Are We Taking Noise Cancellation Too Far? Why Open-Ear Audio Technology Offers An Alternative

There’s something quite appealing about being able to shut out the world, especially in this day and age when we’re constantly overwhelmed by news, social media and so much more. Whether it’s the person having a loud conversation on the train, the hum of an office or the general chaos of everyday life, noise-cancelling headphones offer some peace and quiet.

But as audio technology becomes increasingly good at helping us tune everything out, I’ve started to wonder whether being completely disconnected from our surroundings is always such a good thing. And I’m definitely not the only one.

Don’t get me wrong. Noise cancellation definitely has its place, and I can understand the appeal of being able to create your own little bubble when you need to concentrate. I, too, love the idea of being able to completely shut everything and everyone out on command. But, most of the time, when I’m out running, walking from one place to another or simply getting on with my day, I actually quite like knowing what’s happening around me. I don’t want to know exactly what’s going on, but I don’t want to have no idea that something’s going on at all.

That’s one of the reasons I’ve become such a fan of open-ear audio technology.

Do We Really Want To Block Out the World Completely?

Noise cancellation has become something of a selling point in the headphone market, with manufacturers competing to offer increasingly effective ways to reduce the sounds around us. Active noise cancellation uses microphones and processing to counter unwanted external noise, while the physical design of sealed headphones and earbuds can block some sound from reaching our ears in the first place.

And there are plenty of situations where that’s useful. On a long flight, for instance, or when you’re trying to concentrate in a noisy environment, being able to reduce background noise can make a genuine difference.

But there’s definitely a bit of a trade-off, particularly when we’re moving around outside and there are other people around us. Traffic, cyclists, other pedestrians and the general sounds of our surroundings can all provide useful information about what’s happening around us, whether for general social awareness or actual safety. If our headphones are designed to minimise those sounds, we may be less likely to notice them.

For instance, I had a specific experience during which I was out running in the early evening and it wasn’t completely dark, but it was definitely dark enough that it would be a good idea for anybody wandering around to be a little more aware of their surroundings than normal. Up ahead of me was a man walking on his own – just going for a casual evening stroll – and he had earphones in.

Now, I’m normally very aware of alarming people by running up behind them, so I tend to give them as wide a berth as possible and usually, they can hear my footsteps, at least as I get close. But as I approached this man, it became clear that couldn’t hear anything at all and he definitely didn’t know I was coming, and sure enough, as I passed him, the poor guy nearly jumped out of his skin. Clearly, he was wearing noise-cancelling headphones and all he could hear was whatever he was listening to, and all I could think at the time was, he’s pretty darn lucky I was just a runner doing my own thing!

Of course, on the other hand, wearing open-ear headphones doesn’t automatically make someone safe or aware of everything around them. Playing your music too loud can definitely still mask important sounds. But it does offer another way to listen, without relying on sealing off the ear canal or actively cancelling the world out.

Why I Prefer Open-Ear Audio

I use the Shokz OpenFit Air 2 earbuds every day, whether I’m working at home, co-working in a communal space or heading out for a run, and I’ve found that the design works particularly well for the way I like to listen. Rather than sitting inside the ear canal, the earbuds hook around the ears, with the speakers positioned to deliver sound while leaving the ear canal open. They’re lightweight and comfortable, without the feeling of having something wedged inside my ears for hours at a time. And this is a big yes from me, because I don’t know if I have sensitive ears or everybody feels this way, but old-school earphones that really go into your ears can become quite painful for me after about an hour or so.

That might sound like a small difference, but trust me, it makes a difference when you’re wearing earbuds regularly. I can listen to music or a podcast while getting on with other things, without feeling quite so cut off from my surroundings. It makes me feel both self-aware and safe at the same time.

The fit is another big plus for me. The flexible hooks keep the earbuds in place when I’m running, without feeling overly tight or intrusive. I don’t spend my run worrying about them slipping out, and I don’t have to keep adjusting them to get comfortable.

More importantly, I like being able to hear some of what’s going on around me. When I’m running outdoors, I want my music, but I also want to retain a degree of awareness of my environment. Open-ear technology offers a balance that suits me far better than feeling completely isolated from everything else.

A Different Approach To Everyday Audio

These open-ear earphones, of which there are plenty of different types on offer, are an example of how audio technology can prioritise a different set of needs. And ultimately, better listening doesn’t always have to mean blocking out more noise.

Of course, open-ear audio definitely won’t suit everyone. For instance, if you regularly travel on noisy public transport or work in an environment where you need to focus, noise cancellation may still be the better option and that’s totally understandable. I know plenty of people who would definitely still opt for noise-cancelling earphones. The point is, simply, that perhaps we’ve become a little too focused on how effectively headphones can disconnect us from the world, rather than considering what we might want to remain connected to. And for those of us who realise we don’t actually want to be 100% disengaged, this open-ear technology is an excellent alternative.