Noise cancellation, explained: what the number on the box is not telling you
Every manufacturer quotes a single decibel figure. It is always their best one, at the frequency they are best at, and it predicts almost nothing about a train.
Noise cancelling
Everything we have published under this tag, newest first.
5 articles
The best noise-cancelling headphones
We measured isolation across the band on a fixed rig, then wore all fourteen pairs on the same commute for a fortnight each. Two are worth your money.
Northbeam Atlas II review: the quiet ones finally got comfortable
Northbeam's second attempt at noise-cancelling headphones keeps the measurements and fixes the head. Six weeks in, it is the pair we reach for.
Northbeam Atlas II vs Halcyon Drift Pro: over-ear or in-ear?
One isolates 7 dB better and will not fit in a pocket. The other sounds livelier and opens itself in your bag. Measured on the same rig, in the same session.
Halcyon Drift Pro review: excellent earbuds, exasperating case
The sound is better than the price suggests and the charging case opens itself in a bag. Both facts come from the same design instinct.
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