The Basics
Noise cancelling headphones shut out background noise, leaving you free to enjoy your musical interlude undisturbed by the sounds around you.
Passive Noise Cancelling
In a nutshell, passive noise cancelling headphones cover your ears to stop sounds interfering with your musical enjoyment. This can be effective, especially with over ear headphones as the ear pads can be designed for a high level of sound insulation. The August EP650 are a very good example of this, the materials used in the ear pads give great isolation letting you unwind without disturbance.
Active Noise Cancelling
Simply put, active noise cancelling headphones listen to the sounds around you and play the opposite soundwave to cancel out background noise. This can be very effective for low bass rumbles, business travellers and commuters can ‘turn off’ engine sounds at the flick of a switch. Because Active Noise Cancelling isn’t dependent on headphone design, it allows even in-ear headphones to become effective at cancelling noise.
Active vs Passive
If you spend your life in planes, trains and other people’s automobiles, a good pair of noise cancelling earphones, like the August EP720, can be a god send. Turning off that engine noise allows you to enjoy your travel or just drift off for a swift power nap with ease.
If unwinding at home is the aim, a good pair of sound insulated over ear headphones will allow you to forget the outside world and lose yourself in your tunes.