What’s The Difference Between Noise Cancelling and Noise Isolating Headphones?
Picking out the perfect pair of headphones just got a whole lot easier.
A great pair of headphones can alter my music listening habits. Ear fatigue is real, and I want a pair that not only allows me to listen for extended periods of time, but that places me in the world of the sounds, that makes me feel like I’m floating in space, riding sound-waves through the ether. But that perfect pair can be a struggle to find, especially with the conflagration of terms, like “noise cancelling” and “noise isolating.” You might be asking yourself, what’s the difference, anyway? We’ve looked into it for you.
Noise Isolating HEADPHONES
Noise Isolating headphones block out ambient sound like wind, people talking, and other noises naturally. Over-ear headphones do this by cupping your ears. So, in theory, all over-ear headphones are, at least, partially noise isolating, and even the original Airpods, which partially fill your ear canal, are noise isolating as well (the new one’s have active noise cancellation, which we’ll get into in a second). But why might you prefer this over noise cancelling? The pros are that noise isolating headphones can make the audio sound more natural, and if you’re commuting, you might want to be able to hear what’s going on around you a little bit. But it’s true, these headphones don’t block out ambient noise as well as their counterparts do. They are, for the most part, less expensive as a result, however.
Master & Dynamic MH40 Wireless Headphones
The most stylish pair of headphones I’ve found are the Master & Dynamic MH40. They’re only noise isolating, but they do a pretty good job of striking that balance between clarity and allowing for ambient sound you’re looking for with headphones like these. Perfect for commuting, or just hanging around a coffee shop, these provide excellent sound quality and they were one of the most comfortable pairs I tested.
Noise Cancelling HEADPHONES
Noise Cancelling Headphones are all the rage right now. They employ microphones that listen to outside noise and then cancel that noise by producing inverse sound waves. In doing so, the headphones are electronically altering the audio, so it might sound hollower, but usually this results in a blank palette to hear the sound up against. All noise cancelling headphones are, by default, noise isolating, they just take it a step further. I’m not sure if it’s a benefit or a negative that multiple times while testing out these headphones, my co-workers had to jostle me to get my attention, but it’s worth a note. I guess it depends on what you’re using them for.
SONY WH1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Wearing these SONY headphones felt like I was floating in space. Upon downloading the accompanying app, I was prompted to take pictures of my ears for sound mapping. Although I was nervous at first, this led to a highly personalized experience that drowned out noise so well, I became conscious of the lack of noise surrounding me. They also have the option to be just noise isolating. With the press of a button you can control the amount of ambient noise they let in. Bose makes a great pair of noise cancellers, as does Sennheiser, but there really is a lot of personal preference here—what kind of music I listen to and the way I listen to music makes me prefer the brightness offered by SONY, as opposed to the hollower but more refined Bose model, and the more middling Sennheiser.
Scouted selects products independently and prices reflect what was available at the time of publish. Sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations. Don’t forget to check out our coupon site to find deals from Macy's, Walmart, Nordstrom Rack, and more. If you buy something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.
