Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Protect Hearing? Well, the answer comes in two parts – yes but not ideally everywhere. There are those circumstances where the headphones won’t offer you 100% protection.
For music traditionalists, the type of headphones you use matters. And getting the best gadget is every music lover’s goal.
The music is even better with noise-cancelling headphones.
Either way, the truth is that the noise-cancelling technology is just on time. Apparently, things are getting nosiest, everywhere!
Talking about noise, there’s this whole range of noise-makers. For example, the factory machinery, jet engines, vehicular noise, ordinary machines and so on,
The thing is that the production of noise is growing to its maximum. And this increase is day to day.
However, these headphones with this technology are landmark inventions. They are going to help block off the high-level sound decibels.
Hence, you are protected from that intense effect of loud, continuous noise.
Wouldn’t you like this interesting gadget? Of course, it has massive benefits considering how easy it is to lose your hearing ability.
Which leads to me to even explain this question further.
Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Protect Hearing?
Yes. Noise cancelling headphones for hearing protection is a great remedy to control potential loss of hearing. This isn’t an assumption, but a fact.
These headphones work by cancelling the external noise. That is the purpose for which they are made.
Unlike the ordinary headphones, you don’t need to raise the volume to prevent outside interference. It just happens they are programmed to block noise naturally.
What’s Noise Cancelling Headphones?
Noise-cancelling headphones are headphones that are created to help minimize sound. They use an active sound control component or soundproofing to do this task.
Thus, there are two types of noise-cancelling headphones. The first is the active noise-cancelling and the second, passive noise-cancelling headphones.
The active noise-cancelling headphones use the noise-reducing technology. While the passive ones are usually soundproofed to help reduce the noise.
These devices can greatly improve one’s listening, right in the middle of a distracting activity.
The active noise-cancelling headphones come with a microphone. It’s this (microphone) component that does three things: it helps in measuring the ambient sound, generates the noise counter waveform and mixes the waveform with the audio signal.
But this doesn’t mean all active headphones work this way. You’ll find others with soft real-time digital processing.
Soundproofing is almost a must in any safety noise-cancelling headphones. The feature prevents higher-frequency noise to hit the ear.
The noise-cancelling technology is able to track the amount of decibels being cut off each time.
There’s a lot of information regarding these apparatuses. Let’s look at some of the benefits they come with.
So…
Why Do You Need Noise Cancelling Headphones For Hearing Protection?
- You Need Protection From High-Frequency Noise
Well, there’s nothing adapted better to the job than these headphones. High-frequency noise can be damaging to the ears.
You know the very suspect sources – heavy traffic, firecrackers, heavy factory machinery etc. The loud sounds will for sure hurt your ears to a point of hearing loss.
But, with the noise-reducing headphones, you’re reassured of protection. Because these devices contain the noise-reduction technology.
You will not need to turn the volume up. The devices are designed to control the noise naturally.
- You Need Protection From The Low-Frequency Noise
You are likely to underestimate the effect of low-frequency noise. I am pretty sure about this.
And, as usual, this is the attitude of many people.
If you only knew what these sounds do. Especially after long, constant exposure to them, you’d be extremely cautious with such noise.
The reprieve is here though: the sound cancelling headphones. They help protect your ears from the constant low noise situations. You need to be aware that such exposure over long time can lead to gradual loss of hearing.
- They Will Help Enhance Your Hearing
Noise-cancelling earphones guarantee you hearing even with noise around you. They can enhance your hearing and you’ll not need to raise the volume to counter the outside noise.
This means that you’ll still continue listening to your music normally.
The active headphones will do this job under low-pitched noise which is constant. And the passive types will improve your hearing under very loud noises.
Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones Vs Passive Noise-Cancelling Headphones.
Now, l want us to get to understand the gist of these two headphone designs.
1. Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones
These headphones read the noise in the surrounding area. Then, through the in-built technology, they produce sound waves that match the same degree of that external noise.
In the process, your hearing is protected ultimately. You will definitely not need to turn your volume to the maximum levels to counter the outside noise interference.
These are arguably the best noise cancelling headphones on the market. Although they come at a considerably higher price, they are worth it.
These headphones can do a great job while you are in an airplane. They eliminate the plane engine purring when you are aboard.
They don’t do a great job when the noise is sudden and extremely loud. For example, they are not efficient in protection against gunshots and fire cracking.
2. Passive Noise-Cancelling Headphones.
Unlike the active-noise cancelling, these ones do not use an electronic technology or power source. Instead, they are soundproofed to help protect your hearing from the external sounds.
Passive noise cancelling headphones are made from thick materials. Meaning that they come with a bit of heaviness in their weight.
The many layers of materials in these gadgets make them effective noise blockers when it comes to loud, sudden noise. And this is the principle behind their style.
However, these headphones may not be true noise-cancellers when there’s constant low-frequency sounds.
Types Of Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Hearing Protection.
You have seen the basic types of headphones for noise cancelling: active noise and passive noise-cancelling headphones.
The two types can be further designed into different styles, as discussed below.
1. Best Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
The wireless noise-cancelling headphones save you the interference of untangling cables or cords. The wireless designs are completely without wire connections.
And, how do noise-cancelling headphones work? Well, basically, they give you the freedom you want.
You can connect them to the smartphone, speaker, TV, computer or any device without necessarily using wires or cables. The audio signals are transmitted through radio or infra-red signals.
For gamers, these type of headphones are a must. If you’re one, you will be free to move around without getting worried wire connections.
You can try out this SONY Wireless noise-cancelling stereo headset. It has great noise cancelling and sounding audio features.
2. Best Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones
The Bluetooth headphones should be paired with the device you want to use. For example, radio, TV etc. The pairing will allow for a connection to be established.
It is the Bluetooth technology that makes this connection a success.
The headphones are installed with a tiny chip inside. This chip has Bluetooth radio and a software that makes connections between the headphones and devices possible.
You should be aware that the Bluetooth data exchange is only possible over shorter distances.
COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones are a welcome choice. They come with at least 30 hours of playtime before the battery is recharged.
3. Noise-Cancelling Headphones with Microphone
These are common in very busy workplaces such as call centers. This is due to the noisy environment created in those facilities.
Yet, if you are an employee in such an environment, you will need headphones that are able to block off the low-frequency sounds and give you peace of mind while you are calling the customers.
These headphones work by filtering the noise out. Hence, only your voice will be heard over the phone – because it’s the only one transmitted.
They also help the employee concentration the call rather than being distracted by the external noises within the room.
Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones with Mic by Monodeal is worth a try. They come with excellent Hifi Sound and is easily portable. It also offers you high-quality listening.
4. Noise-Cancelling Headphones For Sleeping
Trying to sleep through the noise is not an easy thing. You’d easily get awaken most of the times.
The noise-cancelling headphones for sleeping come with features that will help filter out the high sounds. The result of this is nice, comfortable sleep.
They are designed to be lightweight noise-cancelling. Headphones have soft band to let your head feel comfortable to worn in bed.
These headphones could be padded fabric headphones or high-tech noise-cancelling.
Here I recommend you check at the Bose QuietComfort20 which is a secure fit and has an inline microphone and one touch for answering and ending calls.
5. Wired Noise-Cancelling Headphones
The wired headphones have since been replaced by the wireless technology. But they still come in handy.
These headphones require you to have cables or wires. You will connect them to a device through the wires which have a jack pin at their ends.
They come with a number of advantages like no recharging, better quality of audio, and mostly sell at comparatively lower prices than the wireless versions.
Monoprice PID 10010 is a comfortable and portable design that comes with great sound quality.
6. Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones For Travel
These headphones come with a built-in microphone. This helps to collect the background sound waves brought about by the background noises.
In the process, the ambient noises are effectively canceled. Which means things will be silent for you as you travel in that plane or vehicle.
They come with durable batteries for electrical sustainability.
Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 is what you want. With a long-lasting battery (24 hours), you are assured of sustained protection of your hearing while you travel especially in the air.
Check this out: Most Effective Noise Cancelling Ear Muffs for Sleeping
What To Look For When Buying Noise-Cancelling Headphones.
Before you buy a pair of noise reduction headphones, you need to check out for some things. I will give the details of those considerations that matter here.
- Comfort
The headphones you are considering to purchase should give you the kind of comfort your ears deserve. They should have softer headbands to give your head the much-needed comfort.
Test them to ensure that they are good at their job. They need to be able to effectively cut the noise so that you don’t have to be worried whether your hearing will be negatively affected.
- Battery Life
You must never overlook the aspect of battery life. Especially if the headphones come with the noise-cancelling technology which relies on the internal power source for functioning.
So the battery should be durable after it has been recharged. It doesn’t matter whether the model is wireless or not.
Check the indicated battery life on the headphones tag. Ensure that the model lasts at least 25 hours on a full charge.
- Type
Whether you want a wired or a wireless type, the choice is yours. Other than these two, there are other types as discussed earlier on.
Some designs are just simple. While others come with fancy features which means you will have to pay more to get them.
For example, you if you need wireless experience, you may want to try out the headphones with Bluetooth technology.
Apart from noise cancelling, hearing protection is a great feature to look for in these headphones.
- Performance
The headphones you are taking must serve you well – the performance should be top-level. They should be high-quality.
Beginning with their noise-cancelling capability to the audio sound and protection against unwanted noise; they should be superb.
Even under the budget constraints, don’t rush to buy a lesser gadget with poor quality. It will be a waste of resources.
- Adjustable Noise-Cancelation
You need this functionality. Modern noise-cancellation headphones are able to adapt to the environment you are in.
And this application is important because the headphones will be self-adjusting. For example, on a flight, the noise-cancellation level increases as the airplane takes off.
- Budget
You should check the market prices of different headphones. Compare them against each other.
Buy the options which can be comfortably funded by your budget. However, the more sophisticated the noise-cancelling headphones are, the more cash you’ll be required to cough out.
- Market Ratings
These are going to be vital when it comes to decision making. The feedback given by the other previous customers on a particular model should give you, a new buyer very pertinent information.
Look for the products which has been reviewed positively by many users. The more the stars, the better the headphone.
Bottom Line
Do noise cancelling headphones protect hearing? Yes, they do. These headphones help to cancel the ambient noise by producing an equal magnitude of counter sound waves.
However, the noise blocking isn’t 100%. You will still hear some vibrations only that most sound decibels are cut off. So that you can listen to your music better without being disturbed.
The headphones can be either active noise-cancelling or passive noise-cancelling. And there are many other types including the wireless, wired, Bluetooth and noise-cancelling headphones with microphone.
Be careful to consider a few things before settling on a particular type. For example, check that the price of the headphones is within your reach.
Other factors you will need to look at include comfort, battery life, type etc.
