Sunday, November 4, 2012

Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Work?

By Allan F. Sansone


Noise-cancellation - a typical enough term. We have all heard about it, also it seems like a perfect idea. But how do noise-cancellation headphones really work? They don't simply prevent the sound - that is what frequent headphones do. Just how do they undertake it?

It all comes down to sound waves. The earphones have microphones that capture the sound waves as they reach your own ear, after which electric circuitry generates an "antinoise" signal. This transmission is definitely an inverted copy of the original sound wave, which then travel together into your ear. The waves hinder each other, known as destructive interference, with no sound gets to your own ear.

So why bother? It appears a bit extreme, doesn't it? Regular headphones do a very good job of blocking the sound. Even if your surroundings are usually loud, you can just turn your own headphones' volume up, right? Nicely, yes, of course you can. But when you are on an airplane, attempting to rest near the roaring engines, and you've a choice between turning up the volume - greatly - and also cancelling the noise totally, what would you select?

Also, if you think about it, you are doing oneself a favor. Any time you turn up your headphones to cover up the outside noise, you damage your own ears just a little more. You know how when you walk out of a concert and your ears are ringing? That is harm to your eardrums. So, instead of turning up the volume, you should block out the ambient noise, and also save your hearing. Eventually, you will be thankful later in life.

Personally, I've no need for noise-cancelling headphones. I'm not constantly around noises, as with the city, therefore normal earphones are usually adequate. But then again, I reside in a small town. Perhaps somebody in San Francisco, or even New York, or even Los Angeles will find the occasion to utilize them far more than I might. Everything depends upon what you are considering.

An additional option is the happy medium - noise-reducing headphones, which usually still block a great amount of background noise. They don't require electric batteries, are lighter, and, obviously, are usually far less expensive, while retaining high quality sound. As the noise-cancelling headphones and the regular headphones have their own niches, the noise-reducing headphones are ideal for any special occasion.

Then again, next time I'm on an airplane, I think I'll be yearning for those noise-cancelling earphones all the same.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment