, like the low rumbling of a jet engine as it revs up. This gives you two benefits for the price of one, which is always a major selling point.
What Are the Best Noise Cancelling Headphones?
Bose Quiet Comfort 2 - There are actually two different models from Bose that are very popular, thus there is a debate as to which are the best noise cancelling headphones between the two. However, since more people tend to like the price tag of the Quiet Comfort 2 (as opposed to Quiet Comfort 3), I thought I would look out for the more spend-thrifty consumer in this situation. These headphones are a great choice and are very popular with airlines because they can diffuse the sounds of airplanes and people during a flight; they are said to be so good that they can even block out sounds when no music is turned on. Also, they give you a very crisp, clean musical experience, which is great for travel or just sitting in your home. It is for these reasons that reviewers and customers alike highly recommend them for your listening pleasure.
JVC HA-NC250 - These make the list as one of the best noise cancelling headphones, but not for their price (though they are not as costly as some out there). The main reason people love these headsets is because they have extremely comfortable leatherette ear cups that are oblong instead of circular so that they can actually fit the shape of the ear; this means there won't be as much pressure and ear sweating - nice perk! To brag a little bit more about the fit, most customers tend to like the idea that the arms are adjustable and the cups swivel forward and backward.
Now, let's get to the sound quality. They are said to block out high-frequency sounds very well and produce a clean, open sound as advertised. The bass is tight, but not overwhelming, which is good. And the overall, the audio response is even. The headphones come with a nice carrying case, an airplane adapter, and a removable cable. All things considered, it seems that they are a good bargain for the price.
Sennheiser PXC-300 - These made the best noise cancelling headphones list because of their state-of-the-art NoiseGard Advance active noise cancellation technology that guarantees a disturbance-free musical experience even in the most distracting environments. They are said to reduce unwanted noise in (and around) the speakers up to 80 percent. They even say that these headphones don't succumb to the annoyances of that weird cell phone interference (you know that weird noise that cell phones create making your computers and alarm clocks go crazy). They are easy to carry, coming with a soft, protective case, and they have a folding mechanism that lets them easily glide them into the case. Possibly the best aspect of the headset, however, is the 2-year warranty that accompanies it.
There are a few other brands and models that could have been considered the best noise cancelling headphones; however, these are most popular among a larger number of reviewers. Before you run out and purchase one of each pair though, I recommend you get out there and try them on for size. You might find that none of them work for you. Then you'll be mad at me for having you run out to buy what I think are the best noise cancelling headphones, when in actually, only you can determine which are the best ones for you.
