How noise cancelling headphones enhance audio in noisy surroundings

Noise cancellation technology reduces external noise that you don’t want to hear.

In the case of headphones, this means preventing you from hearing ambient noise, so you can better focus on your audio content.

It does this in a few ways.

Active noise cancellation is the use of technology, such as microphones and algorithms, to cancel out external noise.¹

The Dyson OnTrac™ headphones, for example, use eight precisely-placed microphones to detect surrounding noise 384,000 times per second. The headphones then generate opposing sound waves that make the original noise inaudible to you through destructive interference.¹

To discover more, read our article The science behind the silence: how do noise-cancelling headphones work

Passive noise cancellation is the use of physical design to prevent you from hearing external noise.² This kind of design typically focuses on sealing your ear into the headphone, making it harder for external sound waves to reach your eardrum.²

The Dyson OnTrac™ headphones use this principle, coupled with its active noise cancellation to provide uninterrupted, pure audio.

Noise-cancelling earbuds are shaped to fit very snugly into your ear to create a similar seal as noise cancelling headphone cups. But as everyone’s ears are slightly different, the headphone cups are more universally applicable.

Beamforming is a supplement to noise cancellation that attacks the problem from the other direction. It uses directional telephony microphones to amplify your voice when you're on the phone.

The Dyson OnTrac™ headphones use beamforming to make your calls sound clear, while still blocking unwanted noise.

Now we understand how noise cancellation works, let’s examine how noise cancellation helps you.

The primary benefit of noise cancellation is that it helps reduce noise pollution, which is an ever-present issue.

It can be difficult to focus on work if you’re in a noisy environment. Open plan offices can be filled with ambient noise that can distract or interrupt, breaking your immersion and impeding your progress.

But noise-cancelling headphones prevent this background noise from ever reaching you, so you can stay focused.

If you’re wearing headphones but can’t properly hear your audio, you may instinctively raise the volume.

Yet overexposure to consistent loud sounds can damage your ears and hearing.³

With noise cancellation, you won’t have to raise the volume of your audio because you won’t hear the background chatter that would typically interfere with your listening.

Some people find it difficult to relax with lots of ambient noise surrounding them.

If you need to take a minute to unwind at work, or want to lounge at home, noise cancelling headphones can help you hit your groove.

Combine the use of noise cancellation with yoga or a good audiobook to help yourself properly unwind and escape from the constant humdrum of the day-to-day.

You don’t have to play any audio while wearing noise cancelling headphones. Instead, you can relax in the silence. If you’re in the mood for a good book, or just need a bit of peace and quiet, a nice soothing silence can go a long way.

The Dyson OnTrac™ headphones offer best-in-class ANC and adjustable modes that you can easily cycle through.

Isolation mode provides you with that classic noise cancelling experience, completely immersing you in your own soundscape.

With a double tap on the ear cup or headband, you can switch to Transparency mode. This deactivates all ANC features so in a busy café or station you can hear announcements while keeping your sounds centre stage.

When you’re done, tap the headset again to get back to pure audio.

Not only does noise cancellation enhance your audio, it also enhances your quality of life.

If you’re looking for a way to relax, focus or just ensure you can actually hear your music when out and about, then you’re looking for noise cancellation.

If you own a pair of Dyson OnTrac™headphones, show off where you wear yours with the hashtags #MyDyson and #DysonOnTrac.

1 Burns, V. (2020) How do noise-cancelling headphones cancel sounds?, BBC Science Focus Magazine. Available at: https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/how-do-noise-cancelling-headphones-cancel-sounds (Accessed: 25 September 2023).  

2 Molesworth, B.R.C. and Burgess, M. (2013) ‘Improving intelligibility at a safety critical point: In flight cabin safety’, Safety Science, 51(1), pp. 11–16. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2012.06.006.  

3 How does loud noise cause hearing loss? (2020) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/how_does_loud_noise_cause_hearing_loss.html#:~:text=Repeated%20exposures%20to%20loud%20noises,speech%20even%20in%20quieter%20places. (Accessed: 25 September 2023).