Noise cancellation: ANC and ENC explained.

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What is noise cancellation?

Our world is filled with noise — the sound of wind, weather, airplanes, traffic and the people around us. And our world is likely to just keep getting noisier as time goes on. Our earbuds and headphones feature noise cancellation to offer a more enjoyable audio experience by removing the unwanted ambient sounds that are happening around the listener.

Noise cancellation: ANC and ENC explained.

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Two types of noise cancellation: ANC vs ENC.

We offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) or Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) on our SoundForm products. While they operate with a similar effect, the way they are used is different:

ANC is the noise cancellation people usually think of when it comes to audio products. This technology reduces or blocks out the ambient noise that the listener would hear with the earbuds in. This offers a better listening experience for music or podcasts, as external sounds can’t be heard.

Active noise cancellation

ENC cleans up the audio going out, so you’re heard more clearly by the person calling you. Our technology is called Clear Call Quality, and it reduces or blocks out the ambient noise on a call or videoconference. The user can talk in a loud environment, and only their voice will be coming through the mic.

Environmental noise cancellation

Who needs these?

Popular with travelers and students, ANC helps eliminate the sound of an airplane, bus or train while commuting. It’s also useful for studying or reading in a public spot like a coffee shop or common area of a dorm.

Perfect for remote work and the home office, ENC reduces or removes ambient noise during a phone call — coworkers or meeting attendees won’t hear kids and dogs in the background, traffic or other sounds.

Why Belkin SoundForm?

Our unique testing process brings you the Belkin Signature Sound. With the method we use to adjust tuning across all audible frequencies, we reproduce the audio in our headphones and earbuds to replicate the experience of high-fidelity speakers in a well-tuned listening room. ​

Sound comes at a listener from all angles. Because of our ear structure, the way we hear things inside our ears can be different depending on where they originate. We crafted our target based on how sound waves arrive at the ears in front of the listener, replicating how audio arrives from speakers placed directly to the front left and right.

Belkin audio products undergo 150 tests. The design validation standards include functional, compatibility, and quality and reliability testing, plus on-site factory testing for each unit.

Our in-house acoustic lab is the “R&D center of excellence” for internal acoustic tuning and qualifying microphone performance and Active Noise Cancellation qualification.

Some of the testing managed by the acoustic lab:

Frequency response of earphones and headphones including tuning and matching the desired Belkin Signature Sound.

Measurement to assure low Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) limits and Noise Floor limits.

Compliance to kids’ and international standards’ (EN50332) safe maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL) limits.

Performance evaluation of Ambient Noise Cancellation (ANC), and testing and tuning of various ANC variants, including “pass through.”

Mean Opinion Score (MOS) used to assess effectiveness of microphones in voice calls.

Tests are conducted using Audio Precision (APx517) and KEMAR HATS (Head and Torso System) from GRAS: industry-recognized, best-in-class test gear for audio headphones and earphones.