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Noise Cancelling technology

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Outdated

High Function ASD2
V.I.P Member
This was just an idea that popped in to my head, and like most ideas if you look on the net you'll find that others have already had the same idea. I was thinking about my noise cancelling headphones and how much of a god send they are, but the trouble is you can't sleep wearing them. So I wondered if you can get noise cancelling speakers to make a whole room quiet.

Yes, you can.

So now I'm wondering if any forum users have any experience with this technology and what their thoughts are.

Noise-Canceling Speakers for Rooms: A New Era of Silence – Gentle Hush

https://singersroom.com/music-gear/best-noise-cancelling-speakers/
 
I tried this myself a while back. I did a few experiments in Audacity, generating tones and reversing the polarity on a second tone on the same frequency to phase out the noise and it does work.

The problem was, I couldn’t get it to work with the noise I was actually trying to get rid of in the first place. I was being plagued by the famous (or should that be infamous?) noise known as "The Hum." I generated a sweeping tone, then reversed the phase in Audacity. I couldn’t get it to work and now I know why: normal speakers only work properly within the range of human hearing and I can hear noise outside that range, which my speakers can’t produce and so couldn’t phase out The Hum because the frequency was too low.
 
Angular Chap said:
I tried this myself a while back. I did a few experiments in Audacity, generating tones and reversing the polarity on a second tone on the same frequency to phase out the noise and it does work.
Click to expand...
This sounds exactly like what I was just looking for, if you could post a link to more information I'd appreciate it.

The only software I've found is for cancelling background noise when you're using a microphone online, not what I'm looking for. I share a wall with an alcoholic neighbour and I just want a break from the noise of his voice. Once he's had a few he just never shuts up. If it can cancel out doof doof music as well then I'll be even happier.
 
I suppose that comes down to how one individually describes what in their mind (and ears) constitutes "cancelling" (or countering) such sounds.

I've used ambient sounds generated through a small speaker on my Homedics clock-radio for a very long time. Usually the sound of rainfall or thunderstorms. With the idea of simply countering/masking external sounds I have no control of.

Though I completely admit that it's a haphazard process depending largely on the noise level of those external sounds for which I can only counter in a limited manner.

In the summer I replace those same ambient sounds with a less preferred, but necessary sound. That of a fan running all night long given I can't afford to run central air conditioning on a 24/7 basis. The constant and "even" drone does seem to help. However an uneven, or oscillating drone for me would create more problems than solutions.

One thing I am extremely sensitive to are any sounds on the lower (20-60hz) hertz range. Unnecessary audio bass can drive me bonkers, in a matter of seconds. I've got nothing to technically counter that particular sound. Though luckily for me most of it occurs not from anyone's audio system, but rather by passing vehicles often in need of a tune-up.
 
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Outdated said:
This sounds exactly like what I was just looking for, if you could post a link to more information I'd appreciate it.
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Alright, but sorry if I’ve over-hyped my dumb weekend experiments! :p

I used a tone generator site and the free Audacity audio software. Specifically, the “invert” effect.

Online Tone Generator

Invert - Audacity Manual

I set up 2 speakers, one at either side of the room, pointing at each other. I generated a tone of 1000Hz. I saved this as 1000Hz.wav. Next I opened it in Audacity, inverted it and saved it as 1000Hz_inverted.wav. I played 1000Hz.wav through speaker 1 and 1000Hz_inverted.wav through speaker 2. The tone got much quieter in some parts of the room.

For doof doof music, I’m thinking bass. Bass range is 20Hz to 250Hz. I guess you could try generating a sweep from 20-250Hz, opening the .wav file in Audacity, inverting it and playing the inverted file from different points in the room from say a laptop, phone, Bluetooth speaker or external speaker and a long cable and at different volumes. Might even be possible to refine the range, sub-bass (20-60 Hz) and mid-bass (60-250 Hz).

Free Online Frequency Sweep Generator | OnlineToneGenerator.com

I think voice is a different kettle of fish, with so many different frequencies and speech being less consistent than music.

Too much effort? Probably!
 
We've been using this technology in cars for more than 30 years now, starting with the Nissan Bluebird in 92. Admittedly not cars that I've ever been able to afford, but still. I've been looking all over the net, the technology is there but it's very limited in where people are marketing it. It's also used in the music industry, makes it a lot cheaper to set up a studio if you can just cancel background noise instead of trying to sound proof the whole building.

All I need is an alarm clock sized device to keep a small area near my head quiet while I go to sleep. There's white noise generators that also have active noise cancelling, but I don't want the white noise. I'd prefer it if I couldn't hear my fan in summer. When I'm more awake and better rested I'll start looking at those and see if any of them can cancel noise without adding their own sounds.

Interesting side note - some of those noise generators also make pink and brown noise.
I always thought the brown note was the one that made people poo their pants. :)
 
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Outdated said:
Can it cancel noise without also making white noise?
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Not that I am aware of. Though I haven't really paid much attention to the evolution of such technology beyond wireless headphones.

Something I suppose for you to investigate regarding such manufacturers. If this thing were ever to malfunction or fail it would be the incentive for me to do so. I think I've had it for some 14 years or more without fail.
 
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Here's my bed with a homemedics clock-radio circled in green. You can see how close it is to my pillow.
It has a dimmer switch so the digital display isn't so harsh at night.

Bedroom.webp
 
I can't recall the thread, but I did the deep explanation of this tech a while back. It's wild how it works because you are honestly hearing a lot more.

Think of what you are hearing in the world in the pattern of this letter - M.

All that noise cancelling tech does, there's a microchip in the headphones that hears that pattern of sound as M and then instantaneously plays it back inversely (so in a W pattern) to cancel it out. Whatever the sound is going on in the world outside of your headphones, the chip hears it and inverts it at the same volume to "cancel" it out. All the while, you are technically hearing two different things going on. It's weird.

Anyway, I'm now curious to how it works with open speakers. This is going to be a fun rabbit hole.
 
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Outdated said:
This was just an idea that popped in to my head, and like most ideas if you look on the net you'll find that others have already had the same idea. I was thinking about my noise cancelling headphones and how much of a god send they are, but the trouble is you can't sleep wearing them. So I wondered if you can get noise cancelling speakers to make a whole room quiet.

Yes, you can.

So now I'm wondering if any forum users have any experience with this technology and what their thoughts are.

Noise-Canceling Speakers for Rooms: A New Era of Silence – Gentle Hush

10 Best Noise Cancelling Speakers 2025 - Singersroom.com
Click to expand...
This will work - - slightly. The problem is the difference between the distance from the sample point and the source point. This works well in headphones because the distance is so small. If you have a significant difference, the rate at which the noise lessens between the two becomes significant. You would have to adjust the reverse phase volume for a distance, and it would not work at any other distance.

For an amusing take on this, read The Fenton Silencer by Arthur C. Clarke.
 
Shamar said:
This will work - - slightly. The problem is the difference between the distance from the sample point and the source point.
Click to expand...
The area of noise cancellation only needs to cover a few feet. If my head's in a quiet zone the rest of my body isn't going to care. It also doesn't need to be 100% effective, just a noise dampening effect would be a boon worth paying for.

I'll keep exploring, I'll find what I want one way or another. :)
 
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