What's the difference between ANC and NC?

Every day I hear customers requesting “ANC” or “NC” headsets. Some know the difference however many don’t. It’s kind of like “Bluetooth”. To some, “Bluetooth” simply means “wireless”. Whether it’s DECT, 2.4Ghz, 900Mhz is irrelevant to them. They want a “Bluetooth (Wireless)” headset. For this blog, I’m talking about headsets for professional use by Poly (formerly Plantronics), Jabra & Sennheiser.

These manufacturers are developing headset solutions to combat noise distraction and changing trends in the workplace and where people work. ANC or Active Noise Cancelling is being integrated into some of the solutions. When it comes to headsets:

ANC or Active Noise Cancelling is a technology used to help suppress background noise in the headset speakers.
NC or Noise Canceling is used to describe the technology used to help suppress background noise in the microphone. Microphones in headsets are available in omnidirectional, noise-canceling (NC) or ultra-noise-canceling (UNC)

To date (20+ years in this industry), I have yet to test a headset that completely blocks out ALL noise from speakers or microphone. However, some do better than others. Personal preferences and other factors must also be considered when selecting headsets.

Here’s a 44-second video from Plantronics (now Poly) that shows how ANC works and helps.

Jabra Blog that showcases the three types of Active Noise Cancellation.

Sennheiser NoiseGard™ active noise cancellation article

There have been some additions since earlier post. Below is a complete list of currently available headsets from Poly (formerly Plantronics), Jabra & Sennheiser that offer Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). Contact us to learn which of these is best for your business at 1-800-749-3160 or sales@calloneonline.com