What Is A Good Noise Reduction Rating For Headphones?

The world of headphone noise reduction can be a confusing one.

With different noise isolation types and values, it can be difficult to know what to look for when choosing noise reduction headphones.

In this article we will take a closer look at what noise reduction ratings mean for headphones.

How Is Noise Reduction Rated For Headphones?

Generally speaking (whether it be headphones, ear defenders etc.) noise reduction is given a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR).

This value is rated in decibels (dB), and represents the amount that a piece of equipment will reduce decibel levels by.

The NRR value is not to be confused with what the final decibel level is that the user will experience once they wear the equipment.

For example, if a pair of headphones has a 30 dB noise reduction rating, this is the value that ambient noise levels will be reduced by.

So if we take a real world example, someone whispering would typically be rated at around 40 dB.

A really good pair of noise cancelling headphones may give you around 30 dB noise reduction.

So in theory if you used such headphones around someone whispering, you should only hear about 10 dB of that noise (40 dB whispering minus 30 dB cancelled out by the headphones).

This would take the whispering dB level down to something the equivalent of normal breathing. So only 10 dB would actually reach your ears.

Another thing to note is that the dB scale is logarithmic. This means that an increase of 10 dB represents a tenfold change in loudness.

So a sound rated at 30 dB is 10 times louder than a sound measuring 20 dB.

What Is Attenuation For Headphones?

Another term that is often used in noise reduction and cancelling is attenuation.

Attenuation is another way of rating an amount of noise reduction.

This term is generally used when talking about audio signals, so is often used when discussing noise cancelling headphones.

Think of it as how much a sound is dampened by.

An overall attenuation rating is achieved by averaging the amount of noise reduction across the range of frequencies (bass, mid, treble).

Attenuation is also measured in dB.

What Factors Influence How Well Headphones Reduce Noise?

There will be factors which influence how well headphones can reduce or cancel noise.

And it isn’t just a case of active noise cancelling headphones automatically offering the best noise reduction.

For example, sound isolation is dependent on the shape of the ear canal, the sleeve used, the earphone model (in-ear, open/closed back etc.), and the fit.

A secure acoustic seal in relation to the ear canal is vital for the best sound isolation.

As every ear is different, an accurate noise isolation rating can only be measured; it cannot be accurately predicted.

For this reason it is common for manufacturers not to state a NRR for their products.

Passive Noise Isolation Versus Active Noise Cancelling

Headphones will typically fall into one of these two categories when it comes to noise reduction.

Notice the terms ‘isolation’ and ‘cancelling’, as these are different approaches to reducing noise.

Passive Noise Isolation (PNI) – These type of headphones rely on the build of the headphone (closed/open back, ear pad size, how deep they sit in the ear canal etc.) to cancel out any outside noise.

For example, a set of headphones which fit nice and snug, and are closed back, can offer great levels of noise isolation. Even if they don’t have active noise cancelling as a feature.

Headphones with passive noise isolation have arguably better sound quality than those with active noise cancelling.

However this is at the cost of no active noise cancelling if needed. And possibly inferior noise isolation if they aren’t the right build or fit.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) – These headphone use technology in the form of external mics to cancel out any ambient noise.

This type of headphone doesn’t cancel out every noise around you, making them great if you wish to cancel out any environmental noise, but still hear someone talking to you.

The amount of noise that is cancelled varies from model to model.

Some ANC headphones may offer as little as the low to mid 20 dB reduction. Whereas some it may be around 30 to 40 dB.

What Is A Good Noise Reduction Rating For Headphones?

A really good pair of headphones will be able to offer around 20 to 30 dB noise reduction.

With so many headphones on the market today, obviously there will be variations in what NRR each headphone will have.

Whether you are going for a standard pair of headphones which offer passive isolation, or a pair which offer Active Noise Cancellation, will also affect the amount of noise that is reduced/cancelled.

You should expect a pair of run of the mill on-ear headphones with passive noise isolation, such as the Beats Solo 2 for example, to offer around 10 to 15 dB of noise reduction.

You may find that a pair of run of the mill in-ear earphones may offer slightly better noise reduction (closer to 20 dB). This is because they sit in the ear canal itself, so they can physically block more noise out.

As we mentioned previously, headphones with Active Noise Cancelling should offer at least a 20 dB reduction, and may offer anything up to 35 or even 40 dB.

What Is The Highest Noise Reduction Rating For A Pair Of Headphones?

Generally speaking, if you are looking at headphones which will offer a high level of noise reduction (in the region of 30 to 40 dB) then there are few options.

The Sony WH-1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphones offer an overall attenuation of around 30 dB, but may reach up to 40 dB noise reduction at higher frequencies.

For a pair of headphones offering passive noise isolation only, check out out the Sennheiser HD 280 PRO, which offer around a 32 dB reduction.

If you are looking for a pair of in-ear headphones then try the Shure SE215 PRO which block up to 37 dB of ambient noise.