Summary
- Dorms are full of distractions, making ANC headphones a survival necessity.
- ANC headphones use microphones to actively remove background noise, allowing you to focus on studying.
- Budget-friendly ANC earbuds and headphones are now widely available and can provide both decent quality sound and noise cancelation.
Dorms are loud, chaotic, and full of distractions, like hallway parties and questionable guitar solos. Since your study schedule won’t always sync with your roommates and hallmates, a good pair of headphones with ANC isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. Here’s why.
What Are ANC Headphones?
You’ve likely heard the term “Active Noise Cancelation” (ANC) in the ads for headphones and earbuds, so there’s a good chance that you have a rough understanding of what it is and how it works. But in case you don’t, here’s a brief explanation.
In a nutshell, a pair of earbuds or headphones can be open, which means most sound can freely leak through them, or they can be closed and have passive sound isolation. That’s when snug ear tips or padded ear cups physically block out some of the surrounding noise.
Active noise cancellation is a whole step above passive isolation. In addition to the passive sound blocking achieved with tight-fitting silicone ear tips or thick leatherette earpads, ANC headphones use microphones and sound processing algorithms to actively remove background noise.
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The reason why this works so well is because of physics. (Don’t worry; unlike your typical physics class, I won’t bore you with a long-winded explanation.)
Microphones on the outside of the headphones pick up incoming sound waves. The internal processor then flips those waves and outputs their opposite through the headphones, which cancels out the original noise so you mostly don’t hear it at all.
Of course, how well this works depends on the headphone model, and I’ll talk more about that shortly.
ANC Is a True Life-Changer for Students
I’ll say it first: I had no idea ANC was such an amazing feature until I tried it earlier this year. I used to think that passive noise isolation combined with loud music was enough to block out even the loudest gym sessions or nearby construction, but I was wrong. (Not to mention you can only listen to loud music for so long before it starts to permanently damage your hearing).
Trying my first pair of ANC headphones was an ear-opening (or should I say ear-closing?) experience. All the faint background noise that usually lingered with standard noise-isolating earbuds was mostly gone. Perhaps the best part is that ANC works well even when music is set to low volume; in fact, noise-canceling even works with no music playing at all.
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Now, imagine it’s exam season and you’re stuck in a dorm with a roommate who couldn’t care less about studying. Between TikTok videos, mobile games, and frequent guests, focusing becomes a serious challenge. If negotiation fails, a good pair of ANC headphones might be your only remaining option.
Because ANC can work really well even without any music or at low volume, you won’t need to blast your lo-fi beats just to concentrate on studying.
Another benefit is that ANC headphones are great for Zoom calls with professors or collaborating on group projects. You can combine ANC with a software-based microphone noise reduction, and you’ll both hear and be heard much more clearly, even if you’re having a call in a busy cafeteria.
You can even use ANC earbuds to fall asleep when your roommates are still awake or a party’s going on in the room next door. In fact, I find that ANC earbuds work better than traditional earplugs because those are essentially just noise-isolating rather than noise-canceling. And if you pair them with a calming podcast or soothing music, it’s even easier to drift off, even after exams take their toll.
Should You Get ANC Earbuds or Headphones?
Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek
You’ve probably noticed that I’ve mentioned both ANC earbuds and headphones. While they serve the same purpose, they’re quite different products. Both play back sound and block out noise, but earbuds are much smaller and fit inside your ears, while headphones are larger and sit on or over them.
As you might expect, ANC generally performs better on larger headphones. They have more space for high-quality microphones to pick up ambient noise and larger drivers to produce more effective noise-canceling sound waves, especially in the bass range.
That said, the gap is narrowing thanks to rapid advances in technology. At this point, ANC performance depends more on the specific model than on whether it’s an earbud or headphone. For example, the well-designed ANC on earbuds like the Sony WF-1000XM5 easily outperforms my (very solid) JBL Tune 770NC over-ear headphones—though the Sonys also cost about twice as much at full price.
Brand
Sony
Battery Life
8 hours listening; 24 hours with charging case
The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds offer excellent noise cancellation, superior audio quality, and easily sync with Nintendo Switch. Consider giving them a closer look if you want the best audio possible for your hybrid console.
So, which should you get? It depends on your needs and preferences. If you want something compact, pocketable, and comfortable to sleep with, earbuds are likely your best bet. But if you’re after (slightly) stronger ANC, longer battery life, and better comfort for extended listening sessions, headphones could be the better choice.
Personally, I love both, so if you have the budget, definitely go for it. As a side note, either type will essentially have to be wireless because ANC practically doesn’t exist on wired units.
You Don’t Need to Spend a Fortune to Get ANC Anymore
ANC used to be a very expensive feature only found on premium headphones that cost over $100 until recently. In the past year or two, a lot of budget-friendly options equipped with ANC have come out. While you can sometimes find a deal on a more expensive used pair, I generally recommend buying headphones and earbuds new because of hygiene, battery life, and other factors.
Some solid budget-friendly earbuds include the shockingly cheap JLab Go Pop ANC, CMF Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus, Soundcore Space A40, and Skullcandy Rail ANC.
Battery Life
Up to 55 hours
Charging Case Included?
Yes
The CMF Buds 2 are solidly built earbuds that deliver excellent sound at a stellar price, with ANC, good mics, and spatial audio included. They may not be the best earbuds, but they offer among the best value you will find on the market.
For headphones, prices are generally a bit higher, but there are still some more affordable models around or under $100, like the JLab JBuds Lux ANC, JLab Go Lux ANC, Soundcore Q20i Hybrid, Soundcore Life Q30, and JBL Tune 670NC.
With back-to-school sales starting soon, you might be able to snag one of these earbuds or headphones at an even lower price, or, alternatively, pick up a higher-tier model from premium ANC brands like Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, and Apple or Beats.
What to Look for When Choosing ANC Headphones
Kris Wouk / How-To Geek
Since we’re focusing on using ANC headphones primarily for noise cancelation, I’d say prioritize that feature as much as possible. However, ANC isn’t the be-all and end-all. You’ll be wearing them a lot, so comfort is equally important.
Phenomenal ANC won’t matter if the headphones start hurting your ears after just an hour or two of studying. You need something comfortable enough to wear for up to eight hours at a time, so check reviews and consider experimenting with foam eartips or replacement earpads.
Battery life is another key feature to consider. You won’t always have time to charge before every session, so it’s reassuring to have at least 10 hours of battery life left before they die on you. Since ANC drains the battery faster, it’s only a matter of time.
Most quality headphones last 20–30 hours on a single charge, so battery life is less of an issue there. Earbuds, however, can vary widely—some only last a couple of hours, while others can provide 10 hours of playback plus an additional 40–50 hours from the charging case. If a model promises only 3–5 hours, I’d steer clear. In reality, the battery life can drop to around 2 hours or less after a year or two of daily use.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Sound quality is, of course, another important factor. Even though I consider myself a casual audiophile, I’d still rank it fourth in importance for a student living in a dorm.
The other factors simply matter that much more; think of them as more of a utility device rather than a pair of headphones for your enjoyment. Plus, you generally get what you pay for—so if you’re shopping on a budget, don’t expect anything beyond average sound quality.
Lastly, don’t overlook durability. You’ll probably be moving around a lot with your headphones on, both inside and outside the dorm, and some drops are inevitable. Don’t stress too much about drop tests, as most headphones and earbuds can handle a few light falls before they stop working properly. Do be careful, though.
Whether you realize it yet or not, ANC headphones could end up being one of the most important things you buy before the new semester. You never know who you’ll be sharing the dorm with, so having a way to block outside noise is vital for staying focused on your studies. Consider this your perfect excuse to treat yourself to a shiny new gadget, so go for it!
