User Guide

Noise blocking, noise cancelling, and noise masking
What
are
the
key
di
erences
between
the
types
of
noise
-
reduction
technology
?
If you’re searching for your next pair of headphones, chances are you’re coming
across a lot of technical terms that sound very similar but are just different enough to
confuse you. Do I want to cancel noise or block noise? Do I need noise cancelling or
noise masking? And is there really a difference? The answer is yes. Knowing the
right terms to search for is essential and will lead you to the right tech, the best
product to get the job done, and, hopefully, the experience you seek. Whether you
want to tune in and focus, drown out the world, or cover up distracting sounds that
keep you awake, we’re here to put you on the right path.
There’s a magnitude of technical jargon that’s used interchangeably, and it shouldn’t
be. So we’re going to clear up the confusion with some simple, straightforward
explanations. We’ve broken it down to three distinct approaches for managing noise
with headphones or earbuds —
noise
cancelling
,
noise
masking
,
and
noise
blocking
.
We’ll explain what they are, how they are different, and what they’re best
suited for — without getting too technical or making your eyes glaze over.
NOISE
BLOCKING
Also
known
as
passive
noise
reduction
or
noise
isolation
A
term
like
noise
blocking
sounds
like
a
high
-
tech
solution
,
but
it
s
actually
very
low
tech
.
In
fact
,
noise
blocking
can
be
as
simple
as
sticking
your
ngers
in
your
ears
.
Try
that
the
next
time
you
hear
a
siren
and
notice
how
it
creates
a
physical
barrier
between
you
and
the
o
ending
noise
.
This
is
known
as
passive
noise
reduction
,
another
term
you
ll
probably
come
across
in
your
search
.
Anything
that
covers
your
ears
can
passively
block
noise
.
There
s
nothing
electronic
about
passive
noise
reduction
,
which
means
there
s
no
built
-
in
technology
or
microphone
and
nothing
to
be
powered
on
.
As
low
tech
as
it
is
,
noise
blocking
is
an
integral
part
of
headphone
design
because
,
when
done
right
,
it
s
the
rst
line
of
defense
against
unwanted
sounds
.
That
s
why
having
a
good
seal
on
an
earcup
or
a
snug
t
with
an
earbud
can
make
a
huge
di
erence
in
performance
.
In
this
case
,
the
science
is
more
about
biology
than
technology
.
There
are
so
many
shapes
and
sizes
of
the
human
ear
to
be
studied
,
measured
,
and
tested
.
We
ve
scanned
hundreds
in
the
pursuit
of
better
t
and
comfort
to
ensure
optimal
noise
blocking
.
The
latest
Bose
StayHear
Max
tips
used
with
our
true
wireless
earbuds
are
a
testament
to
the
importance
of
human
form
factors
in
our
innovations
.
The
bottom
line
:
While
noise
blocking
is
e
ective
,
it
needs
to
work
in
tandem
with
a
technology
,
like
active
noise
cancellation
or
noise
-
masking
tech
,
in
order
to
lead
you
to
a
more
sophisticated
solution
.
NOISE
CANCELLING
Also
known
as
active
noise
cancelling
or
active
noise
reduction
Noise
cancelling
is
a
common
term
and
may
be
the
very
thing
you
re
looking
for
.
It
s
di
erent
from
noise
blocking
and
passive
reduction
because
it
involves
active
technology
.
Bose
was
the
rst
to
use
Acoustic
Noise
Cancelling
or
ANC
in
headphones
when
we
invented
the
category
over
20
years
ago
a
legacy
that
will
always
be
tied
to
our
brand
.
We
could
talk
ANC
all
day
long
,
but
let
s
cover
the
basics
.
Noise
cancelling
headphones
have
powered
tech
,
which
means
energy
(
like
a
rechargeable
battery
)
is
needed
in
order
for
them
to
work
.
Remember
,
even
without
power
,
you
re
getting
the
physical
bene
t
of
noise
blocking
by
simply
wearing
the
headphones
.
When
you
turn
them
on
,
that
s
when
the
technology
kicks
in
.
How
does
noise
cancelling
work
?
Noise
cancelling
headphones
monitor
the
sound
around
you
,
preventing
the
unwanted
noise
from
ever
reaching
your
ears
.
Miniature
microphones
in
the
earcups
or
earbuds
listen
to
the
outside
noise
frequencies
and
emit
the
exact
opposite
signal
to
e
ectively
cancel
out
both
sets
of
sounds
when
the
soundwaves
collide
.
Our
acoustic
engineers
explain
that
it
s
a
bit
more
complicated
than
that
since
battery
power
,
signal
processing
,
and
noise
blocking
all
have
their
place
in
creating
the
greater
system
that
is
noise
cancelling
.
But
you
get
the
gist
,
right
?
Where
noise
blocking
is
a
physical
barrier
to
keep
out
sound
,
noise
cancelling
happens
silently
in
the
background
,
creating
an
audio
barrier
.
When
are
the
best
times
to
wear
noise
cancelling
headphones
or
earbuds
?
This
tech
is
perfect
for
situations
when
you
re
serious
about
enjoying
your
music
,
audiobooks
,
podcasts
,
shows
,
or
movies
without
external
noise
getting
in
the
way
.
Noise
cancelling
headphones
are
becoming
a
part
of
everyday
life
,
with
more
and
more
people
using
them
for
work
,
calls
,
travel
,
and
focused
time
at
home
.
TRAVEL
WORKS
BEST
FOR
:
WORK
/
FOCUS COMMUTING
NOISE
MASKING
Also
known
as
sound
masking
Now
we
know
that
noise
blocking
is
a
physical
barrier
and
noise
cancelling
is
a
silent
audio
barrier
.
So
,
what
is
noise
masking
all
about
?
The
science
of
masking
noise
is
di
erent
than
cancelling
it
.
Instead
of
using
electronics
to
combat
disruptive
sounds
,
noise
masking
works
with
how
your
brain
actually
perceives
sound
.
Masking
introduces
another
sound
at
the
same
time
to
cover
the
noise
.
This
turns
out
to
be
very
e
ective
because
of
the
way
di
erent
sounds
combine
in
our
inner
ears
;
a
constant
,
steady
sound
at
just
the
right
frequencies
can
make
an
irregular
,
distracting
sound
less
perceptible
to
your
brain
.
Over
time
,
both
sounds
drift
away
from
your
consciousness
.
A
good
example
of
noise
masking
is
a
white
-
noise
machine
,
which
emits
a
soothing
static
-
like
sound
that
makes
the
external
noise
around
you
less
noticeable
.
So
why
would
you
want
noise
masking
instead
of
noise
cancelling
?
It
all
depends
on
what
kind
of
noise
you
want
to
reduce
.
While
no
technology
can
completely
eliminate
noise
,
cancellation
is
most
e
ective
in
environments
with
lots
of
constant
low
-
frequency
sound
,
like
an
airplane
or
a
bus
.
For
sudden
bursts
of
sound
like
a
loud
snore
in
the
night
masking
does
a
better
job
at
making
it
less
noticeable
.
It
s
why
Bose
uses
noise
-
masking
technology
in
Sleepbuds
II
,
which
are
designed
to
create
a
better
experience
for
sleep
su
erers
.
The
noise
-
blocking
e
ect
of
the
earbuds
combined
with
a
soothing
,
noise
-
masking
sound
lets
your
brain
ignore
the
things
that
may
otherwise
be
a
disruption
,
leading
to
peaceful
relaxation
and
a
restful
sleep
.
And
that
s
far
better
than
putting
a
noise
machine
in
the
corner
of
your
room
,
because
the
steady
sound
goes
right
into
your
ears
.
Hopefully
,
we
ve
untangled
the
di
erences
between
noise
blocking
,
cancelling
,
and
masking
.
Now
that
you
have
the
right
terms
,
nding
the
right
tech
all
depends
on
how
and
where
you
want
to
manage
the
sounds
around
you
.
Product
availability
may
vary
by
country
.
SLEEP
WORKS
BEST
FOR
:
RELAXATION

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