Whether it is to listen to music, sleep or watch a film in less privacy in the cabin of the plane, more often than not we like to be disturbed when travelling. Unfortunately, the turbulence, the passengers on board and even the jet engines of the planes are at the origin of some noise disturbances which throughout the trip, can alter our mood.
To avoid this type of disappointment, it is advisable to use the ear cushions offered onboard. However, these are sometimes ineffective when there is a high concentration of noise on the plane, or when you want to be entertained during the flight. In addition, they are of fairly poor quality. An accessory, the noise-cancelling headphones, will be your ally during your flight or your train journey, since allowing you to enjoy the best of your trip while reducing the surrounding noise pollution.
We “the buyers trend” can distinguish two operating modes for noise-cancelling headphones: passive noise-cancelling headphones, and active noise-cancelling headphones.
Passive Noise-cancelling Headphones
Passive noise-cancelling headphones are mainly used in work situations where ambient noise exceeds 85 dB, on a construction site or in the automotive industry for example. The helmet is equipped with a shell, a sealing ring and attenuation foam to reduce noise from outside. This model follows standard EN352-1 relating to the characteristics and measurement of the attenuation provided.
Active Noise Canceling Headphones
Active noise-cancelling headphones use another method of attenuating noise: they originally used the acoustic properties of fibrous or porous materials to attenuate noise, but technology has now evolved.
It now adds the same sound as the ambient noise but in phase opposition. It, therefore, acts first as a microphone to pick up the noise, and then an electrical component is responsible for analyzing the recording. A filter helps it correct the signal and process the data. The corrected sound will then be output from a speaker to cancel the noise.
Earplugs or Noise-cancelling Headphones
Are you hesitating between earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones? Here is a brief summary of their features to help you make your choice.
- Earplugs
The earplugs are particularly effective to reduce the noise, and they also have the advantage of being very cheap. Another advantage for this type of protection is that it is extremely compact. Earplugs are very discreet and can be very easily carried with you.
However, this protection is not the most hygienic. Earplugs should be cleaned frequently. They can also cause discomfort if their shape does not match the internal structure of your ear. Finally, due to their small size, they can be lost more easily.
- The Noise Canceling Headphones
Noise-cancelling headphones are protective devices that use more advanced technologies, depending on whether they are active or passive headphones. Depending on the model, it may be more comfortable to wear and is generally adjustable at the headband.
However, its effectiveness can vary considerably, depending on the technology used and the quality of manufacture. Noise-cancelling headphones are also significantly larger, compared to earplugs, and cost much more.