The Noise Cancellation Breakdown: ANC, Microphone, Passive

Different types of Noise Cancelling in Headsets

When it comes to business Headsets there are 3 main types of Noise Cancellation you should consider. Noise Cancelling features will vary depending on the headset so its good to know what you are looking for and to understand the different types of noise cancellation.
Please note: No headset will ever remove 100% of all background noise

- Active Noise Cancelling

- Microphone Noise Cancelling

- Passive Noise Cancelling

What is Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)?

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is a clever technology that is designed to reduce unwanted background noise and ambient sounds. The technology operates within the headset itself and benefits the wearer of the headset. ANC technology identifies sound waves and frequencies, then generates the opposing sound waves to counteract and neutralize any unwanted sounds. ANC can be a very important factor when it comes to business communications as it will help lock you in to your conversation and reduce unwanted distractions.

What is Noise Cancellation in the Microphone?

Noise Cancelling microphone is integrated into the headset and it reduces background noise and enhances communication for the person listening on the phone. It will improve the clarity of the speakers voice by reducing ambient sound and unwanted noises for the listener. Just like ANC, it recognizes the sound waves and frequency around you and produces the opposite sound waves to cancel out and reduce the noise from going through the microphone. Essentially like a noise filter. Some headsets have multiple built in microphones which can detect more frequency and overall make the level of noise cancellation a lot stronger. A good noise-cancelling microphone will essentially prioritise your voice over any unwanted background noise and reduce the unwanted noise significantly.

What is Passive Noise Cancellation?

Passive noise cancellation is achieved by the physical design of the headset. There is no technology involved in passive noise cancellation. When you put a headset on you will have some form of blockage from background noise due to the ear cushions pressing and cover your ears. This is essentially what passive noise cancelling is.

Over-Ear Design: Headsets with over-ear cups help to naturally block out some external noise by covering the entire ear.

On-ear Design: On ear headsets are the most common, the headsets essentially sit on the ear and do a good job at passively reducing background noise. If your headset is more compressed or you have bigger ear cushions, this will usually help reduce background noise.

In-Ear Design Design: In-Ear headsets are exactly how they sound, they are headsets that sit in your ears, like ear buds. These are possibly the best out of all 3 designs at passive noise cancellation because they form a barrier for noise travelling in your ear.

Should you get a Noise Cancelling Headset?

Most headsets come standard with noise cancelling microphones built-in, unless stated otherwise, or they are voice tube headsets. However, each headset has different levels of noise cancellation so you need to consider how noisy your environment is before choosing a headset. A louder environment will need a higher-quality noise-cancelling headset. Unless you are in a very quiet environment I will always recommend customers to get a good noise cancellation headset as this will set bring a whole new level to your business communications. How good your quality is on a business phone call can make or break a deal. Then you have to decide if you want Active Noise Cancellation. This may cost you a little bit more than expected because you’re paying for extra technology, unless you go for refurbished. But if you are easily distracted and work in a busy environment then it is worth getting.

The Importance of Noise Cancellation

Whether you take calls in the office, at home or on the go, it’s crucial to be heard clearly at all times. Nobody wants to be on the receiving end of loud colleagues, barking dogs or crying babies in the background!

By investing in a noise-cancelling headset suitable for your environment you can enjoy crystal clear calls anytime. And if you need that extra level of reduction, active noise-cancelling headset will help you focus wherever you work.

If you would like ANC technology in your headset, then we have a full list of ANC headsets available here. Or you can see our top 10 ANC list.

If you have any further questions regarding our headsets, please get in touch with us at The Headset Store on 01675 432 123 or email [email protected]