There are a large variety of headphones in the specialized shops. Some of them can produce melodic sounds and protect your ears from the outer uproar at the same time. Such devices have specific construction and an own number of models with a different set of characteristics. So how to choose noise canceling headphones and pick up the best for yourself? Read the characteristics of each kind.
Variety of Noise Canceling Headphones
All types of the best noise canceling headphones can be divided into three general categories:
- In-ear devices with a noise block on the cable (small and neat design suitable for active persons who spend a day on the move).
- Wireless inserts (electronics and power supply system are carried to the “collar” or “rocker”).
- Full-size headphones. Designers during the development of this device paid special attention to high-quality sound, as a result noise reduction is only an additional feature.
Characteristics of the first category can be applied to the common small overhead headphones. But in this case, devices will cost more expensive. In the note: when the device battery will be off, the earphones will work in a standard headphone mode. The bad thing — you will not be able to get rid of the accumulator box. At the same time, this power block weighs only a couple of grams.
We also recommend a post about How to Choose Wireless Headphones for TV.
The second type actually has the wires, but they are needed to connect the drivers with electronics. With the smartphone or mp3 player devise linked up by Bluetooth. The worst feature of describing headphones is limited autonomy. That is because the energy source of such devices is usually a small low capacity accumulator. In this case, the models which run on simple batteries are more practical: you can throw a few small batteries in a bag just on the off-chance and go into the pampas with a calm soul.
The last category characterized by large sizes, heavyweight, and high prices. That is why this type of a noise-canceling headphones has a scanty variety of modifications.
How do NC Earphones Work?
The term “active noise canceling” implies the presence of a passive one. The passive reduction is an attribute of every type headphones, not only of that kind which absorbs extraneous sounds. The deal is that sometimes developers pay special attention to it. For example, they can make denser ear cups or add to it sound-absorbing materials. The first reason of such construction — reduction sound`s leakage out. It helps to relieve people around you from the noise of your music.
The passive noise canceling system is almost useless for your isolation from external noise. Sound permeates not only through the body of the device but also through the cranium bones (if to speak about low-frequency sounds). Exactly this type of noise can be extinguished by noise canceling systems.
All described types of headphones are created by the same principle patented back in 1934 — two sinusoidal signals are connected (one of which is antiphase), after what at the output remains only difference signal. Two signals will be damped if they are completely coinciding. That is why we need to mix in-phase and out-of-phase noise signals. Sound vibrations should be converted into electrical ones, then amplified, turned in phase and mixed with in-phase.
For a common person, all this terminology may seem complicated. All that you need to know about this — good noise canceling construction of headphones can`t be too compact.
