Why are noise cancelling headphones bad?

Noise cancelling headphones use tiny microphones built into the earcups to pick up low-frequency ambient noise around you. The headphones then produce an opposite sound wave to cancel out the ambient noise before it reaches your ears (Source). This technology, known as active noise cancellation, relies on destructive interference between sound waves to suppress unwanted environmental noise. While noise cancelling can be very effective at reducing low droning noises like airplane engines, the technology is less capable of handling voices and higher frequency sounds (Source).

Can Damage Hearing

While noise cancelling headphones can block out environmental noise, the technology itself may contribute to hearing loss according to some experts. Active noise cancellation works by generating counter noises that destructively interfere with incoming external soundwaves. This requires playing audio at all times, even in a quiet environment. According to one Reddit discussion, this constant audio playback can damage hearing if played at excessive volumes. Users should be mindful of volume levels and avoid cranking up the volume just because external noise is blocked out.

Experts recommend noise levels under 80 decibels for prolonged listening to prevent hearing damage. With active noise cancelling enabled, it may be tempting to exceed safe volume levels. This highlights the importance of monitoring your volume and taking breaks. While noise cancelling can seem to protect your hearing by blocking ambient sound, it may ironically contribute to cumulative hearing loss if misused at high volumes.

Reduce Situational Awareness

One of the downsides of noise cancelling headphones is that they can reduce your situational awareness by blocking out important ambient sounds and voices around you. According to Sensear, traditional noise-cancelling headsets tend to further isolate users from their environment (Sources). This lack of situational awareness could be dangerous or inconvenient in many situations.

For example, construction workers, machine operators, and other industrial roles require situational awareness to stay safe on the job. Noise cancelling headphones that totally block out background noises could prevent workers from hearing warning signals or voices calling out hazards (Sources). Sensear points out that there needs to be a balance between hearing protection and situational awareness in the workplace.

Beyond job sites, situational awareness is also important for everyday safety and awareness when out in public. Noise cancelling headphones make it harder to hear traffic, strangers approaching, potential dangers, or friends trying to get your attention. This could lead to accidents or missed social cues. While noise cancellation can be great for air travel, it might not be ideal for commutes, dog walks, or other real-world scenarios.

Fatiguing on the Ears

Some studies have found that the constant low level noise generated by noise cancelling headphones can be fatiguing for the ears over time. The sound waves produced to cancel out external noise require the ears to work harder to process sound information. This constant stimulation can cause ear fatigue after prolonged use (source).

Other experts argue that noise cancelling technology reduces the need to turn up the volume to drown out background noise. This may actually prevent fatigue that could be caused by high volume environments (source). More research is still needed on the long-term effects of noise cancellation on hearing fatigue.

Expensive

Quality noise cancelling headphones cost much more than passive models due to the complex electronic components required. Active noise cancellation requires microphones to pick up ambient sound, circuitry to generate an opposite signal, and speakers to output that signal, all of which must be powered by an internal battery. This complex technology significantly raises the cost of production.

According to Best Buy, premium models like the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort 45 can cost anywhere from $230 to $350. Lower-end budget models like the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 may cost around $100, but often sacrifice noise cancelling performance. Most basic passive headphones without noise cancellation technology cost under $50.

While the technology has improved and costs have declined over the years, quality noise cancellation still carries a steep price tag. Consumers must evaluate if blocking ambient noise is worth paying several times more than a passive alternative.

Requires Power

One of the main downsides of active noise cancelling headphones is that they require power from a battery or charging in order to function, unlike passive noise cancelling models. Active noise cancellation relies on powered internal electronics to analyze incoming sound and generate an opposite canceling waveform. This means active headphones need a power source like a rechargeable battery built into the headphones or a connection to an external device with power in order to perform noise cancellation.

According to CNET, many premium models may provide up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, but the battery will still need recharging at some point.Those without spare batteries or charging access will lose the ability to use noise cancellation, and may be left with subpar sound quality in passive mode. This makes battery life and charging requirements an important consideration when purchasing active noise cancelling headphones.

Can Cause Discomfort

Some people experience nausea or dizziness from the counter noise produced by noise cancelling headphones. This effect seems to be caused by a mismatch between the visual and vestibular cues people receive when moving around while wearing noise cancelling headphones. The counter noise can disrupt the brain’s ability to properly integrate input from the ears, eyes, and balance system, resulting in symptoms like nausea, headaches, and disorientation.

Studies have shown that noise cancelling technology can sometimes exacerbate motion sickness. The unnatural sound environment seems to disrupt people’s spatial orientation and equilibrium. This is why the effect is most pronounced in situations involving movement – like walking, flying in planes, or riding in cars.

Those prone to headaches, migraines, vertigo or inner ear issues appear to be more susceptible to discomfort from noise cancellation. But even people not normally bothered by motion sickness can experience nausea or dizziness when using noise cancelling headphones, especially during initial use as they adjust to the unfamiliar sound cancellation effects.

There are a few ways to minimize discomfort. Using noise cancelling features only when needed, taking frequent breaks, and staying well hydrated can help. Some also find it helpful to use less aggressive noise cancellation settings. Additionally, noise cancelling technology continues to improve, with newer generations of headphones causing less issues for more people.

Electronic Components Delicate

One downside of noise cancelling headphones is that they contain more electronic components that can break compared to regular passive headphones. This includes microphones, circuit boards, batteries, buttons, and other parts that are required for the active noise cancellation to function properly.

With more electronic components, there are simply more points of failure and more opportunities for something to stop working properly. If just one element like the microphone fails, it can render the entire noise cancellation feature useless until repaired or replaced.

While companies try to make noise cancelling headphones as durable as possible, they fundamentally rely on tiny microphones, integrated circuits, and other fragile electronic parts in order to work. These extra components make noise cancelling headphones less reliable than traditional passive headphones in the long run.¹

Air Travel Only Benefit

Noise cancelling headphones are often marketed as ideal for blocking out the ambient noise on airplanes. It’s true that the constant low-frequency rumble of jet engines is one of the best applications for noise cancellation technology. The headphones can help reduce the noisy airplane cabin to a more comfortable hum. However, for many consumers, air travel is a relatively rare event. Noise cancelling headphones are not necessarily worth their premium cost if they will be seldom used on planes.

In day-to-day life, there are limited scenarios where noise cancellation provides substantial benefits. For example, blocking out background chatter in a busy café or office may be convenient, but is achievable through basic passive noise isolation. The advanced technology in noise cancelling headphones is simply unnecessary in most real world environments outside of air travel. Unless someone is a frequent flyer, noise cancelling headphones can be an unjustifiably expensive solution to a problem that barely exists in daily life.

Conclusion

Noise cancelling headphones utilize advanced audio technology to reduce ambient noise, but they aren’t always the best choice. On the positive side, they can make air travel and similar loud situations more pleasant by lowering the roar of airplane engines or crowd chatter. However, the technology has some downsides that are important to consider. Noise cancelling can fatigue your ears more quickly, damage hearing over time, reduce situational awareness, and cost significantly more than standard headphones. These headphones also require battery power to function. While the advanced audio processing can seem impressive, it may cause listening discomfort for some users. The delicate electronics inside noise cancelling headphones also make them less durable than traditional headphones. For many everyday situations, standard headphones are likely a better choice, with noise cancelling models best reserved for specific circumstances like air travel. Carefully weigh the pros and cons for your listening needs.