TECH WARS: ANALOGUE VS DIGITAL VS ADAPTIVE

Because there’s more than one way to skin the noise cat

Just as there are three places to put the microphone in an ANC setup, there are three ways to do the cancellation itself, and each have their own benefits and drawbacks.

Analogue ANC is the method that seems to make the most sense, because it removes latency from the equation. Using an analogue setup means devices can react instantly to changes in sound around them, meaning a theoretically more accurate anti-noise system. But the engineering required to create the perfect analogue ANC solution is astronomical and can be incredibly expensive.

Analogue also drains far less battery than digital ANC – but digital ticks many more boxes. Because it generally employs a sophisticated DSP to do the grunt work, it gives you far more control over the sound mix than an analogue system. The performance of digital devices can also be changed over time; if you’re sure to keep up with firmware updates, you may find that better algorithms improve the overall experience. Some digital setups can, however, add some 30ms lag between the input sound and the signal to the ear.

That’s where adaptive noise cancelling comes in. A slightly more advanced (but not entirely distinct) form of digital ANC, it adapts its anti-noise signal both to the surrounding environment and, predictively, to match the sounds it presumes it will have to cancel once its latency period has passed.

There’s certainly an argument to be made that analogue ANC, with its lessened latency, is the tech that achieves its stated goal best. But, particularly since adaptive algorithms have become more commonplace, the digital variety puts in a strong showing. It’s also far more common – the vast majority of modern devices carry a digital package.

Pick the headphones that work for you. Choose based on style, construction and substance. Throwing money after the word ‘analogue’ could turn out to be a poor idea.