Choosing earbuds today feels like ordering coffee at Starbucks, way too many options, and half the terms sound made up.

And somewhere between “deep bass,” “graphene drivers,” and “IPX…something resistance,” you bump into the two biggest buzzwords:

ANC vs ENC

Don’t worry. After this blog, you’ll know exactly which one you need (and you’ll also finally stop pretending you knew the difference).

First, what even is ANC?

ANC = Active Noise Cancellation
Think of ANC as that one friend who tells the whole world to “shhhh.”

In simple words:

It blocks external noise, like traffic, airplane hum, loud coworkers, construction sounds, and your mom calling you for the third time.

How it works (non-nerdy version):

Earbuds pick up outside noise → make opposite sound waves → cancel them → you get peace.
Like Thanos snapped, but only for noise.

Okay… So what’s ENC, then?

ENC = Environmental Noise Cancellation
This one doesn’t cancel noise for you…
It cancels noise for the person you’re talking to.

In simple words:

When you’re on calls, ENC reduces background noise so the other person still hears you clearly, not the traffic jam behind you.

So which one should you choose? If you want to escape the world → Go with ANC

Perfect for:

• Travelling
  
• Studying
  
• Gym sessions
  
• Office work
  
• Avoiding unnecessary conversations
  

Because with ANC on, even your own thoughts sound HD.

If you take a lot of calls → Go with ENC

Perfect for:

• Work-from-home
  
• Sales folks
  
• Students
  
• Anyone whose manager calls every 10 minutes
  

ENC makes you sound good, even when your surroundings don’t.

Can you get BOTH?

Oh yes.
Many premium earbuds (including Crossbeats) offer ANC + ENC together.

So you get:

• Quiet listening
  
• Clear calling
  
• Zero drama

ANC or ENC?