Will Noise-Cancelling Headphones Cancel Out Background Noise Meant to Be Part of the Recording?
Noise-canceling headphones are designed to reduce unwanted ambient sounds primarily through active noise cancellation (ANC) technology. However, whether they cancel out background noise that is intended to be part of a recording depends on several factors. These factors include the frequency range of the background noise, the sound isolation provided by headphones, the recording quality, and the settings of the headphones themselves.
Understanding Frequency Range
ANC technology is typically most effective at canceling low-frequency sounds such as engine noise or air conditioning hum. If the background noise in the recording falls within this range, it may be attenuated. However, for high-frequency sounds, such as traffic noise or crowd chatter, ANC might not be as effective. In such cases, the noise-canceling headphones might not significantly reduce the intended background noise.
Sound Isolation and Passive Noise Dampening
In addition to ANC, headphones also provide passive sound isolation, which can block some external sounds. This can further affect how you perceive the intended background noise in a recording. Passive isolation is particularly useful for blocking low-frequency sounds, whereas ANC is more effective for a broader range of frequencies.
Recording Quality and Settings
The quality of the headphones you use also plays a crucial role in how well the intended background sounds are heard. High-quality headphones will allow you to hear crucial background noises more clearly, such as ambient sounds in music or films. Conversely, lower-quality headphones might obscure these sounds. Additionally, some headphones have different modes or settings that can alter how much ambient sound is allowed in. These settings can impact your experience and potentially affect the clarity of the intended background noises.
Summary: While noise-canceling headphones can reduce unwanted background noise, they may also diminish the intended background sounds in a recording, especially if those sounds overlap with the frequencies that the ANC is targeting.
Microphone Considerations
Another important factor to consider is the design of the headphones, particularly if you are using them in a recording session. Many noise-canceling headphones have built-in microphones that measure the ambient background noise from outside of what they are broadcasting to the listener. This allows them to apply an inverted signal or some other noise reduction method to reduce that ambient noise.
It is worth noting that these headphones do not affect the audio signal inside the recording. They only reduce the ambient noise that is currently live in your vicinity. For example, an airplane rumble or a heater fan drone might be reduced, but the actual music or intended background noise would remain as recorded. There are no "studio noise-canceling" microphones. You either record background noise or cancel it; you cannot selectively cancel sound.
If you do not own a pair of noise-canceling headphones, you should still be able to understand the principles discussed here based on existing knowledge. They do not have the capability to selectively cancel sound. The microphone in the headphones is used to measure the ambient noise, which is then processed to cancel it, but this processing does not affect the audio signal that is being recorded.
Understanding these principles can help you make informed decisions about the use of noise-canceling headphones in different contexts, especially when it comes to recording and preserving the intended background sounds in your recordings.