by Stan Horaczek / photograph by Sam Kaplan POPSCI.COM•SPRING 2019 37PR
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THE RELENTLESS HUM OF BUS TIRES AND AIRPLANE ENGINES
will make you yearn for silence. Noise- canceling headphones
use built-in mics to listen to your environment, then generate
audio waves that nuke background clamor. These ’phones off er
increasing levels of control over what reaches your eardrums.
SOUND
BARRIERS
1
GOOD
ThePanasonic RP-HD605N
headphones tap two sets of mics
to power three tiers of noise
canceling. Tap a button on the
right ear cup to choose what you
block (or hear) in a given scene.
Use the lowest setting to catch
both your podcast and a gate
announcement, the middle to
zap train engines, and the top
for sweet, total solitude.
2
BETTER
The rotating dial on the right ear
cup of the Microsoft Surface
Headphones lets you toggle
through 13 noise- altering modes.
On the lightest, four microphones
amplify ambient sound to help
you hear crucial notices, such as
subway delays. At the highest,
a second set of four mics works
to eliminate hubbub across the
entire audible spectrum.
3
BEST
Onboard microphones, plus the
GPS in your smartphone, allow
the Sony WH-1000XM3 to de-
termine your current activity and
environment, then automatically
select the level of sound control.
The pair cranks to the topmost
of 20 settings when you’re on a
plane, but it has a lighter touch
when you’re walking and need to
be aware of a speeding bus.
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