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How to Find the Best AC Earbuds
How to Find the Best AC Earbuds
The best anc earbuds offer noise-canceling technology that blocks distracting ambient sounds while you listen to music or podcasts. Popular with travelers, ANC is particularly good at canceling out consistent sounds like plane engines or the trundling of trains on overnight flights. It can also help you concentrate at work or study in a noisy cafe or dorm room.
Unlike passive noise isolation, which filters out high-frequency sounds, anc headphones and earbuds have active noise cancellation circuitry that picks up sound waves and plays them back as equal-but-opposite anti-noise waves. In addition to reducing distracting ambient noise, ANC can improve the clarity of your audio, making it easier to hear the words and melody of your favorite songs and podcasts.
When shopping for a pair of anc earbuds, consider your budget and intended use. Also factor in comfort and features, like touch controls, water resistance and sound customization via apps. Finally, look for a pair with a battery life long enough to last through a flight or weekday jogs.
We've reviewed the best anc earbuds to help you find the perfect pair for your needs. Read on for a comparison chart and detailed reviews of our top picks, including how they perform in key categories.
Whether you're looking for an affordable pair of noise-canceling earbuds to wear on an overnight flight or a high-end set that can rival the best wireless earbuds for jogging and other exercise, our comparison chart will help you find the right pair for your budget. Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive lab testing, user experiences and expert evaluations.
A pair of anc earbuds must provide a secure fit and block distracting ambient sounds while playing music or podcasts. The most comfortable anc earbuds have soft, flexible ear tips that gently press in your ears to create a seal without pressing against your ears. Ideally, they should also be lightweight and compact to make them as portable as possible for daily use.
If you want to customize the anc functionality of a pair of earbuds, some options offer built-in microphones for phone calls and voice assistants, while others have mics that integrate with your smartphone app. Some earbuds have C3 calling technology that reduces environmental noise on voice and video calls.
Some anc earbuds may produce an audible high-frequency hiss when activated, while other models completely eliminate this issue. You can test for this hiss by activating the ANC in a quiet environment and listening for an audible high-frequency hiss or white noise.
ANC is the feature that sets the best anc earbuds apart from their cheaper counterparts. For example, the Bose QC35 II has adaptive ANC that adjusts to your environment. This feature works by playing a chime through the earbuds while the inner microphone measures how the chimes resonate in your ear canal. It then uses this information to cancel out surrounding noise, giving you a more personal experience. Other ANC features include customizable settings in the Bose app and the option to add awareness mode, so you can maintain a level of consciousness while you're out and about.
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