What is ANC and how does it work?

ANC stands for ‘Active Noise Cancellation’ and it is a technology used in earphones/headphones to actively reduce background noise. This provides a better audio experience for the listener as they can focus more on the music without it competing with background noise. ANC earphones also allow the listener to listen to music at lower volumes because they don’t have to increase the volume so much in order to block out background noises.

Before we go into detail about how it works, let us start by understanding the audio frequencies we can hear.

On average most humans can hear audio frequencies ranging from 20Hz to 20Khz.

audio-spectrum
Many headphones and earphones already have a degree of ‘passive’ noise cancellation. This is achieved by using over-ear headphones which completely cover your ears thereby reducing a degree of background noise. In-ear earphones also achieve this but plugging your ear-canal to create a seal which prevent some background noise from entering your ear. This method tends to work for mid-high frequencies (above 1KHz) but it is not so effective for bass frequencies.

In order to reduce lower frequencies your earphones need ‘active noise cancellation’ technology or ‘ANC’ for short. ANC earphones/headphones are able to reduce lower frequencies by around 20-40db which makes a noticeable difference, especially when combined with the passive noise cancellation of the earphones themselves.

ANC works by using microphones to pick up low-frequency noise and then by neutralisingthat noise before it reaches the ear. The headset generates a sound that’s phase-inverted by 180 degrees to the unwanted noise, resulting in the two sounds cancelling each other out.

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Hezire.com
Hezire.com

Our Hezire H-Budz ANC features Active Noise Cancellation with up to 25 dB of noise reduction for a more immersive listening experience. As an added benefit, we also include ‘transparency’ mode which does the opposite of ANC by allowing background noise to enter the earphone more freely. This is especially useful if you are using your earbuds in urban environments where you need to be aware of traffic and other hazards. You can conveniently switch between regular (no ANC/transparency) mode, ANC mode and Transparency mode simply by pressing and holding the touch control located on the earbud.

To learn more about H-Budz ANC please click on the following product page link:

http://hezire.com/product/hezire-hbudz-anc/

FAQs

ANC stands for Active Noise Cancellation. It’s a technology in headphones that reduces unwanted background noise by using microphones to detect external sounds and then producing opposite sound waves to cancel them out. This helps create a quieter, more immersive listening experience, especially in noisy environments. 

 Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) works by using built-in microphones in headphones or earphones to detect external ambient sounds. These sounds are then processed by an ANC chipset, which generates sound waves that are the exact opposite (inverse) of the detected noise. When these inverse waves play through the speakers, they effectively cancel out the original external sounds through a process called phase cancellation. This results in a quieter, more immersive listening experience, especially useful in noisy environments like airplanes, public transport, or busy offices.

The best type of ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) is generally Hybrid ANC, as it combines both feed-forward and feed-back systems:

  • Feed-forward ANC uses an external microphone to detect and cancel outside noise.
  • Feed-back ANC uses an internal microphone to cancel sound closer to your ear.
  • Hybrid ANC combines both, offering more accurate and effective noise cancellation across a wider range of frequencies.

Conclusion:
Hybrid ANC is considered the best for delivering superior noise reduction, especially in dynamic or loud environments like travel or commuting.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) isn’t just about better sound—it can actually be better for your ears too. By reducing external noise, ANC allows you to listen at lower volumes compared to regular headphones, helping protect your hearing over time. However, it’s important to use ANC earbuds or headphones responsibly and avoid extended use at high volumes. While ANC itself doesn’t harm your ears, healthy listening habits are key to long-term ear safety.

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