Gadgettes Lounge: Noise Cancelling Headphones

How they work...

From the CNET article, “The Sound of Silence:”

...Active noise cancellation, on the other hand, is far more complicated and involves some serious science.

First, tiny microphones, one on each earpiece, detect ambient noise before it gets to your ears. Then the noise-cancellation circuitry, usually housed in an external module, essentially inverts the captured signal, turning the noise's sound wave upside down. Before you know it, the noise-cancellation system adds the sonic opposite of the external noise to whatever you're listening to, thereby eliminating most of the pollution and leaving you with just your music.

Physical limitations make absolutely perfect noise cancellation impossible, but some of the noise-canceling headphones we tested did a great job without adversely affecting the music. Read the reviews in the sidebar to find out which model offers the best combination of design, performance, and affordability.