Noise Cancellation Headphones Review

Noise cancellation headphones have been around for a few years. Many swear by them when traveling on airlines to eliminate the hum of aircraft noise. In fact one of the development pioneers of consumer noise canceling headphone was Amar Bose, of Bose Technologies. He found the headphones provided as standard issue to be unpleasant and his company was the first to release this technology to the paying public in the 1980s. So how doe they work and what makes a good set of noise cancellation headphones?

The technology is based on inverting the noise around you to cancel out what you are hearing outside the headphones. It does this by a microphone picking up the sounds around you. It inverts those sound waves so they are the opposite and when played back, the outside sound disappears. This is done in real time. As a result of the need for real time canceling the headphones work best with constant sounds such as air conditioning units rather than any quick changes of sound. So they eliminate some sounds, but not all.

The noise cancellation technology and microphone need battery power to work so this must be built into the unit itself or added as a box on the cabling. When components need to be added to the cables it can be bulky and inconvenient. More technology is moving to being housed in the earphone itself eliminating extra bulk. Some headphone models can continue to work as headphones even if the battery has run out, the noise cancellation technology just doesn't operate in these circumstances.

The two major forms of noise cancellation headphones are the ear surround model and the over ear model. The ear surround model works somewhat like a pair of air muffs. As well as passively reducing the sound getting into the ear canal, the cancellation technology reduces noise even further. They are well cushioned but some people find them heavy and when worn for long periods of time to be hot and sweaty.

The on ear version of noise cancellation headphones rest on the outside of the ear. They are usually lighter and allow more airflow as a consequence. The potential downside is they naturally reduce less noise and are less effective at reducing loud volume.

The ability to detach the cabling may be something you would use. Some people like to use them without listening to music. They just want the constant noise around them to disappear. This can be useful to protect the hearing such as when you're out mowing the lawn.

If you use noise cancellation headphones on a regular basis such as for your job or travel, you may need to transport them safely. The final accessory you should look at is the carry case that is provided. Soft cases are easier to fit into odd spots in your luggage or hand bag, but they do not provide the level of protection a hard case will..

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