Noise is everywhere. Whether you work from home, in the office, or on the go, you’re likely to be exposed to distracting sounds from neighbors, colleagues, or general ambient noise.
Noise is everywhere. Whether you work from home, in the office, or on the go, you’re likely to be exposed to distracting sounds from neighbors, colleagues, or general ambient noise.
That’s why headsets with ANC-”active noise cancellation”-have become an invaluable tool for busy professionals.
These types of headsets work by sensing the noise around you and generating a kind of “anti-noise” signal to reduce it. This helps you tune out distractions and focus on the job at hand.
But not all ANC headsets are the same. EPOS carries a number of different professional ANC headsets. To make the right choice for you, it’s important to consider several key factors.
First off, there’s the wearing style and form factor. ANC headsets tend to come in three types:
In-ear ANC earbuds
As the name suggests, these earbuds go directly inside your ear, creating a sound-isolating plug to keep out external noise.
This wearing style is most relevant for people looking to use ANC headsets on the move, as earbuds are more portable and convenient.
On-ear
On-ear Bluetooth headsets come with ear cushions that rest gently on your outer ear without covering it completely. This allows workers to have clear conversations while still being aware of their surroundings.
Professional on-ear headsets often have a boom arm that brings the microphone closer to the mouth, dramatically improving the voice pickup quality. At the same time, they tend to be larger and less portable than in-ear Bluetooth headsets.
Over-ear ANC headsets
These are headsets with larger earcups that fully cover the ear to create effective sound isolation with added passive noise dampening. This type of headset is most frequently used in the office.
The added benefit here is that the microphone is typically located closer to the mouth (especially if they come with a boom arm) to ensure optimal voice pickup.
In addition to the wearing style, there’s the question of how ANC headsets actually function.
Feed-forward ANC
In this ANC setup, the sensor microphone is located inside the earcup. As such, what it “hears” is more aligned with what the user hears.
This helps the headset better adjust the levels of active noise cancellation.
At the same time, feed-forward ANC may end up creating higher levels of static “buzzing” noise because the sensor microphone and the speaker are so close together.
Feedback ANC
In this type of ANC system, the noise-sensing microphone is located on the outside of the ear piece.
This helps it catch the incoming noise early and adjust the signal more quickly.
The disadvantage here is that this sensor microphone doesn’t hear the “end” result and has no way to self-correct if it generates any unfavorable sounds for the wearer. It also risks overreacting to wind noise.
These ANC headsets offer the best of both worlds by having microphones on the inside and the outside of the earcup. This helps compensate for most of the disadvantages of each separate system.
Because it requires two sensor mics, this type of ANC system tends to be more expensive. It’s also more complex and tricky to get just right, so it requires significant engineering know-how. At EPOS, we’re proud to offer a range of headsets with hybrid ANC.
In addition to the above, ANC headsets may have additional features you may find relevant depending on your individual needs. At EPOS, we offer the following:
Adaptive ANC
This automatically adjusts the level of active noise cancellation depending on the surrounding noise. This allows the headset to lower the static “buzz” from ANC in quieter environments and boost ANC in more noisy settings.
Adjustable ANC
This puts the user in charge by letting them manually set their preferred ANC levels to make sure they get the best mix of noise cancellation and sound clarity.
Many of our professional headsets come with ANC to help workers focus in busy offices, noisy households, or on the go.
The ADAPT E1 is an all-in-one earbud designed for the professional and personal you. With multi-point connectivity, Microsoft Teams and Made for iPhone certifications you will enjoy seamless communication plus unmatched comfort and exceptional sound all day.
Recommended for: Flexible workers looking for an earbud for professional and personal use.
The ADAPT 500 series puts comfort in focus with a low-impact headband and soft earpads. Combined with a hybrid, four-microphone ANC, the on-ear earpads deliver great sound isolation, helping workers stay focused in noisy environments.
Recommended for: Workers needing a comfortable headset that effectively blocks out distractions without sacrificing call quality.
The ADAPT 600 series is built to deliver ultimate call quality and sound. The headset boasts hybrid, adaptive ANC that uses four microphones to effectively adapt to the sound environment and reduce noise. It is also powered by EPOS AI™ for crystal-clear calls with superior stereo sound.
Recommended for: Workers looking for an all-in-one, over-ear ANC headset with truly unmatched audio and call quality
The IMPACT 600 Series puts speech clarity and noise reduction above all. In addition to ANC, it is equipped with ultra noise-canceling microphones. This ensures that both sides of the call can focus on the conversation and hear each other perfectly.
Recommended for: Especially noisy environments where noise reduction and call clarity are paramount.
Be heard no matter the level of background noise and get super wideband audio for natural sound. Enjoy total ease of use with intuitive controls and smart features.
Recommended for: The stationary worker on calls around 50% of the day.
IMPACT 1000 is designed for the New Open Office environment. Built on EPOS BrainAdapt™ technology to reduce brain fatigue with adaptive ANC and industry-leading voice pickup powered by EPOS AI™.
Recommended for: The flexible worker with a need for connection to multiple devices.