AudioWearablesEveryday

Glossary

ANC

Also: active noise cancellation, noise cancelling

ANC uses microphones and processing to reduce steady background noise in headphones or earbuds.

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ANC uses microphones and processing to reduce steady background noise in headphones or earbuds. In everyday buying decisions, the useful question is not just what the spec says, but what it changes for comfort, cost, speed, safety, or battery life.

Bluetooth codecSpatial audioTransparency mode

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Updated Jun 26, 2026