Glossary · Audio
ANC (active noise cancellation)
ANC actively blocks out ambient noise. Microphones pick up the noise, and the headphones produce a counter-signal that cancels it out.
What does ANC (active noise cancellation) mean?
It works best with steady, low-pitched noises such as the hum on a plane, train, or in an office. Voices and sudden noises are more likely to get through.
The counterpart is transparency mode. In it, the microphones deliberately route the surroundings to your ear, so you can hear an announcement or the person in front of you without taking the headphones off. ANC costs a little battery life.
A general explanation of the term, not from a video. How it plays out on a specific device in everyday use is covered in the reviews below.
