noice cancelling Vs sound isolating

[bournurplusher]

i wanna buy new earphone for my ipod.
there r 2 types of earphone avail in market.
1-noice cancelling
2-sound isolating
some earphone have above 2
what is the difference between above 2?
which one better?
plz explain step by step

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

isolation is easy to explain: think shutting the doors and windows, and making them and the walls thick enough so you simply don't hear the outside world any longer!

This is achieved by headphones with the "closed back" design, and by earphones by, for instance, having a foam or silicon plug that fits into your ear.

Noise-cancelling is much more complex and (disclaimer ) I've never tried it, but, the idea is to have a microphone that hears the outside noise and feeds a mirror image of it into your music so that it cancels it. It is said to work well in constant noise, but not for intermittent noises. Good for plane travel, but not so much for shouting children or firecrackers.

As I don't travel by air very much, I've never felt convinced to buy the noise-cancelling type. It adds another level of circuitry and processing for your sound to pass through, and more components to the budget. My principle: let that money be spent on the core business of producing the sound.

There is a third type, of course, which does neither. It is not always appropriate to cut yourself off from the outside world. For instance, it is not safe to do so when driving, or maybe even walking on the roads. using isolating earphones on a bike is just another way of expressing the death wish many bikers seem to have.

 

[prankey]

Noise cancelling is usually better though with battery operation and is only effective in low frequency noise cancellation. Higher frequencies only get minimized.

Noise cancelling headphones produce weaker low frequency sounds while they compensate for external noise (they basically have a microphone to capture external sounds and generate a REVERSE PHASED sound through the headphone speakers to cancel that noise).

Sound isolating headphones are regular passive headphones which also isolate external sounds through effective insulation of external noise. These are usually ear plug/bud designs which does not provide as natural sound like an external to ear headphones, though the lowest frequencies are UNNATURALLY enhanced.

 

[sbg]

ok

Nothing more to add to Thad and prankey .

another way to put it for my opinion,

Noise cancelling: Used to CUT DOWN "NOISE"
- used in shop floor / factories etc where db levels high.

sound isolating : Keeping A source of sound from mixing with ANOTHER source
of sound.
In other words do you prefer to listen to music in swimming pools and Daily Markets - noise cancelling is the one for you.
else If you prefert to sit at home and avoid your kids and better half from disturbing to an extent - Sound Isolationg can do good.

...
...

I would prefer Sound Isolating anytime.

 

[askii2]

Don't buy noise cancelling earphones unless you have a budget of Rs. 35000 or so. That's what I have learned after wasting some USD100 on a useless pair which doesn't help at all where it's supposed to work the best - aircrafts!

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

That has always been my suspicion. Noise cancelling headphones were originally expensive, then cheaper models became available.

the noise cancellation requires passing the sound through a processing unit. What is the quality of the processing unit? The sound reaching our ears will be subject to the weakest link.

 

[iaudio]

Thad, Yes, the SQ takes a big hit with active noise cancelling HPs. For that money, i would rather get a pair of normal cans, and IEMs for portable use.

Prankey, beg to differ on one count. There are a lot of IEMs, some do have unnatural LF, but there are many which have very natural and textured bass.

 

[prankey]

Thad, Yes, the SQ takes a big hit with active noise cancelling HPs. For that money, i would rather get a pair of normal cans, and IEMs for portable use.

Prankey, beg to differ on one count. There are a lot of IEMs, some do have unnatural LF, but there are many which have very natural and textured bass.

I agree, some moderately expensive ones should be good sounding. Actually the tiny drivers and enclosed design make me feel that they may not produce flat sound like decent external HPs.

 

[sarge_in]

Noise-cancelling are REALLY good for plane travel. I have the Audio Technica ANC-7 (or something like that). Helps mute out the engine drone very well (assuming a good set) that allows you to listen to music/movies at a much lower level than you otherwise would. For longish flights (say, >2hr) I feel much less tired with it than without. Its a key thing I carry on such flights! Just saying they have their uses..

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Just saying they have their uses..

And that is, I think, the use for which they were originally sold, at least in the consumer market.

Probably very worthwhile for the frequent flier, but not for every day use.

 

[prankey]

And that is, I think, the use for which they were originally sold, at least in the consumer market.

Probably very worthwhile for the frequent flier, but not for every day use.

But even noise isolating headphones work similarly well. I don't feel there would be much difference in experience among these two.