Why do wireless headphones have ANC, but wired headphones don’t?

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Wireless headphones have become the de facto standard for audio listeners around the world. You can’t beat the freedom they bring. Generally speaking, audiophiles have always preferred wired headphones because of their reliability. However, even if old-school wired boxes become cool again, most casual listeners will probably find the return to wire a bit jarring after years of being accustomed to wireless.

Lugging around a cable is annoying, but even worse, you have to say goodbye to bells and whistles like active noise cancellation (ANC). This clever system benefits from microphones that capture external sounds and a dedicated chipset that cancels all ambient noise. But why are there no wired ANC headphones? Certainly, technology has progressed sufficiently.

Technology, yes. Wired headphones? For the most part, they still operate as they did a century ago. Basically, the 3.5mm headphone jack carries a tiny bit of electrical current that moves sound, meaning regular headphones are just passive speakers. In contrast, modern Bluetooth headphones have a battery-powered ANC chip. A set of Bluetooth cans also relies on its own internal codec to read data coming from your device, which results in a tiny bit of audio compression and degradation. So with wired headphones, you don’t get ANC or cool features like built-in equalizer, but since the sound signal is transmitted directly from the device, there’s no need to decode any data – you just get pure sound. A good compromise: no fun stuff, just superior audio quality.

The best thing about ANC headphones is that you put them on and the outside world and its barrage of sounds disappear in an instant. If you’re bothered by noise and want to block it all out, a traditional set of “ears” can technically help you halfway. How? Well, who says noise cancellation has to be active?

Passive noise cancellation removes sound from the environment by physically isolating your ears from the source. In other words, headphones that fit tightly to your ears create a seal. They’re also made from materials that absorb sound better, and voilà, you get minimal outside noise while still enjoying the premium quality of wired headphones. Although this method works well, you cannot expect ANC-level isolation. These headphones generally block high and mid frequencies, but you’ll probably still hear low-pitched sounds like the rumble of the bus on your morning commute. After all, low frequencies carry a lot of energy and will still reach your ears.

Ultimately, this may seem disappointing when you consider price and reliability. Think of Bluetooth headphones like a modern car: comfortable, feature-rich, easy to drive, but once they break, you’re in a world of trouble. On the other hand, choose one of the best audiophile wired headphones, and it’s like owning a ’70s Dodge Charger: simple, reliable, and easy to repair. For example, the Sony MDR7506 costs just over $110 on Amazon, and aside from having top-notch sound, if you take good care of them, you may never need to buy a new pair of headphones.