Is ANC useful

ANC is the most demanding feature on any Bluetooth earphone or headphone.

Looking at the demand, audio companies have started offering ANC on their earphones and headphones, even in the budget segment.

Some companies are serious about ANC, but some offer ANC just for the name so that they can sell more products under the name of it.

Now the question is, Is the ANC useful? If so, then how much difference does the ANC make to reduce the noise? Let’s find it out.

Does the ANC make a difference?

The short answer is, Yes, ANC makes a difference, no matter how budget-friendly the earbuds or headphones are.

If any earphones and headphones have ANC, then it will reduce the noise, and you will feel the difference once you turn it ON.

So, yes, ANC makes a difference, but the real question is, How much of a difference does ANC make?

To understand this, you need to know that there are different levels of noise.

According to cdc.gov, a whisper is about 30 dB, a normal conversation is about 60 dB, and a running motorcycle engine is about 95 dB. Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period may damage your hearing.

So what companies do is they divide the capability of ANC.

A budget earphone/headphone will cut the noise up to 20 dB. A mid-range TWS will cut the noise from 25 dB to 45 dB.

High-end earbuds like Apple AirPods 2nd Gen can block noise up to 85 dB.

So how much difference ANC makes depends on how much noise an earbud can block.

  • Up to 20 dB ANC doesn’t make a huge difference. It will be just noticeable.
  • Up to 25 to 45 dB ANC makes a significant difference. 25 dB ANC can block 80 to 85% of noise, and 45 dB can block 90%.
  • Up to 70 to 80 dB ANC can block 95 to 99% of noise.

If you ask us, your earbuds or headphones should have at least 25 dB ANC.

We have used OnePlus Nord Buds 2 (Check full review), which has up to 25 dB ANC. For the price of under 3000, its ANC works pretty well.

It can block 80% of noise, but the higher dB noise, like honking horns and working construction machines, remains audible to some extent.

You might also like these TWS earbuds under 1500.

Is ANC useful?

Is ANC useful for music

Yes, ANC is useful. It comes in handy in many situations.

However, it’s not always come in handy. There are some situations where you won’t find ANC making any noticeable difference.

So let’s talk about both situations.

When is ANC useful?

ANC is not useful in every situation, but there are many situations where it comes in handy.

  • When listening to music at 40% or below, outer noise interrupts music significantly. The ANC can block this noise, and you can enjoy music even at 15% volume, which won’t be audible without ANC.
  • If you want to get rid of annoying noise and focus on your work or study, the ANC gets incredibly useful.
  • Watching movies gets even better with ANC, as you will be able to hear the dialogues clearly and without any noise.
  • The ANC improves the calling experience. You can clearly hear the voice of the person talking on the other end, even if you are in a noisy environment.
  • If you are doing any activity where you want to disconnect from the world and desire a peaceful environment, you can use ANC.
  • Although we don’t advise you to sleep with earphones/headphones on. But if you do it occasionally, the ANC will make you sleep better.

These are the main scenarios where ANC comes in handy.

You might also like these TWS earbuds under 4000 with ANC.

When is ANC not useful?

  • When you listen to music at 80% volume or above, you won’t notice ANC making much difference. At higher volume, the different sound of music already blocks out outer noise, so when you turn ON the ANC, you won’t notice a big difference.
  • If you work or sit in a silent environment most of the time, then the ANC won’t make any difference because there is no noise to block.

We have found these two cases where we haven’t noticed any difference after turning ON the ANC.

Are smart bands worth it? Click here to know.

30 db ANC vs 45 db ANC

Many companies sell earbuds with either 30 dB or 45 dB ANC. We want to help you understand the difference between these two levels of ANC.

It’s pretty clear that 45 dB ANC is better than 30 dB ANC.

Imagine noise on a scale, 30 dB is like someone whispering a bit louder, while 45 dB is like being in a quiet library or hearing soft music in the background at a low volume.

When we tried earbuds with 30 dB ANC, they reduced about 80% of the noise. We could still hear honking, but it was quieter.

At 30 dB ANC, we could hear honking, the air conditioner, and other sounds. We could even hear people talking nearby if we focused a bit.

With earbuds offering 45 dB ANC, we noticed a big improvement in blocking out noise.

We could still hear honking, but it wasn’t as noticeable as with 30 dB ANC.

Can you expect total silence with 45 dB ANC?

While 45 dB ANC is much better than 30 dB, it won’t block out all sounds.

You won’t hear most sounds, but you might still hear things like the air conditioner, cars passing by, or the washing machine.

Which one should you choose?

If you’re investing in earbuds or headphones, going for 45 dB ANC is a smart move. While it won’t give you complete silence, it’s better than 30 dB ANC.


Is ANC good for ears?

Is ANC good for ears

There is no evidence that ANC damages ears.

In fact, we have also used ANC earphones, and we haven’t faced any issues.

The design and fitting of earphones or headphones can cause pain, but the ANC standalone doesn’t cause pain.

So it’s safe to say that ANC is good for the ears.

You might also like these soundbars under 3000 and 4000.

Is ANC good for studying?

We have tested it ourselves and found the ANC incredibly good for study and work.

Our office is located in the middle of the market, and we are surrounded by a lot of noise from vehicles and other machines.

At times, we wear earphones and turn ON ANC because it helps us focus on work and research stuff.

So, yes, ANC is good for study and work.

Does noise cancelling affect your brain?

ANC doesn’t affect the brain, but it can do so indirectly.

When you turn ON the ANC, it blocks out noise and creates pressure in the ears. Later, this small pressure can cause headaches.

Also, some people notice a hissing sound with ANC, which can also lead to headaches.

The good thing is that most people adapt to this pressure and sound and don’t feel anything.

So ANC doesn’t affect the brain but can cause headaches in some people.

You can also like these TWS earbuds under 2500 with ANC.

Should you buy ANC earphones or headphones?

ANC has more advantages than disadvantages, so based on that, we recommend you get an earphone or headphone with ANC.

If you face any issues with ANC, you can turn it OFF anytime. But when needed, at least you have the option to block noise.

Overall, we would recommend ANC earphones or headphones for sure.


Final Verdict

There is a lot of hype around ANC, and we believe it deserves it. It’s a very good feature that can enhance your music experience significantly.

Although budget headphones don’t offer incredible ANC, it still makes some difference.

So if you have the budget, buy earphones or headphones with ANC.


So, Is the ANC useful? We are sure you know the answer now. If you still have any doubts, feel free to ask us in the comment section.

Also check these Top boAt Airdopes TWS Earbuds.

Do you agree or disagree with the points mentioned here? Do share your thoughts.

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