What is ANC? Noise cancelling explained
How mics and an inverted sound wave quiet a bus or a fan, what ANC can't block, and which of our headphones have it.
By Offerove Editorial TeamUpdated 2 min readResearch-based, not hands-on
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Active noise cancelling (ANC) uses microphones to pick up outside sound, then plays an inverted copy of it so the two cancel out. Bose says it works best on steady, low sounds like an air conditioner or traffic. Voices and sudden noises are harder, so a good fit still matters.
ANC is the feature that turns a loud bus into a low hum. It is also the most misunderstood spec on a headphone box.
Here is how it works, what it can’t do, and which of our headphones have it. Specs are from each maker’s official page, as of November 2026.
How active noise cancelling works
Short answer: microphones listen to the sound around you. A chip makes a copy of that sound with its wave flipped upside down. Played through the speakers, the flipped wave cancels much of the original before it reaches your ear.
Bose describes the cancelling signal as the same strength as the noise, with inverted phase. It is produced in millionths of a second.
Apple’s AirPods use two kinds of mics for this. An outward-facing mic hears outside sound. An inward-facing mic listens inside your ear for anything left over, and the earbuds counter that too.
What ANC can and can’t block
Short answer: ANC is best on steady, low sounds: engines, fans, air conditioning and traffic. Bose says voices and sudden sounds are harder to cancel. That is why passive isolation, from the earcup or ear tip seal, still does a lot of the work.
Bose lists three things behind passive noise reduction: earcup fit, design and headband clamping force. For earbuds, the seal comes from the tip. Apple says its noise control modes work best when AirPods Pro fit well.
ANC handles the hum. The fit handles the rest. A loose pair with great ANC still lets the room in.
Our headphones and earbuds with ANC
Short answer: eight products in our catalog list ANC. The over-ear models list 22 to 30 hours of battery, and the earbuds list 6 to 8 hours per charge.
| Product | Type | Battery (maker’s figure) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Over-ear | 30 h | 254 g |
| Sony WH-1000XM5 | Over-ear | 30 h | 250 g |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) | Over-ear | 30 h | 264 g |
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless | Gaming headset | 22 h (2 swappable batteries) | Not listed |
| Soundcore Liberty 4 NC | In-ear | 8 h | 5.2 g |
| Sony WF-1000XM5 | In-ear | 8 h | 5.9 g |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 | In-ear | 8 h | 5.55 g |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro | In-ear | 6 h | 5.4 g |
Soundcore calls its version Adaptive ANC 2.0. The SteelSeries is the only gaming headset in the list, and it comes with two swappable batteries.
For picks, see best noise-cancelling headphones. Next, read Bluetooth codecs explained and what is Bluetooth multipoint.
The picks, side by side
| Product | Type | Noise cancelling | Battery life | Weight | Spec score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Over-ear | Yes | 30 h | 254 g | 8.0 |
| Sony WH-1000XM5 | Over-ear | Yes | 30 h | 250 g | 8.1 |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | Over-ear | Yes | 30 h | 264 g | 7.9 |
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PC and PlayStation) | Not listed | Yes | 22 h | Not listed | n/a |
| Soundcore Liberty 4 NC | In-ear | Adaptive ANC 2.0 | 8 h | 5.2 g | 8.8 |
| Sony WF-1000XM5 | In-ear | Yes | 8 h | 5.9 g | 8.8 |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 | In-ear | Yes | 8 h | 5.55 g | 9.1 |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro | In-ear | Yes | 6 h | 5.4 g | 8.3 |
Specs from each maker's official page, checked Nov 9, 2026. Spec score formula: methodology.
How we chose
We explain ANC using Bose's and Apple's official explainers, then list the headphones and earbuds in our catalog whose maker states ANC. Battery figures are the makers' own. Research-based, not tested in person. Our methodology.
FAQ
Does ANC block voices?
Only partly, since Bose says voices and sudden sounds are harder to cancel than steady low-frequency noise.
What is transparency mode?
It is the opposite setting, which Apple describes as letting outside sound in so you can hear your surroundings.
Do earbuds cancel noise as well as over-ear headphones?
Both use the same idea, but the seal matters, and Apple says its noise control works best when AirPods Pro fit well.
Which of your ANC headphones lists the longest battery?
The Sony WH-1000XM6, Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) each list 30 hours, the most in our ANC list.
Sources
- Bose: How do noise cancelling headphones work? (opens in a new tab)
- Apple Support: Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes for AirPods (opens in a new tab)
- Sony WH-1000XM6: Sony official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Sony WH-1000XM5: Sony official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Bose official specs (opens in a new tab)
- SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PC and PlayStation): SteelSeries official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Soundcore Liberty 4 NC: Soundcore official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Sony WF-1000XM5: Sony official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Apple AirPods Pro 3: Apple official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro: Samsung official specs (opens in a new tab)
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