How do noise-cancelling headphones work?

CNET explains the tech behind noise-cancelling headphones, which electronically eliminate the sounds of your surroundings.

[MattNicassio]

Should also point out they only really work cancelling out noise that is constant and droning. Like an airplane's engine roar. But something like a snoring sleeper will not be cancelled out due to the abruptness of the snore as well as the infrequency.

[robertmeidinger]

It's amazing how this demonstration of noise cancelling headphones can present such cutting edge technology - yet still look like it was filmed in the 1980's.

Simply Brilliant

[cowsgomoo]

Reppin' my Parrot Zik 2.0's! Wore them on a noisy bus to a track meet today and the noise cancellation works phenomenally well. On those, there isn't a hiss but instead it feels like there's slightly more pressure in the headphones. I get used to it though. Glad to see a video explaining some stuff. :)

[SSstyles]

this explanation makes sense with the transverse wave depiction on the graph, but sound actually propagates as a longitudinal wave right? So what does that longitudinal destructive interference look like physically in real life? that's what I've never fully been able to visualize with noise cancellation... physics majors where u at

[realapologeya]

thanks for the great explanation. Is it possible to make a "wall" from some waves that does not let the audible sound waves to pass through? Some kind of a noise canceling wall.

[WubstepUK]

Sony MDR 1000x, you're doing a top job <3

[armourdaddy]

its called resonance frequency and is also used in anti tank rounds called plastic charged rounds

[Nerdiasme]

Does the volume add up? You can't hear ok, but does it double the sound volume, as now you have 2 soundwaves instead of one in your ear...?

[joeskis]

yeah but is it just an illusion? That is are the same number of decibels hitting your ear drum but cancelling merely makes that less noticeable?

[MyPeanutButtersHairy]

I just got my first pair of noise cancelling headphones to use at work and even without turning on the noise cancelling mode it is a dramatic improvement, but once I turn on the noise cancelling I can't hear anything other than my music. I can't even hear the sound of my own keyboard as I type. It was a cheap pair too, only $30.

[ifeoluwaonigbinde]

I'm writing this in 2021 and noise cancellation headphones have really come a long way.

[markc]

So what if someone found the out of phase frequently that generates your heartbeat?

[Nonehasthisnamekek]

I had one of these and sometimes when I forgot to flip off the switch, and I had put them away on my desk they would move on their own. I just had to see if anyone else has had this experience too? I could see them move as if someone nudged them. Like not just one time but quite a lot of times they would sort of shift about on their own.

[yau]

Is there any body what software is used to make the pen and paper animation?

[HankTheTank]

Can noise-canceling headphones actually protect your hearing like earplugs do or is it only a perceived noise reduction?

[volkerball]

I'm not sure what I expected the answer to be when I came to this video, but wow. Technology is amazing.

[judoz]

My headphones arent super fancy they are SoundCore Q20 or something, when I turn off noise cancelling it just makes the audio sound louder and a little weird.. They are very nice headphones though

[shepsfield]

I'm trying to design a few cyberpunk style accommodations for ND and disabled people. I'm figuring out how they work now.

[AJ-yuzc]

Not me listening to this on my noise cancelling headphones. I was like wow how do these headphones work? Now I know 😊

[lutzwagner]

Sounds logic. But is this the entire truth? What about the "snoring sleeper"? Why is that Technic not able to neutralize all noises?