Youve probably seen the letters ANC everywhere when shopping for headphones or earbuds.
What is ANC?
CleersAlpha ANCis a relatively cheaper option at $200, featuring powerful noise cancelation.
Photo: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo
While the noise cancelation part is pretty straightforward, you might wonder what the active in ANC refers to.
But just like ANC, its also made its way to earbuds.
If there were an opposite of ANC, it would be Transparency mode.
Its usually a good idea to turn it on on the street for safety reasons.
What if you want a high cancelation level when theres noise and not as much when its quieter?
Theres a mode for that, too.
Adaptive Noise Cancellation adjusts to your environment and can tweak its level based on the loudness of your surroundings.
This allows for manual adjustment from your end.
Heres how the tech works.
Mics outside the earbud listen to ambient sounds to silence them.
A mic or two inside the bud also listens to your voice.
The mics then produce sound waves that neutralize the unwanted ambient sound.Bang & Olufsenputs it nicely.
Its a bit like taking +2 outside and adding -2 inside to make zero.
Do I Need ANC?
Requiring ANC on your headphones is ultimately based on personal preference and lifestyle.
Its an excellent feature to have handy.
We live in a noisy world, and ANC can be more beneficial than you think.
Want more of Gizmodos consumer electronics picks?
Check out our guides to thebest laptops,best TVs, andbest headphones.
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