Noisebuster Noise Canceling Headphones
The Sound of
Silence - The NCT Noisebuster Extreme™
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Lightweight and compact, the Noisebuster headphones are easy
to take with you and comfortable to wear. Part
1 of a series on noise
reducing headphones -
click for Parts One
Two Three
Four Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
NOTE - Now superseded by the new NB-FX headphones -
reviewed
here. |
Once a relative rarity, active
noise cancelling headphones are becoming increasingly
commonplace, with airline passengers recognizing the great
convenience and added comfort these headphones offer when
flying.
A wide range of models from a
growing number of manufacturers is available, but in the seven
plus years since this article was first written, prices remain
high and performance varies widely, so you're well advised to
research carefully before choosing the model to best suit your
pocket book.
The Insidious Noise Problem
What is one of the most
tiring aspects of a long plane journey? However you reply to
this question, the chances are that you did not specify one of
the more subtle but still very tiring aspects of a long flight -
the continual background noise of the engines and the plane - it
is so omnipresent that we just take it for granted and even stop
noticing it - and because of this, we don't appreciate that it
is a factor in tiring us out.
That background noise is
louder than you think - here's proof. Try carrying on a normal
conversation with a person one seat away from you. You'll
quickly find you have to strain to hear what they say, and in
turn you have to shout so they can hear what you say. No wonder
that experts believe that the noise level on long flights
contributes to the overall malaise people feel at the end of
them.
For many years a common
trick of frequent fliers has been to use a set of ear plugs. The
reduction in constant background noise really does help you feel
less exhausted and more refreshed at the end of any length of
flight. Now there's a higher tech solution to this problem.
But, before talking about
the solution, let's consider one other problem. Have you
noticed, when trying to listen to music or watch a movie on a
plane, that it is very hard to get the volume right? Half the
time, it is too quiet and the sound is lost in the dreadful
background noise on the plane, but then, if you turn the volume
up so you can hear the quiet parts, it is too loud for the loud
parts! You're either working the volume control all the time, or
alternatively straining to hear, then cringing from blasting out
your eardrums (and risking permanent hearing damage, too). And
there's no way that a set of ear plugs will help solve this part
of the noise on planes problem.
Noise Cancellation as a
Solution
Relax. Enter the Noisebuster
Extreme™. What look like (and work like) an ordinary pair of
headphones have an amazing additional capability. Put them on,
then flip a switch and an incredible thing happens. The
background roaring and droning sounds fade away, almost to
nothing! How does it work?
Here's
a simple explanation.
The Noisebusters don't
eliminate all the background noise, and work better on lower
frequencies than higher frequencies. They reduce low frequencies
by up to 15dB, while leaving high frequencies reasonably
untouched. This is enough, however, to make an absolutely
staggering difference, enough to make them essential for any air
traveler, or for just about anyone else in a noisy environment
where most of the noise is low frequency.
When you use them, it is
much easier to enjoy movie soundtracks or music because there is
less background noise to fight against. And, if you're just
wanting to enjoy a more relaxing peaceful environment, you'll be
amazed at how much more refreshed you feel at the end of the
flight (or bus ride or car ride or anything else that has a lot
of noise).
The Noisebuster headphones
come complete with the two AAA batteries that power them (the
batteries last for 100 hours) plus also with a connector cable
so you can connect them to any typical CD, tape player, computer
sound card output, or stereo system. If you're connecting them
to an airline sound system, they also provide a small adapter
plug that converts from the two prong plugs on many airline
sound systems to the standard single prong stereo plug used by
Noisebuster and just about everyone else. Note that they work as
'normal' headphones when the power is switched off - if the
batteries go flat, you can still use them to listen to music
(unlike the Bose unit).
The small control unit has a
place for the batteries, an on/off switch and indicator light,
an input switch to choose between airline systems and regular
sound systems, and also an 'anti-volume' control that adjusts
the level of the noise cancellation. Take my advice and do what
I did - drop a spot of instant glue on the volume control slider
and leave it set at maximum - you're never going to want it at
any other setting and the slider is prone to be accidentally
bumped.
Using the Noisebusters
Although the units sit on
the ear they do so acceptably lightly and are comfortable to
wear, even for as much as ten or more hours on an international
plane journey (I've worn them with only minor breaks on a
fourteen hour flight between Los Angeles and Sydney).
I compared the Noisebuster
headphones with two sets of ordinary headphones - a low end set
such as you'd find on most airlines or which are often supplied
with portable CD/tape players, and a medium/high end set such as
an audiophile might have. The good news - $40 not only buys you
the sound reduction capability, but an acceptably good set of
headphones to enjoy music through as well. They were clearly
better than the typical low end headphones, and not too inferior
to the high end ones (they were a little weak in the high
frequencies).
Noisebuster also supply
headsets using the same technology to use with cell phones (what
a great idea - if you're like me, you're always using a cell
phone in a noisy environment!) and for regular phones too. Check
out their
website (update - seems to no longer exist) for more details. If you're looking to buy a set of
these headphones (or maybe several sets - you'll find it very
hard to travel anywhere with a friend and keep them all to
yourself!) then you can buy direct from the supplier or through
leading electronics stores such as Sharper Image (which also
seems to no longer exist!).
Some airlines (such as
American on selected international flights and Qantas on all
flights) are starting to offer these types of headphones in
their First Class cabins. Now you can enjoy the same experience,
anywhere on the plane, or anywhere else, for just $40!
Update (June 2003 and
subsequently)
NCT advised, in June, that
they have discontinued their Noisebuster Extreme headphones, and
will be replacing them with a new improved model in a couple of
months.
I've followed up with them
on several occasions, and most recently, a note to them on 2
December has been just ignored. It is seeming increasingly
less likely that their plans to replace this excellent unit will
ever result in a tangible reality.
I'll review their new
product if and when it is released, but, until then, the
Plane Quiet headphones would seem to
be your best choice.
Update August 2004
It appears that NCT had
licensed their technology to Maxell, who sold the Noisebusters
as their HP-NC1 Noise Cancelling Headphones. They can
still be found in some places and list for
$70, and
Amazon
is selling them for $38.45.
Final (!) Update November 2004
Noisebuster have now
released the updated replacement to this earlier product.
Their new NB-FX
noise canceling headphones are reviewed here.
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Originally published
9 Nov 2001, last update
21 Jul 2020
You may freely reproduce or distribute this article for noncommercial purposes as long as you give credit to me as original writer.
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