Imagine an early morning when you’re on the train, battling the noise of several groups of people. The urge to just go back into bed to feel peace and silence. The overflow of words and weird sounds makes your mind. Everything starts feeling irritating until the moment you put your earpods in. Boom, all the sound disappeared in a split second. All of a sudden, the only thing you hear from your noise-cancelling headphones is the audiobook you have been wanting to listen to for ages.
Wanting to experience peace and silence among the rushed and noisy city is a desire almost all of us have experienced. The only thing protecting us from having to tolerate the clamour is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Have you ever wondered how this magical feeling of muting out the world occurs? In this article, we will explain the wonderful magic that your headphones can perform with the simple switch of a button!
Sound Explained:
For starters, sound is an energy which reaches your ears in the form of a wave. As many of us may have learned in elementary school, sound is essentially vibrations which force air particles to move, creating different wavelengths. The stronger the speed of the vibrations, the further sound travels. The human ear only catches vibrations of certain wavelengths, wherein the slowest it can hear is 20 vibrations per second or Hertz.
What Is Noise Cancellation?
Ilyuza Mingazova. Published on March 6, 2020. A Loud Public Place
The most basic level of noise blocking, which occurs, is passive noise cancellation. This is essentially any physical barrier preventing sound waves from reaching your eardrums. While this seems simple, it is unique in headphones because companies assess how noise is effectively blocked to design earpods which will fit into various ear types. While passive noise cancellation works for some situations, the true technology behind active noise cancellation involves more technology.
Active Noise Cancellation Explained:
More specifically, there are microphones placed outside the headphones to pick up any external sounds coming from your environment. Based on these sound waves, your headphones create the opposite sound waves to mute out the external sound. This is known as destructive interference. Your earpods have a mini circuitry which produces the opposite sound by reversing the troughs and crests (lowest and highest points) interpreted in the wave. Interpretation occurs in a digital signal processor(DSP). This processor is multifunctional, in which it produces spatial audio sensation and maintains balance among the bass, mids and treble. Altogether, destructive interference zeroes out the noise, creating a noise cancellation effect which allows you to listen to your music in peace.
Other Questions About Noise Cancellation?
Is Noise Cancellation Harmful for Your Ears?
The noise cancellation feature does not harm your ears as it is just enhancing the clarity of the sound you are listening to and not raising the volume in any way. Nevertheless, you must maintain an optimal volume when listening to music since loud music can damage your eardrums if listened to for long periods of time.
Why does Noise Cancellation not block off sounds completely?
While noise cancellation is effective in most situations, earpods with ANC might not be able to use destructive interference in loud environments. This can occur if sound isn’t being interpreted properly by the DSP, if loud sounds are occurring suddenly, and if sounds are at extremely high frequencies.
Which Companies make noise-cancellation earpods?
While many companies produce different types of Active Noise Cancellation headphones, the most common is the AirPods. Other companies include Bose, Sony, Samsung, and Beats, among others.
Which is Better, ANC Headphones or Earbuds?
While both have pros and cons, headphones are more effective in noise cancellation considering their size and ability to deliver enhanced sound quality. Earpuds are the convenient option for many people, thinking that they can be wireless and portable.
Can I Wear ANC Earpods All Day?
Like most other devices, excessive use is discouraged because it can lead to ear damage. While ANC itself doesn’t cause damage, your ear needs a break. A common rule for headphones is 60/60, wherein you take breaks every 60 minutes and listen to audio at no higher than a 60% volume.