ANR or Active Noise Reduction is currently becoming the rage in travel headphones. In the past passive headphones that you used to listen to music or the audio feed on a plane flight was the only option available to the weary traveler. New modern noise reduction technology has reached the point where it is affordable and available in personal noise reduction headsets and headphones.
Active noise reduction works by having a small microphone that is part of your headphones. This ‘listens’ to the background noise and then generates an immediate canceling wave to eliminate or highly reduce it. This works to some effect with all background noise, but is especially good at cutting down typical low frequency sounds commonly found when you are traveling such as the engine sound on a plane or the mechanical background noises generated in other vehicles.
And while ANR works very well at canceling out these distracting and annoying noises, it still allows you to hear normal conversations and sounds that are of multiple frequencies. Their advantage is that they work the best at the low frequency recurring sounds that tend to annoy or bother you when you are trying to relax or nap on a flight. Or if you want to listen to music, noise canceling headsets can take away distracting outside noise.
Travel headphones that include ANR features are now being manufactured by many different companies and are available in many form factors and you will be able to find a type that will be effective for you. The standard over the ear headphones that either partially or completely cover the ear are common. Those types that have large padded cups that provide full coverage also provide the advantage of blocking out higher frequency and loud outside sounds by passively protecting your ears from the noise. Earbud types are also available and the types that are well fitted to your ear canal can provide excellent results.
Most either include or have optional travel kits that provide the various plug in attachments so you can use your headphones with a dvd player, mp3 player, your mobile phone or with the attachments available in the plane if you are on a flight. Since noise reduction technology requires active reversal of the noise, these headsets are powered and usually use a triple A battery although there are many different solutions to this by the various manufacturers.
If you want some peace and quiet while using your travel headphones, try out a type using the new ANR technology. On your next trip you can join the many other people now using noise reduction headsets and turn that long boring experience into a quick peaceful nap.